Novel Bio/NanoTechnologies for Engineering Small Diameter Vascular Grafts
Dr. Lelkes joined Drexel University in 2000 after working for 5 years at the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovoth, Israel), 5 years at the National Institute of Health (Bethesda, Md), and 12 years at the University Wisconsin. Dr. Lelkes is the Director of BIOMED’s Integrated Laboratory for Cellular Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine and the Scientific Director of the Surgical Engineering Enterprise of the Strategic Initiative of Drexel’s College of Medicine. His interests range from cell and molecular biology, smart biomaterials development and bioreactor biotechnology, to stem cell differentiation, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Current basic and translational work in Dr. Lelkes’ laboratory focuses includes innovative approaches towards tissue engineering vascular grafts, cardiac patches, distal lungs, and smart scaffolds for spinal cord repair, as well as developing smart surgical tools for orthopedic and general surgery. Dr. Lelkes has published more than 150 peer-reviewed, papers, over 50 books and book chapters and made more than 400 presentations at national and international conferences.