Mentor Areas
We study mechanobiology and development to learn the how the embryo makes tissues, so that we can recapitulate these for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Students will learn lab techniques and contribute to current lab projects in a dynamic and supportive research environment.
Description:
The Boerckel lab’s philosophy is that, if one wants to build a tissue, they should look to how the embryo builds that tissue. Thus the lab seeks to understand how mechanical cues influence embryonic development to enable tissue engineering strategies that recapitulate these processes for regeneration. Our work currently focuses on defining the roles of the mechanosensitive transcriptional regulators Yes-associated protein (YAP) and Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ motif (TAZ) in mechanotransduction, morphogenesis, growth, adaptation, and repair. In addition, we seek to develop new tissue engineering strategies for challenging injuries. We use a combination of engineered matrices and bioreactors to study mechanisms of cell mechanotransduction, genetic mouse models to study development and disease, and mouse and rat models to study repair and regeneration.
Preferred Qualifications
Background in cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, bioengineering, or mechanical engineering are welcome.
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here.
Boerckel Lab(link is external)
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.