Awarded in 2023
Home Department: Bioengineering
Faculty Advisors: Kristy Red-Horse (Biology), Mark Skylar-Scott (Bioengineering), Casey Gifford (Pediatrics - Cardiology), and Marlene Rabinovitch (Pediatrics - Cardiology)

Research Title: Engineering Organoid Models of Early Cardiac Developmental Stages

Research Description: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common congenital abnormality in the US, yet their causes remain mostly unknown due to our limited ability to study early embryonic heart development. Cardiac organoids—3D miniaturized version of the heart, derived from human pluripotent stem cells—are a model system that can advance our understanding of early cardiac developmental. Danielle’s research is focused on applying fluidic and mechanical stress to cardiac organoids, that play a role in development, to engineer a more realistic cardiac organoid model. She uses a multidisciplinary approach of tissue engineering, 3D printing, and cellular biology methods to create a novel model that could be used for drug testing.