Michael Mak

Michael Mak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, where his research investigates the critical role of mechanical and biophysical signals in tissue organization, disease progression, and regenerative medicine applications.

His primary research interests include:

• Mechanobiology and cellular mechanosensing of multifactorial signals
• Synthesis of physiologically realistic extracellular matrix material states
• Biofabrication and bioprinting of functional tissue/organ systems
• Disease modeling in cancer metastasis, fibrosis, and organ development

Dr. Mak employs interdisciplinary methodologies integrating tissue engineering, biophysics, materials science, microfluidics, and quantitative microscopy to develop engineered tumor models and organoids. His work bridges fundamental mechanobiological insights with therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.

As principal investigator of the Mak Research Lab, he mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in advanced biomaterial design and mechanotransduction studies, fostering innovation at the engineering-biology interface.

The laboratory maintains specialized facilities for 3D bioprinting, mechanobiology experimentation, and computational modeling, with current projects focused on user-designable tissue systems for personalized disease modeling and regenerative therapies.