Donald Freytes

Dr. Donald Freytes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at NC State University. He holds dual affiliations with NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on designing bioengineered tissues using pluripotent stem cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds to restore tissue function. Key areas include leveraging ECM to guide stem cell differentiation, understanding macrophage interactions with engineered tissues, and developing biomaterials for vocal fold regeneration and cardiac repair. His work bridges cell biology, materials science, and clinical applications.

Education includes a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.S. from Purdue University, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue.

Research achievements include over 50 peer-reviewed publications and two significant awards: the 2012 TERMIS Young Investigator Travel Award and the 2010 NYSTEM Fellow-to-Faculty Award. His lab develops novel ECM-derived hydrogels, bioreactor systems for vocal fold engineering, and mathematical models to optimize bioprocessing. Current projects explore maternal aging models using uterine tissue constructs and inhalable ECM-based substrates for laryngeal repair.