Jacopo Ferruzzi
Assistant Professor
jacopo.ferruzzi@utdallas.edu
BS & MS, Biomedical Engineering, University of Pisa, Italy
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
Post-Doc, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
Dr. Jacopo Ferruzzi is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at UT Dallas and the Principal Investigator of the Tissue Mechanics & Remodeling (TMR) Laboratory. His research expertise lies in the areas of biomechanics and mechanobiology. The ultimate goal of his work is to improve fundamental understanding of diseases associated with – and driven by – abnormal tissue mechanics, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Dr. Ferruzzi worked extensively in the area of cardiovascular biomechanics between the University of Pisa, Texas A&M University, and Yale University. He studied the progression of arterial stiffening and developed methods for “biomechanical phenotyping” arterial sections in vivo and ex vivo. By using experimental and computational methods, he investigated vascular conditions such as arterial aging, chronic hypertension, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and thoracic aortic dissections. While at Boston University, Dr. Ferruzzi explored the role of biomechanics in breast cancer by employing 3D cell culture techniques and label-free imaging methods. He investigated the mechanisms underlying collagen remodeling upon tumor growth and the mechanics of collective cancer invasion. His research program at UT Dallas employs a multidisciplinary and multiscale approach to dissect the relationship between altered mechanical properties, extracellular matrix organization, and cellular function.
Chastity (Chas) Chavez
Graduate research assistant
chastity.chavez@utdallas.edu
I earned my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester where my focus was primarily on bridging biomechanics with imaging. After undergrad, I worked as a research technician in an ultrasound lab followed by establishing the Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF) at UT Dallas. As a graduate student in the TMR Lab, my focus is on exploring the regional mechanical and structural properties of the colon from the perspective of inflammatory bowel disease to improve diagnostic and treatment strategies. During my free time, I enjoy exploring coffee shops and reading books
Victor Nguyen
Graduate research assistant
victor.nguyen3@utdallas.edu
I studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where I researched tissue engineered scaffolds for skeletal muscle regeneration. Now, I’m pursuing my PhD in the TMR Lab focusing on fibroblasts remodeling in collagen microenvironments and early-onset colorectal cancer mechanotransduction. In my limited free time, I like to take film photos and play violin!