Jeanne Stachowiak

Jeanne Stachowiak is a Professor holding the T. Brockett Hudson Professorship in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research group investigates the biophysical principles of lipid membranes to understand cellular physiology and develop novel therapeutic delivery systems.

Educational background:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (2008)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (2004)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2002)

Her research spans Biochemical Engineering, Biophysics, Therapeutic Delivery, and Biological Membranes, focusing on how proteins and lipid domains modify membrane fluidity and architecture, the effects of confinement within lipid vesicles on biochemical reactions, and the design of membrane-inspired functional systems. The lab employs advanced microscopy and biomimetic materials to reverse-engineer membrane function for both fundamental understanding and clinical applications.

Analysis of her 2018-2023 publications reveals a cohesive progression from fundamental membrane biophysics—protein-induced membrane bending, liquid-like condensates in endocytosis, and curvature sensing—to translational therapeutic delivery systems leveraging gap junctions and lipid phase separation. This work consistently bridges quantitative biophysics with biomedical engineering to solve drug delivery challenges.

Notable scientific awards:

• Michael and Kate Bárány Award of the Biophysical Society (2023)
• Elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2022)
• “Future of Biochemistry” recognition by ACS Biochemistry (2017)
• Young Innovator of the Biomedical Engineering Society (2017)
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2014)

Dr. Stachowiak's research is supported by competitive grants including the NSF CAREER Award. Her lab actively develops molecular engineering approaches for therapeutic delivery systems, with ongoing work testing gap junction-based vehicles in vitro and in vivo while investigating the physical properties governing endocytic uptake efficiency.

The Stachowiak Lab operates at the engineering-biology interface, utilizing quantitative imaging to dissect membrane organization. Current projects explore protein condensates in cellular processes and innovative lipid-based platforms for targeted cancer therapy, maintaining strong interdisciplinary collaborations across biophysics and medicine.