MnRI Colloquium Speaker - Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari

Title: "Biofabrication: The Long and Winding Road"

Abstract: Lab's efforts to create muscle-based tissues with complex geometry using novel wet-spinning and robotics approaches.

Bio: Dr. Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation & Cell Therapy, and Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary. Allergy Critical Care and Sleep. She was originally trained as an Immunologist with post-doctoral training in Pathology, and is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering (AIMBE). After over 25 years of experience in animal models of stem cell transplant, her research has evolved into the tissue engineering field. Her current research team focuses upon 2 major themes: 1) bioengineering tissues such as lung, trachea and esophagus using 3D bioprinting, robotics, and customized hydrogels and bioreactors; 2) 3D bioprinting of cancer models. Her goal is to realize the potential of regenerative medicine by converging the fields of stem cell biology, mechanical & biomedical engineering, biomaterials, physiology and surgery to bioengineer autologous tissues/organs for transplant using a patient's own cells that would not be rejected by their immune system.

Dr. Panoskaltsis-Mortari established and directs the 3D Bioprinting Facility at the University of Minnesota, and developed the first full-semester course in the country dedicated to 3D Bioprinting and how it interfaces with other fields. She also directs the UMN Cytokine Reference Laboratory (a CLIA-licensed facility). Her lab is federally and philanthropically funded, and she has mentored many faculty, post-docs, MD trainees, graduate students and undergrads in various training programs.