Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials

Prof. Donald Griffin and student look at sample in lab

At UVA, we push the boundaries through the development, optimization, and implementation of new and exciting chemistry, biology, and advanced biomanufacturing technology. Our ultimate goal is to control and replicate cells and tissues with the same precision and function as is found in nature, in order to provide greater translational therapies.

BME Primary Faculty in this Area

Bryan Berger

Associate Professor

Bryan received and his PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware. He was a post-doctoral fellow in the department of biochemistry & biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Currently Bryan is associate professor of chemical engineering with a joint appointment in biomedical engineering.

George Joseph Christ

Commonwealth Professor of Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery

George Joseph Christ, Ph.D., develops basic and translational tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches to organ and tissue repair, reconstruction and replacement, with a focus on the musculoskeletal system, vasculature and lower urinary tract. Dr. Christ is an internationally recognized expert in muscle physiology.

Brent A. French

Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Brent A. French combines advanced methods of targeted drug and gene delivery with biomedical imaging in vivo to explore novel targets and treatment strategies in cardiovascular disease. Research interests of the Molecular Bioengineering Lab focus on developing new, more effective strategies for treating and preventing human disease.

Donald Richieri Griffin

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program Director

Donald Griffin improves clinical translation of acellular and cellular therapies through enhanced hydrogel-tissue integration, specifically focusing on the development of passive and active instructional microenvironments using microscale building blocks.

Christopher B. Highley

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering

Christopher Highley develops materials and fabrication technologies to enable the design and construction of complex cellular and material systems, with the goal of addressing fundamental and translational problems in biomedicine. 

Kelsey Kubelick

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Kelsey Kubelick leverages light, sound, nanoconstruct design and cellular engineering strategies to develop advanced theranostic imaging platforms. With a special interest in ultrasound and photoacoustics, her lab creates imaging tools that play a critical role in informing, guiding and enhancing therapies across a range of biomedical applications.

Jeffrey Saucerman

Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Jeffrey Saucerman, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, combines computational models and high-throughput experiments to discover molecular networks that control cardiac remodeling and regeneration.

Joint Faculty in Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials

Kenneth L. Brayman

Professor of Surgery, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering Chief, Transplant Division, Department of Surgery
Dr. Brayman has over thirty years of experience as a surgeon and a leader in research and clinical trials. His work shows his commitment to better outcomes for patients through advanced research in the lab. Dr. Brayman is a member of 60 professional and scientific societies and is a founding member…

Cassandra L. Fraser

Professor of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering Affiliated Faculty in the School of Architecture

Professor Cassandra L Fraser from University of Virginia joined the editorial board of Materials Chemistry Frontiers in 2016. She specializes in responsive materials for imaging, sensing and detection, specifically oxygen sensing biomaterials, mechanochromic luminescence materials and polymeric metal complexes.

Rebecca Pompano

Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Pompano's research interests center on developing microfluidic and chemical assays to unravel the complexity of the immune response and inform new immunotherapies. Her lab combines unique expertise in bioanalytical chemistry, microfluidics, bioengineering, and immunology to create brand new ways…

Distinctive Features

History and Vision

An ambitious vision grounded in our bench-to-bedside research pipeline, synergies with systems biology, and major institutional investments.

Center for Advanced Biomanufacturing

UVA is primed for big leaps, with the goal to eventually fabricate full organs. BME Professors Shayn Peirce-Cottler and George Christ are co-directors of the Center.