Matthew J. Lazzara

Matthew J. Lazzara is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia, with a joint appointment and membership in the UVA Cancer Center. His research combines experimental and computational approaches to study cell signaling in cancer biology.

• Education - B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida (1997), Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT (2003), postdoctoral research at MIT (2003-2007).

Dr. Lazzara's work focuses on understanding the biochemistry of cellular decision-making to design targeted therapies for brain and pancreatic cancers. His lab investigates spatiotemporal regulation of signaling by phosphatases, receptor trafficking, and computational modeling of biological systems.

Recent publications highlight his emphasis on overcoming cancer resistance through combination therapies, computational modeling of signaling pathways, and targeting specific mechanisms like SHP2 inhibition and FGFR-SPRY2 bypass signaling. Awards include the S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award and recognition from the AIChE Delaware Valley for teaching excellence.

• Funding - NIH/National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, National Science Foundation grants.
• Editorial Roles - Editorial board member of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering.
• Service - Former National Board and Board of Directors member of the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, FL.

The Cell Signaling Engineering Lab, located in the Chemical Engineering Building, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to bridge engineering and biomedical research for innovative cancer treatments.