Sharon Gerecht

Gerecht

Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor

Gerecht’s research group studies how the microenvironment regulates cellular responses, with the long-term goal of developing countermeasures and therapeutics. We develop biomaterials and culture systems to emulate mechanical and physical stressors toward understanding tissue function, reliance, and homeostasis. We also use that information to uncover pathways in injury and disease development to guide tissue healing and regeneration. We focus on blood vessels and their multifaceted roles in tissue performance, aging, and disease. 

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Paul M. Gross Distinguished Professor
  • Professor of Biomedical Engineering
  • Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure in the Pratt School of Engineering
  • Member of the Duke Cancer Institute

Contact Information

Education

  • Ph.D. Israel Institute of Technology (Israel), 2004

Research Interests

stem cells, biomaterials, hypoxia, blood vessels, physics of cancer, regenerative medicine

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

  • Fellow. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 2020
  • Member. National Academy of Inventors. 2020
  • Member. National Academy of Medicine. 2019
  • Invitee. Inaugural 2019 NAM Emerging Leaders Forum. 2019
  • Recipient. Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund. 2017
  • Fellow. American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIBME). 2016
  • Inaugural President's Frontier Award. Johns Hopkins University. 2015
  • National Established Investigator Award. American Heart Association. 2015
  • Scholar. Inaugural Kent Gordon Croft Investment Management Faculty Scholar. 2015
  • Heart Award. W.W. Smith Charitable Trust. 2014
  • CAREER Award. National Science Foundation (NSF). 2011
  • Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award. March of Dimes Foundation. 2009
  • Junior Investigator Award. North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO). 2009
  • Allan C. Davis Medal, Outstanding Young Engineering Award. Maryland Academy of Sciences. 2008
  • National Scientist Development Award. American Heart Association. 2008

Courses Taught

  • BME 493: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
  • BME 644: Physiology for Engineers
  • BME 791: Graduate Independent Study
  • BME 792: Continuation of Graduate Independent Study
  • BME 890: Advanced topics for PhD students

In the News

Representative Publications

  • Guan, Y; Racioppi, L; Gerecht, S, Engineering biomaterials to tailor the microenvironment for macrophage–endothelium interactions, Nature Reviews Materials, vol 8 no. 10 (2023), pp. 688-699 [10.1038/s41578-023-00591-9] [abs].
  • Wang, D; Brady, T; Santhanam, L; Gerecht, S, The extracellular matrix mechanics in the vasculature, Nat Cardiovasc Res, vol 2 no. 8 (2023), pp. 718-732 [10.1038/s44161-023-00311-0] [abs].
  • Hemmati, F; Akinpelu, A; Song, J; Amiri, F; McDaniel, A; McMurray, C; Afthinos, A; Andreadis, ST; Aitken, AV; Biancardi, VC; Gerecht, S; Mistriotis, P, Downregulation of YAP Activity Restricts P53 Hyperactivation to Promote Cell Survival in Confinement., Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden Wurttemberg, Germany), vol 10 no. 23 (2023) [10.1002/advs.202302228] [abs].
  • Song, J; Gerecht, S, Hydrogels to Recapture Extracellular Matrix Cues That Regulate Vascularization., Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, vol 43 no. 8 (2023), pp. e291-e302 [10.1161/atvbaha.122.318235] [abs].
  • Pruitt, HC; Guan, Y; Liu, H; Carey, AE; Brennen, WN; Lu, J; Joshu, C; Weeraratna, A; Lotan, TL; Karin Eisinger-Mathason, TS; Gerecht, S, Collagen VI deposition mediates stromal T cell trapping through inhibition of T cell motility in the prostate tumor microenvironment., Matrix Biology : Journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology, vol 121 (2023), pp. 90-104 [10.1016/j.matbio.2023.06.002] [abs].