R. Michael Gower

R. Michael Gower is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, with an affiliate appointment in Chemical Engineering. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Davis (2010) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines (2004). His research focuses on engineering biomaterials to modulate immune responses, targeting inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. Key areas include controlled release of proteins/small molecules via scaffolds to program immune cells, and developing translational therapies.

Research Highlights:

• Design of immunomodulatory scaffolds for islet transplantation and cancer therapy
• Study of monocyte adhesion mechanisms in atherosclerosis
• Development of microfluidic devices for immune cell analysis

Awards:

• National IDeA Symposium Young Investigator Travel Award (2016)
• Northwestern Postdoc Presentation Award (2013)
• IBIS Travel Award (2012)

Teaching: Teaches courses in biomaterials, biomonitoring, and immunoengineering. Actively mentors doctoral and undergraduate students in biomaterials research and drug delivery systems.

Grants: Current funding includes NIH NIGMS COBRE grants for resveratrol scaffolds and thermogenic adipose tissue engineering.