Gregory H Underhill

Gregory H Underhill is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Grainger College of Engineering. He holds additional roles as Core Faculty at the Institute for Genomic Biology and previously served as Associate Head of Graduate Programs and Interim Associate Head of Undergraduate Programs in Bioengineering. His research focuses on molecular and cellular engineering, particularly liver development and engineered tissue systems.

Dr. Underhill earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University. His work integrates high-throughput microarray platforms to study cell-matrix interactions, liver fibrosis mechanisms, and biomaterial design for therapeutic applications. Key projects include engineering liver sinusoidal endothelial cell phenotypes and modeling endometrial decidualization using gelatin hydrogels.

His research portfolio spans liver cancer mechanobiology, ECM-driven cellular responses, and 3D tissue models for drug testing. The Underhill Lab collaborates across disciplines to address challenges in regenerative medicine and disease modeling. Notable contributions include developing microfluidic assays for protein detection and elucidating the IQGAP1-YAP axis in hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

Dr. Underhill’s academic service includes roles on UIUC’s Bioengineering Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and leadership in graduate training programs. His lab, the Tissue Development and Engineering Laboratory, emphasizes translational research to bridge fundamental discoveries with clinical applications in liver and reproductive health.