Research Focus
My project focuses on developing an alveoli-on-a-chip platform that replicates the biomechanical environment of the human lung for disease modeling and drug testing. Lung diseases such as acute lung injury (ALI) and lung cancer remain leading causes of mortality worldwide, largely due to late diagnosis and limited treatment efficacy. I work on designing a microfluidic device consisting of a thin, patterned PDMS membrane that separates air and blood-mimicking channels, allowing controlled pneumatic actuation to simulate physiological breathing motions. This system enables the study of how mechanical forces influence alveolar function and disease progression in a physiologically relevant in vitro model. In addition, I integrate biological components by culturing lung cells on the membrane and evaluating the effectiveness of a peptide-based drug delivered through functionalized polymeric nanoparticles. This platform provides a controlled and dynamic environment to investigate lung mechanics, disease behavior, and therapeutic response. Ultimately, this work aims to advance more accurate preclinical models and contribute to the development of targeted treatments for lung disease.
Biography
Thea Hayek holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New York University Abu Dhabi. Her work focuses on the development of organ-on-a-chip platforms and microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. She has experience in computational modeling using ANSYS Static Structural and Fluent simulations, which she applies to analyze biomechanical behavior and fluid dynamics in microscale systems. Her current research centers on designing and optimizing an alveoli-on-a-chip platform that replicates the mechanical environment of the human lung for disease modeling and drug testing. Through the integration of experimental microfluidics and computational simulation, her work aims to advance physiologically relevant in vitro models and contribute to the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.