Kara Spiller

Kara Spiller, PhD is a Professor at Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, where she leads the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and co-leads the Drexel Immune Modulation and Engineering Collaborative (IMEC). Her work bridges immunology, biomaterials, and tissue engineering, focusing on macrophage-biomaterial interactions to enhance tissue regeneration and chronic wound healing.

• Education: PhD in Biomedical Engineering (2010), BS/MS in Biomedical Engineering (2007), both from Drexel University.

Research Interests center on immunomodulatory biomaterials that control macrophage behavior, drug delivery systems for targeted therapy, and the role of inflammation in chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers. She also contributes to international engineering education initiatives.

Scientific Awards include the 2025 SFB Clemson Award for Basic Research, 2024 AIMBE College of Fellows election, NSF CAREER award, Fulbright fellowship, and the 2018 U.S. ASPIRE Prize nomination. She received a $2M NIH grant in 2016 for macrophage behavior studies.

Advising and Collaborations: While specific students are not listed, her lab's work involves multidisciplinary teams. She leads innovative courses like a first-year introduction to cell/gene therapy and collaborates with institutions such as Spark Therapeutics.

Labs and Teams: She founded the Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and co-leads the IMEC, both focusing on immune engineering and regenerative medicine solutions.