Xi RenView profile
Assistant Professor
Xi (Charlie) Ren is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering. He leads the Ren Lab, focusing on tissue engineering, vascular regeneration, and biomanufacturing. He is affiliated with the Bioengineered Organs Initiative and the Manufacturing Futures Institute. Education: Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Peking University (2011) BS in Biological Science, Peking University (2005) His research centers on engineering functional tissues using decellularized scaffolds, DNA nanotechnology, and organoid systems. Key areas include vascular engineering, lung regeneration, bioorthogonal functionalization, and synthetic cell protection. His lab develops innovative platforms such as apical-out airway organoids and DNA-based cell armor. The recent publications (2025–2023) highlight a strong trend in leveraging DNA nanotechnology for intracellular delivery and cell ruggedization, chemoselective biomaterial modification, and advanced organoid and vascular engineering. Keywords across these works include tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, and extracellular matrix dynamics. Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award NIH Bioengineering Partnerships with Industry (BPI) Grant American Heart Association Collaborative Sciences Award BMES-CMBE Rising Star Award Charles E. Kaufman Foundation Grant Dean’s Early Career Fellow at CMU Ren actively mentors graduate students, including NIH-funded Ph.D. student Dhruv Bhattaram. He has secured major grants from NIH, NSF, ARPA-H, and the Kaufman Foundation, often in collaboration with institutions like the University of Pittsburgh and NASA. His work has significant translational potential in regenerative medicine and organ transplantation. He leads research in the Ren Lab, contributing to the Bioengineered Organs Initiative and advancing 3D micro-ice printing and DNA nanotechnology applications in medicine.











