Laura Rijns

Laura Rijns is a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, currently working as a Niels Stensen Fellow under Prof. Zhenan Bao in collaboration with Prof. Karl Deisseroth. She previously held a Researcher position at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the School of Biomedical Engineering, focusing on Biomedical Materials and Chemistry. Her work bridges electronic materials and living tissue for improved biomedical applications.

• PhD in Biomedical Engineering (2023, TU/e, cum laude): Supramolecular hydrogels mimicking extracellular matrix for cell and organoid culture.
• BSc/MSc in Biomedical Engineering (2017/2019, TU/e), with internships at UC Santa Barbara and EPFL.

Her research centers on supramolecular biomaterials, particularly hydrogels designed for drug screening and tissue replacement. Key innovations include design rules for cell-material interactions, multivalent DNA origami studies, and engineered hydrogelators enhancing kidney organoid development. The keywords from her recent publications highlight Hydrogel (100%), Biomaterial (100%), Organoid Engineering (25%), and Mechanobiology (12%).

• Materials-Driven Regeneration Young Talent Award (2021)
• Best PhD Thesis Award (2024, TU/e Biomedical Engineering Department)
• ACS Global Outstanding Student & Mentor Award (2024, Polymer Science and Engineering)

Laura has contributed to 15 research outputs (2021-2024), including 11 peer-reviewed articles and 3 review articles, with significant citations (250+). Her work spans hydrogel mechanics, biomaterial degradation, and synthetic extracellular matrices.