معرفی
Sunitha Nagrath is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, leading the Nagrath Lab. Her research focuses on developing microfluidic and nanotechnology-based tools to isolate and analyze circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) for cancer diagnostics and personalized medicine. She holds an AIMBE Fellowship and has pioneered technologies like the Graphene Oxide Chip and Microfluidic Labyrinth.
Education
- PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2004)
- MS in Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2000)
- B.Tech in Chemical Engineering, Sri Venkateswara University (1992)
Research Interests
Her lab integrates engineering, biology, and clinical expertise to study CTCs' role in metastasis, develop high-throughput isolation methods, and leverage exosomes as liquid biopsy biomarkers. Key projects include:
- CTC-based monitoring of therapy response in lung and pancreatic cancers
- Microfluidic devices for simultaneous CTC and exosome analysis
- Functional studies of CTC-derived organoids for drug sensitivity testing
Notable Achievements
- AIMBE Fellow (Junior Faculty, Harvard Medical School/MGH, 2008-2010)
- Over 150 peer-reviewed publications and patents on CTC/exosome technologies
- Recipient of the 2021-22 Chemical Engineering Staff Incentive Award (via lab member Mina Zeinali)
Labs & Collaborations
The Nagrath Lab collaborates with clinicians and engineers to translate technologies like the OncoBean Chip and EVOD chip into clinical settings. Current work emphasizes real-time CTC monitoring and exosome-based immuno-oncology strategies.
