Samira Musah

Samira Musah is the Alfred M. Hunt Faculty Scholar Assistant Professor in Duke University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, with joint appointments in Medicine and Cell Biology. She holds affiliations with the Duke Cancer Institute and Duke Regeneration Center. Dr. Musah earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard University (2013-2018).

Her research focuses on:

• Stem cell biology and regenerative medicine approaches for kidney disease
• Development of patient-specific disease models using organoids and organs-on-chips
• Molecular mechanisms of human organ development and disease progression
• Therapeutic discovery for kidney disorders and extra-renal complications

Her recent publications demonstrate strong focus on:

• Advanced kidney disease modeling using stem cell-derived systems
• Mechanisms of podocyte injury in diabetic and hypertensive nephropathy
• Development of microphysiological systems for drug screening
• Biomaterial-enhanced organoid differentiation techniques

Honors include:

• NIH Director's New Innovator Award (2023)
• Alfred M. Hunt Faculty Scholar
• Named among 100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America (2020)

Dr. Musah leads the Musah Lab where she oversees research on kidney tissue engineering and disease modeling. She has received significant funding including a $1.5M NIH High-Risk, High-Reward grant. Her teaching includes graduate courses in Biological Engineering Seminar Series, Physiology for Engineers, and research mentorship through independent study projects.