Edward A. Phelps

Edward A. Phelps, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida's Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. His research focuses on biomaterials engineering for regenerative therapies, particularly targeting type 1 diabetes through bio-functionalized hydrogels and immunomodulatory strategies. He leads the Phelps Laboratory, located at 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL.

Education:

• B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006
• Ph.D., Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), 2016

Research Interests:

• Biomaterials for islet transplantation and vascularization
• Immunomodulatory strategies to counter diabetes autoimmunity
• Paracrine signaling in pancreatic islets (e.g., GABA secretion)
• Advanced microscopy for islet biology and immune interactions

His work bridges materials science and immunology to create bioengineered solutions for diabetes and regenerative medicine.

Key Awards:

• UF Excellence Award for Assistant Professors (2021)
• J. Crayton Pruitt Family Term Fellowship (2020–2023)
• Young Investigator Award (nPOD, 2018)

Advising & Grants: While specific student names aren’t listed, his lab focuses on training graduate students in biomaterials and diabetes research. Funding sources include NIH, JDRF, and industry partnerships. His labs develop novel platforms for ex vivo islet analysis and immune engineering.

Labs/Teams: The Phelps Laboratory specializes in bio-synthetic microenvironments, with collaborations across immunology, diabetes, and materials science. Projects include engineered hydrogels, exosome-based therapies, and pancreatic tissue slice models.