R. Kirk Pirlo

R. Kirk Pirlo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Dayton. Previously, he served as a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and as Federal Research Biologist and Principal Investigator at NRL from 2011–2019. He also held the role of Government Chief Technology Officer for BioFabUSA (2015–2019).

• Education:
  • Ph.D., Bioengineering, Clemson University
  • B.S., Physics, West Virginia University

Research interests span Biomaterials Development, Biofabrication, and Blood-Brain Barrier Modeling. He specializes in Laser-Assisted Bioprinting, Electrospinning, and Biochip Arrays for scalable tissue engineering and pharmaceutical testing.

Scientific contributions include pioneering Biopaper Substrates, Modular Bioreactors, and Multilayer Biological Constructs. His work focuses on translating advanced manufacturing techniques into practical medical solutions.

• Scientific Awards:
  • NRL Karle Fellowship (2011)
  • National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009)
  • Edmund and Rose Rotter Scholarship in Physics (2004)

Professional affiliations include the International Society for Biofabrication, Material Research Society, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), Society for Biomaterials, and Biomedical Engineering Society. His LinkedIn and Google Scholar profiles highlight patents and publications in bioprinting, bioreactors, and tissue engineering.