Research Overview
Our research focuses on understanding organ formation during development and advancing healthcare treatments through the use of 3D personalized human tissue models. We also aim to elucidate the mechanisms underlying relevant biological phenomena and diseases.
Cardiac organoids for studying human heart development and congenital heart diseases
We create personalized heart models using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that are reprogrammed from cells taken from patients. Specifically, by inducing iPSCs to differentiate into the heart’s major cell types simultaneously, we recapitulate the natural cardiac differentiation trajectory. This approach allows us to model congenital heart diseases that arise from developmental abnormalities.
Personalized cardiac chambers for studying mechanobiology and adult heart diseases
We generate three-dimensional, chamber-shaped models of the heart and utilize these to investigate the human heart’s reactions to hypertension, as well as other mechanical and biochemical stimuli.
Engineered skeletal muscle tissues with physiological microstructures
We enhance the functionality of 3D human engineered skeletal muscle tissues by replicating real muscle microstructure, including perfusable vasculature. In particular, we focus on developing large-scale tissues suitable for transplantation using personalized engineered muscle tissues or on studying muscle diseases associated with specific gene mutations.