Isabelle Lombaert

Isabelle Lombaert, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, affiliated with the Biointerfaces Institute. She holds a BSc/MSc in Bio-Engineering from Ghent University (Belgium) and a PhD in Medical Sciences from the University Medical Center Groningen (Netherlands). Prior to joining U-M, she was a Visiting and Research Fellow at the NIH. Her research focuses on regenerative therapies for damaged secretory organs, particularly salivary glands, using stem cells, biomaterials, and hydrogel-based approaches. She leads the Lombaert Lab, which explores molecular mechanisms of tissue repair and clinical translation of regenerative strategies.

Key areas of interest include radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction, stem cell-based therapies, and organoid biorepositories. Her work integrates molecular biology, epigenetics, and animal models to advance treatments for conditions like xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome) linked to radiation therapy or autoimmune diseases. She has been awarded the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award (2022) for her contributions to salivary research.

Lombaert advises graduate students (e.g., Christina Jones, DDS/PhD), postdoctoral fellows (e.g., Priyan Weerappuli, Hannah Viola), and undergraduate researchers. Her lab collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to translate preclinical findings into clinical applications, supported by funding from the NIH and other organizations. She teaches graduate courses on salivary gland biology and participates in outreach initiatives promoting STEM diversity and education.

Her lab’s future directions aim to optimize hydrogel-based therapies, enhance salivary stem cell therapies, and leverage microbiome insights to improve patient outcomes. The Lombaert Lab is also developing porcine and murine models to refine regenerative strategies for salivary dysfunction.