Brendan A Harley

Brendan A. Harley is the Robert W. Schaefer Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with a joint appointment in the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. His research focuses on developing biomaterials to replicate complex tissue microenvironments, enabling insights into cell behavior during development, disease, and regeneration. He holds leadership roles in academic and professional organizations, including editorial positions for Science Advances and Tissue Engineering. Harley earned his SB from Harvard University (2000), SM/ScD from MIT (2002, 2006), and completed postdoctoral studies at Boston Children’s Hospital.

**Education**:

• Sc.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006
• S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002
• S.B., Harvard University, 2000

**Research Interests**:

• Engineering dynamic, spatially-patterned biomaterials to mimic extracellular matrices
• Regenerative repair of musculoskeletal tissues
• Biomaterial models of cancer microenvironments (e.g., glioblastoma)
• Artificial bone marrow systems for hematopoietic stem cell studies

Harley’s work has produced over 100 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored a textbook Cellular Materials in Nature and Medicine. His lab develops materials for clinical applications, including osteochondral defect repair and craniofacial bone regeneration. Notable honors include the NSF CAREER Award (2013), AAAS Fellowship (2014), and AIMBE Fellowship (2019).

**Awards/Recognition**:

• Fellow, AAAS (2014)
• Young Investigator Award, Society for Biomaterials (2014)
• Campus Distinguished Promotion Award, UIUC (2018)

His research group emphasizes translational outcomes, with projects spanning biomaterial design, cancer modeling, and stem cell engineering. Collaborations include industry partners like Orthomimetics (acquired by TiGenix) and foundational studies on tumor microenvironments.