Patricia P. Esteban

Dr. Patricia P. Esteban is an Assistant Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering and a member of the Healthcare Technologies Institute (HTI) at the University of Birmingham. Her research focuses on integrating material science and bioprocessing to develop biologically relevant platforms for tissue engineering and in vitro disease modeling. She leads a team working on cell-matrix interactions, scalable bioprocessing, and microfluidic technologies to advance cellular therapies and disease models.

Dr. Esteban holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bath (2015), and MSc degrees in Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from the University of Salamanca (2011). Her career includes postdoctoral research at the University of Bath and UCL, where she contributed to skin absorption modeling and regenerative medicine education. She joined the University of Birmingham in 2022 after leading an independent research group at Aston University (2018–2022).

Her interdisciplinary work bridges chemical engineering, cell biology, and biomaterials science. Current research emphasizes biomaterial-based platforms to guide cell fate, optimize bioreactor systems for cell therapy manufacturing, and create "tissue-on-chip" models using microfluidics. Key applications include regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and vascularization strategies.

• Scientific Awards:
  • SET for Britain Gold Award for Engineering (2016)
  • Nominated for IChemE Global Awards, Young Chemical Engineer in Research Award
• Advising & Grants:
  • Supervises PhD students and coordinates research across the lifETIME CDT and MIBTP programs
  • Focus on translational technologies and healthcare innovation
• Labs & Teams:
  • Leads a multidisciplinary team at HTI collaborating with experts in biomedical science, computer science, and applied mathematics