Embedded Files
3D reconstruction of human liver tissue at cellular resolution | February 2026
Traditional 2D sections fail to capture the structure and complexity of human tissues in 3D. We developed a LiverMap pipeline, using immunostaining, tissue clearing, microscopy, and computational software, to visualize healthy and cirrhotic human liver tissues at the meso-scale with cellular resolution. Read more about this work here.
Topological tracks patterned via 3D printing vascularize organ-scale constructs in vivo | February 2026
The ability to vascularize large, engineered tissues remains a major challenge. We take a major step towards achieving vascularization of large tissues by using topological 'tracks' of cells and collagen to drive self-assembly of blood vessel networks across murine organ-scale tissue constructs. See the paper here.
Congratulations to Drs Sherina Malkani and Olivia Prado for defending their PhDs! | April - May 2025
Bioprinted platform for parallelized in vivo microtissue screening | March 2025
Testing engineered tissues in animals one composition at a time is painfully slow and expensive. We developed a bioprinted screening platform that enables testing of 43 different microtissue formulations in a single 3D-printed device, drastically decreasing the time and animals needed for testing formulations of engineered tissue matrices. Read more here.
Sacrificial templating for clinical translation of engineered organs | December 2024
Building hierarchical vascular networks that sustain the viability and function of cells within human-scale organs remains a major challenge. Sacrificial templating has emerged as a promising biofabrication method that could overcome this challenge. Read more about strategies used for sacrificial templating and our perspectives on these biofabrication approaches here.
Temporal dynamics of metabolic acquisition in grafted engineered liver tissue | May 2023
We and others have previously developed engineered implantable human liver tissue grafts that successfully engraft upon implantation in mice. However, the extent to which these tissues express human liver metabolic genes and proteins remains unknown. Here, we built tissues and robustly characterized their engraftment, expansion, and metabolic phenotype at sequential stages post-implantation by RNA sequencing, histology, and host serology. See the paper here.
Congratulations to Dr. Wesley Fabyan for defending his PhD! | July 2024
Congratulations to Dr. Shannon Mitchell for defending her PhD! | February 2024
Engineered tissue vascularization and engraftment depends on host model | February 2023
We assessed the role that different host animal models and anatomic implant locations play in vascularization and cardiomyocyte survival within engineered tissues, and found major differences in the formation of blood vessels and survival of cardiomyocytes. These findings suggest that increased attention to host biology could improve reproducibility and accelerate clinical translation. Read the paper here.
Congratulations to Dr. Colleen O'Connor for defending her PhD! | September 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Saxton for defending her PhD! | August 2022
Congratulations to Dr. Emily Olszewski for defending her PhD! | May 2022
Engineering the multiscale complexity of vascular networks | May 2022
The ability to engineer functional, hierarchical vasculature remains one of the biggest unsolved challenges in the tissue engineering field. We wrote a comprehensive review detailing strategies for building vascular networks across scales, from large printable channels down to self-assembling capillary beds. See the paper here.
Can't touch this: stromal-mediated ductal proliferation | November 2021
Unraveling and replicating how cells communicate to regenerate organs remains one of the most compelling biological problems. We wrote a preview highlighting new work showing that the spatial arrangement of liver cells determines how they communicate and regulate regeneration. See more here.
Embryo-scale, single-cell spatial transcriptomics | July 2021
We teamed up with Shendure and Trapnell labs at UW to map gene expression across whole embryos at single-cell resolution. See the paper here.
Perspectives on disparities in scientific visibility | June 2021
Kelly and colleagues highlight structural barriers that make it harder for scientists from underrepresented groups to be seen, cited, and funded, and provide action points to help dismantle these disparities. Read more here.
Congratulations to Dr. Chelsea Fortin for defending her PhD! | June 2021
As one of our first lab members, Chelsea was a huge part of building and shaping our vibrant and inclusive community - we are so thankful for all that she has given us, so impressed by all that she has accomplished, and so excited to see all that she does in her career!
Congratulations to Dr. Eileen Brady for defending her PhD! | June 2021
We are sad to see Eileen go and will miss her kindness, candor, and endless wealth of knowledge but we are so excited for her return to medical school for that sweet sweet double doctorate. Go Eileen!
Susy Simmonds receives the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship | March 2021
Congrats Susy we are so excited for you and all that is to come in your PhD!
#FundBlackScientists | January 2021
With a network of academic women in biomedical engineering, we are calling to end funding discrimination against Black scientists. Read the article here with more from the UW Newsroom here.
Congratulations to Daniel Corbett for his successful thesis defense! | December 2021
We will miss your creativity, hilarity, daily memes, and nose for free food but CELLINK is lucky to have you!!
ISCRM Image & Video Contest Awards | December 2020
Four Stevens lab members are recognized with Scientific Image and Movie Awards from the UW ISCRM Garvey Imaging Core.
Congratulations to Emily and Parker, who won First and Third Place in the Image Category, and to Chelsea and Daniel, who won First and Second Place in the Video Category! See the winning images below:
Emily Olszewski wins First Place in the Image Category!
Parker Grosjean wins Third Place in the Image Category!
Patterning gene expression with HEAT | September 2020
How can you remotely control gene expression in engineered tissues? HEAT! See our article here where we use heat-shock promoters and thermofluidics to pattern gradients of gene expression in space and time. And check out Daniel and Kelly's interview and demonstration of our new technology here.
Guiding vascularization on the heart | November 2019
A few years ago, we showed that "endothelial cords" could be used to "guide" vascularization of artificial tissues that were implanted on the fat near intestines in mice. We were surprised by our findings when we tried to apply this same process to tissues grafted onto the hearts of rats. See more on this work in our new publication here. We think our findings show that as a field, we need to consider - and figure out - how location and models we use affect the vascularization of artificial tissues.
Featured as "Editors Pick" and Science Highlight (Scilight) by APL Bioengineering
Our take on the latest breakthroughts in 3D Bioprinting | November 2019
Several recent breakthroughts have made big progress towards 3D printing human organs. However, several challenges still need to be solved before this becomes a reality in the clinic. Check out our lab's opinions on this topic here.
Translational Research Training Program Award | July 2019
Chelsea Fortin receives a traineeship through the Institute of Translational Health Sciences graduate training program, funded by the NIH NCATS. This TL1 program offers training in translational research core competencies, community with a cross-disciplinary cohort of student researchers, and opportunities to develop social/professional skills for success in translational careers.
Bioprinting Artificial Organs | May 2019
Check out our new paper, on the cover of Science. We bioprinted artificial tissues with complex "pipe networks" that supply blood and nutrients. We show that liver tissues made using this method can survive transplantation.
Commentary: Dasgupta Q, Black LD, A FRESH SLATE for 3D Bioprinting. Science. Aug 2;365(6452):446-447
Coverage about this breakthrough:
Patterning morphogen gradients | April-May 2019
Check our doublet papers. Gorgeous work by first author Dr. Mary Regier, first developing a new technique to pattern various biological molecules (small molecules, proteins, viruses) over cells in culture (Lab on a Chip). She then patterned morphogens over human pluripotent stem cell cultures to spatially drive cell fate decisions (Scientific Reports).
Discover Engineering | April 2019
Stevens lab hosts a booth "Enzymes De-Livered" at Engineering Discovery Days, 2019. Students and faculty from all UW engineering departments shared their work with 10,000 students, teachers, and families from our community.
ISCRM Symposium Poster Award | April 2019
Daniel Corbett wins a poster award at the UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine symposium for his work in developing new methods for gene patterning in 3D bioartificial tissues.
A Future Leader in Bioengineering | April 2019
Colleen O'Connor receives both a Ford Foundation Fellowship and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Keep an eye on this future scientific leader!
Rising Star Award | January 2019
Kelly Stevens receives a "Rising Star Award" from the Biomedical Engineering Society, Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Conference. Deeply honored for this recognition!
Pathology Research in Progress Best Talk Award | October 2018
Chelsea Fortin receives a Best Talk Award during a UW Pathology Research in Progress series for her presentation describing how tissue engineering exemplifies science fiction becoming reality.
ISCRM Innovation Award | June 2018
Kelly Stevens receives an ISCRM Innovation Award. Thank you to ISCRM and Washington State for supporting our work.
Helping build pathways to college and careers | April 2018
The Stevens lab works to engage local youth in science at Seattle MESA Day 2018. See more about Seattle MESA here.
What will it take to get artificial human tissues built from stem cells to the clinic? | March 2018
To hear our thoughts, read our recent article in Cell Stem Cell and see more coverage below.
Stem Cell Symposium Poster Award | March 2018
Mary Regier wins a poster award at the UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine annual symposium for her work building tools that help shed light on how cells interact with one another spatially.
Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow | February 2018
Mary Regier is inducted as one of 10 inaugural Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellows. This award supports highly creative and dedicated postdoctoral scientists who do groundbreaking work to addresses unmet public needs. Read more coverage here and here.
Revealing Nature's beauty | November 2017
Jonathan Mene receives a 2017 ISCRM Scientific Image Award. See his image of liver cells at right, and see other beautiful images from the University of Washington here.
Artificial liver tissue "seeds" that grow after transplantation | July 2017
We developed a new way to build human artificial liver tissue, and we showed that these tissue can grow to become much like mini-livers after transplantation. You can access this publication at Science Translational Medicine's website here.
Additional news coverage about this breakthrough can be found here:
Molecular Medicine Training Grant Award | July 2017
Chelsea Fortin receives a Molecular Medicine Training Grant award. Thank you to the NIH and UW MMTP for your generous support.
John H. Tietze Stem Cell Scientist Research Award | October 2016
Kelly Stevens receives a Tietze Research Award, which is funded by the John H. Tietze Foundation and distributed via the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) at the University of Washington. Thank you to the John H. Tietze Foundation and ISCRM for your generous support of our research. Read more here.
Pathology Poster Award | October 2016
Chelsea Fortin receives a poster award at the University of Washington Pathology Department retreat. Chelsea is part of the Pathology Department's Molecular Medicine and Mechanism of Disease PhD program.
NIH Director's New Innovator Award | September 2016
Kelly Stevens receives a National institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s New Innovator Award. This award supports exceptionally creative early career investigators who propose innovative, high-impact projects. Thank you to NIH for its support. Read more here and here.
The Husky Experience | June 2016
University of Washington Admissions tours the laboratory to document Jonathan Mene having "The Husky Experience".
Bringing science to life in local schools | April 2016
The Stevens Lab “brings science to life” at Mill Creek Middle School. See additional coverage below:
Wellcome Trust science image of the year | March 2016
Chelsea Fortin's image of our human artificial liver tissue is chosen by the Wellcome Trust in London as one of the top 20 science images of the year. See this and other beautiful scientific images in the news coverage below.
Stevens Lab opens at the University of Washington | January 2016
The Stevens lab opens in the Departments of Bioengineering and Pathology at the University of Washington (UW). We join a variety of Institutes and Centers at UW that forward our mission in improving human health through engineering:
Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
Center for Cardiovascular Biology
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