Pinar Zorlutuna

Pinar Zorlutuna is the Roth-Gibson Professor of Bioengineering and Director of the Bioengineering Graduate Program at the University of Notre Dame, within the College of Engineering and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. She leads a dynamic research lab focused on bio-inspired systems for disease modeling and regenerative medicine.

Research Interests: Her work centers on tissue engineering, genetic engineering, and micro/nanotechnology to create biomimetic models of human tissues. Key areas include aging, cancer (particularly breast), and cardiovascular disease. Her lab investigates cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, with emphasis on extracellular vesicles, the cardiac microenvironment, and 3D bioprinting.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward modeling age-related disease progression, especially in cardiac and breast tissue. Many studies explore how aging alters the extracellular matrix and vesicle cargo, influencing disease outcomes and drug responses. Another major theme is bio-inspired computing, with research on cardiac muscle cell-based networks for biocomputing and memory systems.

• Elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows
• National Academy of Sciences Kavli Fellow
• Roth-Gibson Professor of Bioengineering
• Member, NIH CSR Cellular and Molecular Technologies Study Section
• NSF CAREER Award
• NSF EFRI BEGIN Award

Dr. Zorlutuna advises graduate students and leads major federally funded grants focused on aging heart models and cardiac biocomputing. Her lab, the Zorlutuna Lab, develops innovative tools such as 3D bioprinted tissue models, microfluidic devices, and bio-oscillatory networks. Future work includes advancing real-time diagnostic platforms, personalized tissue models, and implantable biocomputational systems.