(6jr) Innovative applications in tissue engineering and regeneration

SUMATI SUNDARAM, PhD
Yale University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Haven, CT 06510
(c) 908-­‐217-­‐9631 (e) sumati.sundaram@yale.edu
RESEARCH OVERVIEW:
Over the past 5-­‐6 years, I have been striving to work at the intersection of two very exciting fields - stem cells and tissue engineering; as I believe together they have the potential to transform medicine by providing tailored therapies and custom tissue replacements. As a postdoctoral scientist at Yale University, I have worked on various aspects of stem cell differentiation, focused on understanding developmental aspects of lineage specification, formulating strategies for the derivation of cells in vitro, and designing approaches to utilize them effectively in engineering applications. A key focus of my work has been in the area of vascular tissue engineering, where I have been successful in creating blood vessel mimics using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Currently as a Research Scientist in the Niklason laboratory, I have had the opportunity to engage in a wide range of on-going projects including lung tissue engineering, creating artificial tracheal replacements and esophageal engineering working with surgeons, biologists, chemists and engineers. Overall, these experiences have provided me with a strong foundation and exposure to a wide breadth of unique applications in which tissues can be regenerated in innovative ways. My immediate goal is to utilize my expertise in stem cells along with my engineering training to creating physiological models of disease ex vivo that will enable the design of personalized therapies. I propose to do this by gaining a critical understanding of the biochemical cues, and mechanical interactions with the matrix environment that enable these cells to organize into distinct sophisticated functional structures. Alongside this initiative, I am also interested in utilizing my Chemical Engineering background to design reactors and optimize processes to accelerate the translation of laboratory scale cell and tissue regeneration experiments.

EDUCATION:

Rutgers University, USA, PhD Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Dec 2007
Institute of Chemical Technology, India, B Chem Eng, Chemical Engineering June 2000

RESEARCH/WORK EXPERIENCE:
• Yale University, Department of Biomedical Engineering Advisor: Dr. Laura Niklason

Associate Research Scientist 2013-­‐Present

Postdoctoral Research Associate 2008-­‐2013

• Rutgers University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Advisor: Dr. Charles Roth
Graduate Research Assistant 2001-­‐2007

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

1. Zhao L*, Sundaram S*, Huang AH, Zhang J, Caty, MG, Yi T, Le A, Leiby K, Rocco K, Urbani L, Maghsoudlou P, Burns A, De Coppi P, Niklason L, Engineered tissue-­‐ tent biocomposites as tracheal replacements. * Zhao L and Sundaram S contributed equally to this work (Submitted to Biomaterials)

2. Sundaram S, One J, Siewert J, Teodosescu S, Zhao L, Dimitrievska S, Qian H, Huang AH, Niklason L. Tissue-­‐ engineered vascular grafts created from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2014 Dec;3(12):1535-­‐43 

3. Sundaram S, Echter A, Qiu C, Niklason L. Small-­‐diameter vascular graft engineered using human embryonic stem cell-­‐derived mesenchymal cells. Tissue Eng Part A. 2014 Feb;20(3-­‐4):740-­‐50

4. Sundaram S, Niklason L. Smooth muscle and other cell sources for human blood vessel engineering. Cells Tissues Organs. 2012; 195(1-­‐2): 15-­‐25

5. Sundaram S, Roth CM. Interplay of polyethyleneimine molecular weight and oligonucleotide chemistry in the dynamics of antisense activity. Nucleic Acids Research 2007; 35(13): 4396-­‐4408

AWARDS/HONORS: 

• Two time recipient of Young Investigator Funding Award by Connecticut Innovations and CT Stem Cell Foundation, $200,000, 2013-­‐2015, 2011-­‐2013
• Travel award to attend Gordon Conference on Lung Tissue Engineering