Darcy Wagner
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Lung Regenerative Medicine
Faculty, Meakins-Christie Laboratories ()
Scientist, Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program (RESP) at the Research Institute of the º«¹úÂãÎè Health Centre ()
Principal Investigator, º«¹úÂãÎè Regenerative Medicine Network ()
Our lab focuses on how the extracellular environment directs stem cell behavior for endogenous and exogenous lung tissue regeneration. We use a multidisciplinary approach using advances in materials science (polymer design and synthesis), manufacturing (e.g. 3D bioprinting), and endogenous and iPSC-derived lung stem cells to construct these new models.
The main areas of interest of the lab are:
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Design and use of biologic (acellular) and synthetic scaffolds in diverse manufacturing approaches to bioengineer new lung tissue for transplantation.
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Understand the role of the extracellular matrix in directing lung stem cell behaviour in vivo and ex vivo during regeneration (normal and pathologic)
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Build and validate new models of human lung tissue and chronic lung disease to reduce animal usage and for use as drug discovery and therapeutic screening platforms
Keywords: bioengineering, lung regeneration, biomaterials, stem cells, bioprinting, microfluidics, light sheet fluorescence microscopy, image analysis