Engineering Biomaterials for Cardiovascular Regeneration
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The Chen Lab develops biodegradable and bioresponsive materials for vascular grafts, cardiac patches, and regenerative medicine. We integrate polymer chemistry, 3D printing, electrowriting, mechanobiology, and in vivo models to design next-generation cardiovascular therapies.
RESEARCH FOCUS
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Metallo-Elastomer Design & Optimization
Developing and optimizing metallo-elastomers through molecular design, metal-ligand coordination, and crosslinking strategies to tune mechanics, degradation, and bioactivity.
3D Printing & Electrowriting
Resorbable Vascular Grafts
Resorbable Cardiac Patches
Mechanobiology & Host Remodeling
Creating programmable micro/nanofibrous architectures using our elastomers to control cell alignment, mechanics, and tissue organization.
Designing resorbable elastomeric grafts that promote endothelialization, tissue remodeling, and long-term vascular repair.
Developing flexible, bioactive scaffolds to support cardiac tissue repair and electrophysiological integration.
Studying how material chemistry, stiffness, architecture, and degradation regulate cell behavior and tissue regeneration.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
A Dual-Crosslinked Metallo-Elastomer Platform for Architecture-Directed Vascular Remodeling. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2026.
Biodegradable Synthetic Graft with Sustained Hydrogen Sulfide Release Promotes Endothelial Cell Growth. Macromolecular Bioscience, 2025.
Photocurable and 3D Printable Functional Polyesters to Engineer Elastomeric Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications. Macromolecular Bioscience, 2025.
Transformation of metallo-elastomer grafts in a carotid artery interposition model over a year. Biomaterials, 2024.
JUN
01
JUN
04
LAB NEWS
JUN
09
JUN
04
JUN
01
MAR
27
The Chen Lab welcomes two RISER program researchers for the summer!
Our recent work on electrowritten metallo-elastomer vascular grafts was accepted in Advanced Fiber Materials (IF = 22.6).
The Chen Lab welcomes three new undergraduate researchers for the summer!
Our team presented recent work on 2026 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting.
JUN
09
LAB VALUES
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SCIENCE
is real
LOVE
is love
BLACK LIVES
matter
IMMIGRANTS
are welcome in science
matters
VASCULAR HEALTH
EQUITY
is for all genders
HATE
is a virus
DIVERSITY
is beautiful