Research @ UVA Engineering

Using biomaterials to investigate immune cell-fibroblast crosstalk during tissue fibrosis and regeneration in order to better understand disease pathogenesis and identify new therapeutic targets.

Sameer Bajikar uses multidisciplinary approaches from human stem cells to computational models to understand how brain function goes awry in neurodevelopmental disorders to engineer new therapies for these diseases.

Thomas Barker explores and therapeutically exploits the fundamental links between fibroblast adaptation to their physical and biochemical microenvironment and their myofibroblastic differentiation during tissue repair, fibrosis and cancer.

My lab’s research lies at the interface of soft (bio)materials and biology. We seek to understand and control the interactions between soft (bio)materials and living systems to solve challenges in sustainability and health. We do this using a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches.

The Caliari Lab designs, synthesizes, and characterizes new biomaterials to explore the dynamic interplay between cells and their microenvironment, applying these platforms to address fundamental human health challenges in understanding disease and engineering tissues.

Christopher Deppman has been interested in the mechanisms underlying long-distance signaling in the context of nervous system development since he was a post-doctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the laboratory of David Ginty (now at Harvard). 

Jason Forman's research includes the development and biofidelity evaluation of anthropomorphic test devices, the execution of  impact biomechanics in simulated automobile environments, the development of injury risk functions with dummies and computational models, analysis for injury risk evaluation, and investigating the effects on injury risk.

Dr. Gelfand graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa (Iowa City). He next attended the University of Virginia (Charlottesville) where he earned his Ph.D. also in Biomedical Engineering. Brad next joined the Ambati Laboratory at the University of Kentucky in 2010 as a Postdoc and joined the faculty in 2012.

My research interests span the fields of haptics, computational neuroscience, biomechanics, human–machine interaction, UX/UI, and human factors and ergonomics. We investigate cutaneous and proprioceptive cues that convey an object’s softness, and neural and biomechanical bases of social and emotional touch, and soft tissue manipulation or massage.

My lab uses molecular biomechanics and engineering design to better understand movement of single cells and to improve the treatment of human disease. We also study human learning and use that knowledge to improve the delivery of core courses in biomedical engineering.