Translational Microfluidics Laboratory

Dr. Rathod joined our group with deep expertise in microfabrication and finite element modeling, with training in academia and industry. In collaboration with the UNC Kidney Center, Dr. Rathod is leading efforts to develop microfluidic tools to predict cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease. 

Dr. Kim joined our group to scale up the production and throughput of vascular organ-on-chip technology for use in preclinical drug development. She joined our group with broad expertise in mechanotransduction and cell-ECM interactions, and she is using this knowledge to develop automated microfluidic platforms that recapitulate the native microenvironment. 

Chloe joined our group after working in industry at G1 Therapeutics and Cell Microsystems. She is co-advised by Dr. Victoria Bautch, and the focus of her work is understanding the role of the Notch family receptors in mechanotransduction of fluid shear stress by the vascular endothelium. She is our lab expert in molecular biology and has played a critical role in nearly every project in the lab during her PhD training. 

Sarah joined our group in 2020 to introduce multimodal manufacturing into our mechanotransduction work. She is our resident maker, 3D printing, molding, cutting, machining, and building tools to understand how cell substrates and the extracellular matrix modulate the response of vascular endothelial cells to fluid forces from flowing blood. 

Ryan spent time in industry working on bioprocess and technology development before joining our group. He is working on generating and processing human extracellular matrix from donor cells for use in organ-on-chip and bioprinting applications. He has dramatically increased the throughput and yield for synthesizing human cell derived matrix, and he is working to improve the strength and toughness of the materials for broader use in regenerative medicine.  

McKenzie joined our lab with experience in 3D printing and additive manufacturing. She is working on developing microfluidic technology that is directly connected to the circulation for evaluating immune dynamics in health and disease. She is also applying this technology to understand how cells sense and respond to the forces that arise from blood and interstitial fluid flow. 

Maddie worked in our lab during her undergraduate honors research thesis, during which she synthesized photocrosslinkable human cell-derived extracellular matrix. Her work opens the door to the use of cell-derived matrix in dynamic light processing 3D printing approaches as well as providing a method for controlling the mechanical properties of cell-derived matrix hydrogels. She is applying these tools to improve the yield and biological relevance of human blood organoids. 

Roberto joined our group to conduct research for his masters degree in CBP, having expertise in artificial cilia and particle dynamics at low Reynolds number. He has contributed to several projects in the lab, working first on studying the role of the Notch ligand Dll4 in the endothelial response to shear stress, but now focusing on the synthesis and characterization of cell derived matrix. 

Sree is working to develop more effective treatments for vascular malformations. Her work spans microfluidics, fluid mechanics, nanomedicine, and translational science - quite a feat for an undergraduate who is also taking classes and working! She is developing in vitro models of vascular malformations and using these models to screen for new therapies. 

Sarina joined our lab with considerable experience in industry for a sophomore. She is working to apply dynamic light processing (DLP) 3D printing approaches to fabricate models for diseases in which cell contractility plays a key role, including pulmonary arterial hypertension. This is quite a heavy lift, since she's the first person in the group to work exclusively with DLP printers. She is also working closely with Maddie and Ryan to develop human-derived inks for DLP printing of the extracellular matrix. 

Peyton joined our group to develop sacrificial patterning methods using low melting temperature gallium. These approaches enable the fabrication of multiscale structures, including blood vessel networks. She is working closely with Dr. Rathod and Sarah to apply these techniques to develop blood vessel-on-chip devices.