Joseph M. Rutkowski

Dr. Joseph M. Rutkowski is an Associate Professor of Medical Physiology and Director of the Division of Lymphatic Biology at Texas A&M University's School of Medicine. His research focuses on lymphatic vessel biology and physiology, particularly in relation to cardiorenal disease, lymphedema, and metabolic disorders. He holds a PhD in Bioengineering and Biotechnology from EPFL (Switzerland) and has conducted postdoctoral work at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Rutkowski’s lab employs advanced techniques including transgenic mouse models, single-cell RNA sequencing, and tissue engineering to study lymphatic dysfunction in disease contexts. His work spans renal physiology, metabolic pathways, and inflammatory mechanisms. Collaborative projects address renal and pulmonary health, with a focus on therapeutic interventions involving lymphatic regeneration.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, Penn State University (2001)
• Master’s in Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University (2003)
• PhD in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, EPFL, Switzerland (2008)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, UT Southwestern Medical Center (2012)

Research Interests: Renal lymphatic physiology, metabolic disease, and the role of lymphatic dysfunction in cardiorenal pathologies. Current projects investigate lymphatic contributions to kidney disease progression, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome using genetically engineered models and in vitro systems. Dr. Rutkowski’s team also explores therapeutic strategies to modulate lymphatic function, such as nanoparticle-based lymphangiogenesis induction.

Lab Activities:

• Lymphatic Biology Division at Texas A&M
• Focus on transgenic mouse models, single-cell sequencing, and metabolomics