Lauran Madden, Ph.D.

Chief technology officer

Lauran has her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington.  She has significant multidisciplinary experiences in the design and development of novel biomaterials, cell expansion methods, and 3D tissue fabrication to generate 3D cell-based products.

Most recently, Lauran was a Scientist at Organovo, a national leader in the design and development of functional human tissues using 3D bioprinting technology.  She worked on multiple platforms incorporating stem or primary cells and natural biomaterials into 3D systems. She spearheaded the development of a new 3D intestinal model, and made key contributions to the optimization of primary cell expansion, formulation of bioinks, and the validation of new assays.   This led to  the generation of new intellectual property, and the peer-reviewed publication she authored, titled:  ‘Bioprinted 3D primary human intestinal tissues model aspects of native physiology and ADME/Tox functions.’

While a postdoc at Duke University, Lauran worked on the development of microphysiological systems for improved drug screening as well as an alternate to animal testing. Her work focused on optimizing satellite cell expansion and differentiation methods for primary human skeletal muscle cells, including those from disease donor. These efforts resulted in the first contractile model of 3D human muscle and was validated by both electrical and chemical stimulation as described in her publication, ‘Bioengineered human myobundles mimic clinical responses of skeletal muscle to drugs.’

During her graduate studies at the University of Washington, she pursued the development of implantable stem cell derived cardiac tissue using 3D scaffolds for the treatment of heart failure. In this project, she applied synthetic and bioconjugate chemistry to develop and test biocompatible materials that could support cell survival and function as well as implantation.

Lauran is an avid trail runner, rock climber, and overall outdoor enthusiast who wants to see new technology protect the environment and provide consumers with safe seafood.