معرفی
Dan Simionescu serves as the Harriet and Jerry Dempsey Professor within Clemson University's College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, directing the Biocompatibility and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory and collaborating with Greenville Hospital System's Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine. His research pioneers tissue engineering solutions for cardiovascular and orthopedic applications, with significant emphasis on pediatric patient care through minimally invasive therapies and regenerative approaches.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Biology, Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology, Bucharest (1999)
Dr. Simionescu's work spans biomaterials development, stem cell differentiation, and bioreactor design for tissue regeneration. His laboratory specializes in decellularized scaffolds for artificial heart valves, vascular grafts, and intervertebral discs, utilizing human mesenchymal stem cells and 3D tissue reconstruction techniques. Key innovations include chemical stabilization of extracellular matrices using pentagalloyl glucose, organ-specific bioreactors for tissue maturation, and diabetes-resistant vascular grafts. His research bridges fundamental science with clinical translation, particularly for congenital heart defects in children.
Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals a dominant focus on tissue-engineered pulmonary valves and vascular xenografts, with substantial contributions to decellularization protocols and chemical stabilization methods. The research consistently employs ovine models for preclinical validation while addressing diabetes-related complications in cardiovascular tissues. Emerging trends include VLA4-enhanced stem cell therapies for aortic valve preservation and modular bioreactor systems enabling physiological conditioning of engineered tissues.
Dr. Simionescu leads collaborative research teams across Clemson University and Greenville Hospital System, operating specialized laboratories for biocompatibility testing, stem cell culture, and large-animal surgical models. His facilities support the full translational pipeline from scaffold development through in vivo validation, with particular infrastructure for pediatric cardiac device testing and chemical stabilization of biomaterials.
