Samira Musah

Dr. Samira Musah is a stem cell biologist and a medical bioengineer. Her work has focused on the development of novel methods to direct the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells and engineering of microphysiological systems (organs-on-chips or tissue chips and bioactive materials). She was recruited to Duke University with a joint appointment in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Division of Nephrology. Research in her laboratory aims to understand the roles of molecular and biophysical cues in human organ development and how these processes can be harnessed to understand disease mechanisms and develop new therapeutic strategies. Her lab develops differentiation methods by the identification and optimization of multiple factors (soluble, insoluble, and mechanical forces) within the stem cell niche to guide organ-specific (kidney and neuronal) lineage specification. To engineer in vitro models of human tissues and organs, her team integrates their stem cell differentiation strategies with microfluidic systems engineering, hydrogel synthesis, biofunctionalization, and three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technologies. In addition to actively publishing her work, she ensures that the technologies her team develop can be viable options for commercialization. These experiences have been instrumental in understanding how technologies from her lab could ultimately be translated to the market and advance to the clinic.