معرفی
Celeste M. Nelson serves as the Wilke Family Professor in Bioengineering and Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, where she directs the Program in Engineering Biology and leads the Tissue Morphodynamics Laboratory.
Her educational background includes:
- Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2003)
- S.B. in Chemical Engineering from MIT (1998)
- S.B. in Biology from MIT (1998)
Dr. Nelson's research focuses on tissue morphodynamics and organ development mechanisms, particularly how cells integrate biochemical and mechanical signals during branching morphogenesis in lung, kidney, and mammary tissues. Her interdisciplinary approach combines cell biology, developmental biology, and engineering to develop organotypic culture models for quantitative analysis of 3D tissue dynamics. Current investigations examine cellular cooperation within tissues, microenvironmental influences on neoplastic progression, and mechanical-biochemical signal integration during morphogenesis.
Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent emphasis on mechanical forces in tissue development, with recurring themes of microfluidic modeling, 3D cell culture systems, and quantitative analysis of morphogenetic processes across bioengineering, developmental biology, and cancer research disciplines.
Her extensive honors include:
- NIH Director's Pioneer Award (2022)
- Biomedical Engineering Society Fellow (2024)
- Multiple teaching awards including Princeton's President's Award (2016)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar (2016)
- Blavatnik National Award Finalist (2017, 2018)
Dr. Nelson mentors graduate researchers including Niles Huang and Evelyn Navarro Salazar, supported by major funding from NIH, HHMI, Simons Foundation, and Packard Foundation. Her laboratory develops innovative microfabrication platforms to manipulate cellular microenvironments and study tissue architecture formation, with significant implications for regenerative medicine and cancer therapeutics.
