biomaterials and engineering technologies
Soft (bio)materials, such as polymeric hydrogels, can be designed to recreate certain aspects of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Engineering hydrogel platforms that are mechanically and structurally dynamic allows to probe biological questions and translate our findings to medical applications.
nascent matrix
Almost every cell in the body is surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM), which influences cell function and fate. Our recent studies have shown that within engineered microenvironments, newly secreted (nascent) ECM alters cell-biomaterial interactions. Building upon these observations, we are currently probing several questions related to nascent matrix composition and biophysics.
pulmonary engineering
The pulmonary system presents a complex niche of various cell types, including epithelial and mesenchymal cell populations, and their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding the mechanisms behind cell-to-cell and cell-to-ECM interactions is critical towards therapeutic interventions.
collaborative projects
we are inspired by team projects that span different fields and expertise
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