Biomedical Engineering
Professor Shulamit Levenberg is the head of the Stem cell and Tissue engineering lab at the Technion Faculty of Biomedical Engineering and the director of the Technion Center for 3D Bioprinting. She earned her PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science and pursued her post-doctoral research at MIT in the lab of Professor Robert Langer. She spent a sabbatical year as a visiting professor at the Wyss Institute for Biology Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and a summer sabbatical at the University of Western Australia as a winner of the Raine Visiting Professor Award. Prof. Levenberg discoveries involve in vitro vascularization of engineered tissues where, upon implantation, the engineered vessels anastomose with the host vasculature, improving survival and perfusion of engineered grafts. Prof. Levenberg was the first to engineer vascularized tissue flaps, offering novel reconstruction techniques using engineered tissue constructs. Her work demonstrated the effect of scaffold stiffness and tensile forces on early differentiation and organization of stem cells in 3D constructs, and on alignment of vessel networks in engineered tissues. She recently developed unique stem-cell engineered tissue constructs that induce the regeneration and repair of injured spinal cords.
Prof Levenberg received the Krill Prize for excellence in scientific research, awarded by the Wolf Foundation, and was named by Scientific American as a “Research Leader” in tissue engineering, for her work on vascularization of engineered tissues. She also received the Rappaport Prize for Biomedical Sciences, the Bruno prize and the Katz prize. Recently she was awarded a Medal of Distinction from the Peres center for peace and innovation. Levenberg has authored over 100 publications, and presented her work in over 100 international conferences as an invited or keynote speaker. She is founder and CSO of three start-up companies in the areas of cultured meat, spinal cord regeneration and nanoliter diagnostic arrays. She is the former President of the Israel Stem Cell Society and the former Dean of the Technion Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.
Endothelial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Apr, 2002 | Pubmed ID: 11917100
Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells on three-dimensional polymer scaffolds.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Oct, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 14561891
Layer-by-layer deposition of hyaluronic acid and poly-L-lysine for patterned cell co-cultures.
Biomaterials Aug, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15020132
Nanoliter-scale synthesis of arrayed biomaterials and application to human embryonic stem cells.
Nature biotechnology Jul, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15195101
Advances in tissue engineering.
Current topics in developmental biology , 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15350399
Neurotrophin-induced differentiation of human embryonic stem cells on three-dimensional polymeric scaffolds.
Tissue engineering Mar-Apr, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 15869429
Engineering vascularized skeletal muscle tissue.
Nature biotechnology Jul, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 15965465
Engineering blood vessels from stem cells: recent advances and applications.
Current opinion in biotechnology Oct, 2005 | Pubmed ID: 16144762
Engineering three-dimensional tissue structures using stem cells.
Methods in enzymology , 2006 | Pubmed ID: 17161707
Tissue engineering of vascularized cardiac muscle from human embryonic stem cells.
Circulation research Feb, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17218605
Endothelial potential of human embryonic stem cells.
Blood Aug, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17412888
A parametric study of human fibroblasts culture in a microchannel bioreactor.
Lab on a chip May, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17476380
Engineering human embryonic stem cell differentiation.
Biotechnology & genetic engineering reviews , 2007 | Pubmed ID: 18059636
Experimental and theoretical study of selective protein deposition using focused micro laminar flows.
Biomedical microdevices Jun, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18213521
Interactions between trabecular meshwork cells and lens epithelial cells: a possible mechanism in infantile aphakic glaucoma.
Investigative ophthalmology & visual science Sep, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18469193
A layered ultra-porous scaffold for tissue engineering, created via a hydrospinning method.
Tissue engineering. Part C, Methods Dec, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18781888
Periodic "flow-stop" perfusion microchannel bioreactors for mammalian and human embryonic stem cell long-term culture.
Biomedical microdevices Feb, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18802754
Effect of scaffold stiffness on myoblast differentiation.
Tissue engineering. Part A Apr, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18821844
Design of well and groove microchannel bioreactors for cell culture.
Biotechnology and bioengineering Mar, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 18973280
A microfluidic droplet generator based on a piezoelectric actuator.
Lab on a chip Feb, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19190786
Vascularization--the conduit to viable engineered tissues.
Tissue engineering. Part B, Reviews Jun, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19309238
Cell-scaffold mechanical interplay within engineered tissue.
Seminars in cell & developmental biology Aug, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19596326
Transplantation of a tissue-engineered human vascularized cardiac muscle.
Tissue engineering. Part A Jan, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 19642856
Modeling of flow-induced shear stress applied on 3D cellular scaffolds: Implications for vascular tissue engineering.
Biotechnology and bioengineering Feb, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 19787638
Vascularization shaping the heart.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Feb, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20201885
Infantile aphakic glaucoma: a proposed etiologic role of IL-4 and VEGF.
Journal of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus Mar-Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 20506964
Isolation, differentiation and characterization of vascular cells derived from human embryonic stem cells.
Nature protocols , 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20539287
Advanced microfluidic droplet manipulation based on piezoelectric actuation.
Biomedical microdevices Oct, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20559875
A microfluidic traps system supporting prolonged culture of human embryonic stem cells aggregates.
Biomedical microdevices Dec, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20665114
Engineering vessel-like networks within multicellular fibrin-based constructs.
Biomaterials Nov, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21816465
Coalescence-assisted generation of single nanoliter droplets with predefined composition.
Lab on a chip Oct, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21826345
Improved vascular organization enhances functional integration of engineered skeletal muscle grafts.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Sep, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21878567
The influence of scaffold elasticity on germ layer specification of human embryonic stem cells.
Biomaterials Dec, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21963156
Mechanical control of stem cell differentiation.
Regenerative medicine Jan, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22168501
Regulation of stem cell differentiation by control of retinoic acid gradients in hydrospun 3D scaffold.
Macromolecular bioscience May, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22496056
Engineered vascular beds provide key signals to pancreatic hormone-producing cells.
PloS one , 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22808248
Biodegradable scaffold fabricated of electrospun albumin fibers: mechanical and biological characterization.
Tissue engineering. Part C, Methods Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22881713
Olfactory bulb-derived cells seeded on 3D scaffolds exhibit neurotrophic factor expression and pro-angiogenic properties.
Tissue engineering. Part A Oct, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23651261
Quantifying continuous-flow dielectrophoretic trapping of cells and micro-particles on micro-electrode array.
Biomedical microdevices Oct, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23690092
Fibroblasts derived from human pluripotent stem cells activate angiogenic responses in vitro and in vivo.
PloS one , 2013 | Pubmed ID: 24386271
Frontier microfluidic techniques for short and long-term single cell analysis.
Lab on a chip Jul, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24671389
An engineered muscle flap for reconstruction of large soft tissue defects.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Apr, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 24711414
Tensile forces applied on a cell-embedded three-dimensional scaffold can direct early differentiation of embryonic stem cells toward the mesoderm germ layer.
Tissue engineering. Part A Jan, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25002337
Stationary nanoliter droplet array with a substrate of choice for single adherent/nonadherent cell incubation and analysis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Aug, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25053808
Cell tri-culture for cardiac vascularization.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) , 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25070333
A method for constructing vascularized muscle flap.
Methods (San Diego, Calif.) Aug, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25843607
Mechanical regulation of vascular network formation in engineered matrices.
Advanced drug delivery reviews Jan, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 26212159
Dielectrophoretic characterization of cells in a stationary nanoliter droplet array with generated chemical gradients.
Biomedical microdevices Oct, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 26286862
Vasculogenic dynamics in 3D engineered tissue constructs.
Scientific reports , 2015 | Pubmed ID: 26648270
Adipose-derived endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells enhance vascular network formation on three-dimensional constructs in vitro.
Stem cell research & therapy Jan, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 26753517
Morphogenesis of 3D vascular networks is regulated by tensile forces.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Mar, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 26951667
Tropoelastin coated PLLA-PLGA scaffolds promote vascular network formation.
Biomaterials 04, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28110114
Spontaneous Activity Characteristics of 3D "Optonets".
Frontiers in neuroscience , 2016 | Pubmed ID: 28119555
Elderly Patient-Derived Endothelial Cells for Vascularization of Engineered Muscle.
Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy 04, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28279644
Engineering vascularized flaps using adipose-derived microvascular endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells.
Journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine 01, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 28382732
Rapid phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing using nanoliter arrays.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 07, 2017 | Pubmed ID: 28652348
Implantation of 3D Constructs Embedded with Oral Mucosa-Derived Cells Induces Functional Recovery in Rats with Complete Spinal Cord Transection.
Frontiers in neuroscience , 2017 | Pubmed ID: 29163001
Localization of Engineered Vasculature within 3D Tissue Constructs.
Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology , 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29404324
Nanoliter Cell Culture Array with Tunable Chemical Gradients.
Analytical chemistry 06, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29772178
Innervation of an engineered muscle graft for reconstruction of muscle defects.
American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons 01, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 29856531
Induced neuro-vascular interactions robustly enhance functional attributes of engineered neural implants.
Biomaterials 10, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 30014962
Oscillatory Strain Promotes Vessel Stabilization and Alignment through Fibroblast YAP-Mediated Mechanosensitivity.
Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) Sep, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 30250793
Genetically engineered human muscle transplant enhances murine host neovascularization and myogenesis.
Communications biology , 2018 | Pubmed ID: 30320229
Tissue-Level Mechanosensitivity: Predicting and Controlling the Orientation of 3D Vascular Networks.
Nano letters 12, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 30427693
Mature vessel networks in engineered tissue promote graft-host anastomosis and prevent graft thrombosis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 02, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 30718418
Multi-flow channel bioreactor enables real-time monitoring of cellular dynamics in 3D engineered tissue.
Communications biology , 2019 | Pubmed ID: 31069267
Intranasal Delivery of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Exosomes Loaded with Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog siRNA Repairs Complete Spinal Cord Injury.
ACS nano 09, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 31454225
Enhanced Host Neovascularization of Prevascularized Engineered Muscle Following Transplantation into Immunocompetent versus Immunocompromised Mice.
Cells 11, 2019 | Pubmed ID: 31757007
Rapid prototyping fabrication of soft and oriented polyester scaffolds for axonal guidance.
Biomaterials Apr, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 32388032
The effect of endothelial cells on hESC-derived pancreatic progenitors in a 3D environment.
Biomaterials science Nov, 2014 | Pubmed ID: 32481949
Prevascularized Scaffolds Bearing Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Treating Complete Spinal Cord Injury.
Advanced healthcare materials 10, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 32902147
Flow-Induced Vascular Network Formation and Maturation in Three-Dimensional Engineered Tissue.
ACS biomaterials science & engineering Apr, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 33418657
Use of Simvastatin, Fibrin Clots, and Their Combination to Improve Human Ovarian Tissue Grafting for Fertility Restoration After Anti-Cancer Therapy.
Frontiers in oncology , 2020 | Pubmed ID: 33552971
Extracellular Vesicles Tracking and Quantification Using CT and Optical Imaging in Rats.
Bio-protocol Jun, 2020 | Pubmed ID: 33659306
Stimulating Extracellular Vesicles Production from Engineered Tissues by Mechanical Forces.
Nano letters 03, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 33709717
Investigating lymphangiogenesis in vitro and in vivo using engineered human lymphatic vessel networks.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 08, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 34326257
Spinal Cord Repair: From Cells and Tissue Engineering to Extracellular Vesicles.
Cells 07, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 34440641
Advances in vascularization and innervation of constructs for neural tissue engineering.
Current opinion in biotechnology 02, 2022 | Pubmed ID: 34481245
3D Bioprinting of Engineered Tissue Flaps with Hierarchical Vessel Networks (VesselNet) for Direct Host-To-Implant Perfusion.
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) Oct, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 34510579
GLUT4-overexpressing engineered muscle constructs as a therapeutic platform to normalize glycemia in diabetic mice.
Science advances Oct, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 34644106
Human-engineered auricular reconstruction (hEAR) by 3D-printed molding with human-derived auricular and costal chondrocytes and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.
Biofabrication 12, 2021 | Pubmed ID: 34798628
Integrating engineered macro vessels with self-assembled capillaries in 3D implantable tissue for promoting vascular integration in-vivo.
Biomaterials 01, 2022 | Pubmed ID: 34871879
Development of a 3D atlas of the embryonic pancreas for topological and quantitative analysis of heterologous cell interactions.
Development (Cambridge, England) 02, 2022 | Pubmed ID: 35037942
The Role of Biomaterials in Peripheral Nerve and Spinal Cord Injury: A Review.
International journal of molecular sciences Jan, 2022 | Pubmed ID: 35163168
Human Multi-Compartment Platform for Emulating Respiratory Airborne Transmission: From Nose to Pulmonary Acini.
Frontiers in physiology , 2022 | Pubmed ID: 35350687
3D-printable plant protein-enriched scaffolds for cultivated meat development.
Biomaterials May, 2022 | Pubmed ID: 35421802