The following Kilachand Center faculty are also associated with the Biological Design Center.
Samagya Banskota, PhD
Biography: Precision genome editing technologies can potentially treat the root causes of several genetic diseases by making precise and targeted edits to the DNA. However, safe and effective delivery methods are needed to translate this potential into a therapeutic reality. Banskota’s research interests lie in the intersection of synthetic biology, protein engineering, drug delivery, and […]
Christopher Chen, MD, PhD
Biography: One of the world’s leading experts on regenerative medicine, Chen investigates tissue engineering and mechanobiology, which combines engineering and biology to study how physical forces and changes in cell or tissue mechanics affect development, physiology, and disease. In particular, Chen is studying the cooperation between adhesive, mechanical, and biochemical signaling in the regulation of […]
Douglas Densmore, PhD
Biography: A computer engineer, Densmore’s research focuses on the development of tools for the specification, design, and assembly of synthetic biological systems, drawing upon his experience with embedded system-level design and electronic design automation. He is also the director of the Cross-disciplinary Integration of Design Automation Research group at the University, where his research team develops […]
Jeroen Eyckmans, PhD
Biography: Prof. Eyckmans’s research program aims to understands the mechanical and biochemical mechanisms that drive tissue repair (scarring) versus tissue regeneration in response to injury. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining microfabrication, nanotechnology and molecular biology, his group develops novel biomimetic models to study wound closure and extracellular matrix remodeling of soft (skin, tendon, ligament) and […]
Ahmad (Mo) Khalil, PhD
Biography: Khalil and his laboratory team are developing new synthetic biology approaches to examine and engineer the functions of living cells, such as how they make decisions and communicate. They are particularly interested in molecular systems that enable cells to retain memory of past experiences, a research interest that has taken them across diverse biological […]
Joe Larkin, PhD
Biography: Using microbial populations as a model, Larkin and his lab team seek to understand how new self-perpetuation strategies arise throughout the course of evolution. They study how the physical and chemical environment influences microbes and how microbes, in turn, engineer that very environment. More specifically, Larkin’s research examines how bacterial biofilms change local conditions […]
John Ngo, PhD
Biography: Ngo joined the faculty at Boston University in 2015. In 2016, he was named a Reidy Family Career Development Professor, which recognizes junior faculty who are emerging future leaders in their respective fields. Ngo’s research applies principles of evolution, chemistry, and engineering to develop new tools for visualizing, measuring, and controlling biomolecules in living […]
Wilson Wong, PhD
Biography: Wong, a synthetic biologist and cancer therapy researcher, works to control immune system responses to cancer by genetically modifying T-cells to improve cancer-killing capabilities while minimizing the side effects. His lab focuses on the application of metabolic- and immune-cell engineering to rapidly and predictably produce desired properties to treat diseases. As part of this […]
Zeba Wunderlich, PhD
Biography: Wunderlich and her lab team are studying gene regulatory networks, which are required for virtually every process in an animal from development to immunity. Specifically, they are exploring how a gene regulatory network’s tasks influence its architecture, robustness, and evolvability. To probe these questions, Wunderlich uses two model systems: the Drosophila early embryonic patterning […]