Quinton Smith

Quinton Smith, Ph.D.

Quinton Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine's Samueli School of Engineering. His lab focuses on bridging fundamental stem cell biology with clinical applications through engineered biomaterials and microfluidic technologies. Key research themes include liver development, vascular network assembly, and oncogenic reprogramming of stem cells. Smith's work integrates synthetic materials, computational modeling, and micropatterning to study self-organization during human development.

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (implied via title)

Research Highlights:

Current projects include:

• Recreating early human development using hiPSCs and micropatterning
• Engineering liver-specific microenvironments to study hepatocyte/cholangiocyte differentiation
• Developing vascularized organ-on-chip models for drug testing and disease modeling

Funding & Support:

His lab is supported by grants focusing on:

• YAP signaling in cancer stem cell reprogramming
• 3D-printed liver tissue models
• Microfluidic vascular integration systems

Technical Expertise:

Expert in:

• Biomaterial design (hydrogels, collagen matrices)
• Microfluidic organoid platforms
• Single-cell analysis of oncogenic processes