BIOENGINEERING
Justin S. Weinbaum, PhD
Center for Bioengineering, #410 | 300 Technology Drive | Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Research Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and Pathology Director, Vascular ECM Dynamics Laboratory Associate Director, Vascular Bioengineering Laboratory Member, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
P: 412-624-9242 juw51@pitt.edu Twitter: @vascularECM
Engineering Renewal of the Vascular Elastic Matrix Our laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach. At the fundamental biological level, we are dedicated to understanding how the native extracellular matrix (ECM) orchestrates tissue regeneration. As bioengineers, we use this information to innovate strategies to combat vascular disease. Our central published work has focused on fabricating smalldiameter vascular grafts and slowing the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms in collaboration with Dr. David Vorp’s Vascular Bioengineering Laboratory. My primary areas of expertise are in ECM biology (particularly with respect to components of the elastic fiber and matricellular proteins), cell-matrix interactions, and three-dimensional biological scaffolds. In addition to research, I am committed to personalized mentoring of trainees and communicating the importance of science to the greater community.
Established Projects 1) Tissue engineered vascular graft constructs that remodel in-situ to resemble a native vessel with host vascular cells and elastin-rich ECM 2) Elastic fiber regeneration in the context of abdominal aortic aneurysm
Exploratory Projects 3) Designing novel degradable scaffolds functionalized with matricellular protein domains to guide the behavior of smooth muscle cells 4) Establishing three-dimensional models for studying ECM turnover, vascular cell interactions, and behavior of aneurysmal cells 5) Harnessing secreted factors and extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stem cells to control ECM degradation and regenerate vascular tissues
Smooth muscle cells (pictured) are experts at assembling an extracellular matrix rich in elastic fibers (red) and are the key to both producing elastin-rich vascular grafts and repairing aneurysmal blood vessels.
Selected Publications Cunnane EM*, Ramaswamy AK*, Lorentz KL, Vorp DA, Weinbaum JS. Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Primary Adipose Stromal Cells Induce Elastin and Collagen Deposition by Smooth Muscle Cells within 3D Fibrin Gel Culture. Bioengineering. (2021) *=equal contribution
DEPARTMENT OF BIOENGINEERING
Nerger BA, Jones TM, Rose KWJ, Barque A, Weinbaum JS, Petrie RJ, Chang J, Vanhoutte D, LaDuca K, Hubmacher D, Naba A. The Matrix in Focus: New Directions in Extracellular Matrix Research from the 2021 ASMB Hybrid Meeting. Biology Open. (2021)
Ramaswamy AK, Vorp DA, Weinbaum JS. Functional Vascular Tissue Engineering Inspired by Matricellular Proteins. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. (2019)
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