Srivatsan Kidambi

Associate Professor Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Address: OTHM B205E
Phone: 402-472-4443 On-campus 2-4443
Email: skidambi2@unl.edu

Experience

My research group focuses on utilizing my strong experience with materials and polymer science in developing biomimetic models of different tissues (cancer, liver, brain) to understand the role of the tissue microenvironment during aging and disease progression. My lab also focuses on engineering liposome-based nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicle for vaccines, miRNA, and small drug molecule targeted delivery. Topics of interest include: (i) Mechanobiology, metabolism, and epigenetics in disease progression (liver; placenta; brain; tumor) (ii) Cellular microenvironment for disease staging (cell-cell interaction, physical [stiffness; topography], and biochemical changes) (iii) Rational design of biomaterials and surfaces for cellular engineering, (iv) Microfabrication and nanotechnology for multiple cell manipulation, (v) Rational and safer design of patented lipid based nanoparticles delivery system for multiple drug and delayed release of drugs.

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

Liver Tissue Engineering
Cancer Tissue Engineering
Biomimetic Models of Aging Brain
Nano-scale Drug Delivery System for Gene Therapy

Education

Academic Degrees

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, 2009
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, 2007
M.S., Chemistry, Michigan State University, 2002
B.S., Chemistry, University of Madras, India, 1999

About Srivatsan Kidambi

Dr. Kidambi is an Associate Professor (tenured) in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has a broad background and proven track record in the areas of tissue engineering, biomaterials, drug delivery, liver biology and neuroscience. His group researches on developing in vitro models of tissues (liver, brain, cancer, cardiac) to understand the role of the tissue microenvironment on disease progression. Dr.Kidambi's lab also focuses on engineering liposome-based nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicle for miRNA and small drug molecule targeted delivery. The lab studies fundamental aspects of these phenomena and apply what we learn to manipulate cells of various systems including brain, liver, and tumor. The work in his lab integrates polymer and biomaterials science and tissue engineering together with traditional cell and molecular biology techniques. The group published the first study demonstrating the need for physical intimacy between stromal cells and tumor cells to develop drug resistance pathways (Nature Scientific Reports, 2015). His group laid the groundwork, i.e. demonstrate the role of stiffness in driving functional and metabolic changes in hepatocytes, which lends well to our future studies aimed at understanding the role of stiffness in regulating metabolic changes in liver. The lab has developed in vitro tissue engineering models of liver and brain that mimics the in vivo physiology (RSC Advances, 2016; Nanoscale, 2015; PNAS, 2010; Adv Func Materials, 2008). The lab is also interested in developing miRNA based therapeutics and have published innovative drug delivery platforms capable of temporal and spatial releases of drug combinations (Oncotarget, 2016; J Biomed Nanotech, 2016; Nature Scientific Reports, 2015). The lab also has three patents in the works demonstrating the translational viability of the platforms developed in our lab. In 2015, Dr. Kidambi was selected for the UNL Emerging Innovator Award. Dr. Kidambi has trained and supervised over 50 trainees including BS, MS, graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and technicians and currently has 5 graduate students and 7 under graduate students in his lab.