RESEARCH

Research Focus

Pradhan Lab is focused on an interdisciplinary approach for investigating various pathologies (including cancer, vascular diseases, obesity etc.) within 3D engineered hydrogel-based microenvironments. We employ specific chemistry to crosslink hydrogels into 3D matrices with tunable biophysical properties to investigate 3D cellular response and model cell-matrix interactions in multiple tissue niches. With the help of various biofabrication techniques, we create size- and shape-controlled hydrogel constructs for recapitulation of specific tissue niches, cell delivery and drug delivery. We also aim to gain fundamental and applied understanding of polymeric biomaterials towards biomedical applications.

Key focus areas: Cancer, Metastasis, Tumor Dormancy & Recurrence, Angiogenesis, Tissue Vascularization, Vascular Diseases, Inflammation, Obesity, Diabetes, Microphysiological Systems & On-Chip Platforms, Microfabrication Technologies, Chemotherapeutic Efficacy & Chemotoxicity