Dr. Raphael Lis
The Lis laboratory studies the brain using human pluripotent cell-derived in vitro models. Given the scientific, medical, and pharmacological importance of the human brain vasculature, the need for a faithful organ-specific model is crucial for disease modelling and drug testing.
His lab is developing brain-specific vascular cells and incorporating them into both 2D and 3D models allowing them to study various neurodegenerative disorders in a dish in order to uncover the molecular determinants and pathogenesis of the underlying neural dysfunctions.
As a part of the Hartman Institute, they are engineering vascularized brain-on-chip models that can be used to identify cell-based therapies for brain injuries.