2024 Hydrogel Innovations for Enhancing Stem Cell Differentiation, Immunomodulation, and Disease Modelling

During this presentation, Fan Yang will showcase two innovative hydrogel platforms they invented for enhancing stem cell differentiation and tissue regeneration via targeting mechanotransduction and immunomodulation.

Fan Yang is an Associate Professor with tenure at Stanford University with joint appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering and Orthopaedic Surgery. She is the founder and Director of Stanford Stem Cells and Biomaterials Engineering Laboratory, and Co-director of Stanford NIH Biotechnology Training Program.

Her research seeks to develop hydrogels with unique micro- and nano- scale properties to promote stem cell differentiation, tissue regeneration and immunomodulation, with a focus on musculoskeletal diseases. Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Yang received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT under Prof. Robert Langer. In recognition of her innovation, she has been recognized by numerous awards including Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, MIT TR35 Global list honoree, National Science Foundation CAREER award, Young Investigator Award from Society for Biomaterials, Ellen Weaver Award by the Association for Women in Science, Baxter Faculty Scholar Award, the McCormick Faculty Award, and Stanford Asian American Faculty Award etc.