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Dr Virginia Pensabene

Position
Associate Professor
Areas of expertise
Microfluidics, organs-on-a-chip
Email
V.Pensabene@leeds.ac.uk
Location
Bragg Building GR24.D
Faculty
Engineering and Physical Science
School
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Faculty profile link
https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/electronic-engineering/staff/870/dr-virginia-pensabene
Website
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I am focused on design of microphysiological systems, such as Organs-on-a-chip (OOC), and new approach methodologies (NAMs) to progress the development of human-based models for improve our scientific understanding of physiology, for toxicology studies and for testing new therapeutics. I am particularly interested in translating NAMs and OOC into viable products, by identifying materials, manufacturing processes and compatible analytical tools.

 

  1. Mancinelli E, Takuma M, Fujie T, Pensabene V. “Recreating cellular barriers in human microphysiological systems in-vitro”. Ann. Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2022 Jul; 2022:3923-3926.
  2. E. Slay, F.C. Meldrum, V. Pensabene, M.H. Amer, Embracing Mechanobiology in Next Generation Organ-On-A-Chip Models of Bone Metastasis (2021) Front. Med. Technol., 3:722501. doi: 10.3389/fmedt.2021.722501
  3. V. Mancini and P.J McKeegan, A.C. Schrimpe-Rutledge, S.G. Codreanu, S.D. Sherrod, J.A. McLean, H.M Picton, V. Pensabene, Probing morphological, genetic and metabolomic changes of in vitro embryo development in a microfluidic device, (2021) Biotechnol Prog. 37(6):e3194. doi: 10.1002/btpr.3194.
  4. V. Mancini, A. Schrimpe-Rutledge, S. Codreanu, S. D. Sherrod, J.A. McLean, H.M. Picton, V. Pensabene, Metabolomic analysis evidences that uterine epithelial cells enhance blastocyst development in a microfluidic device (2021) Cells. 2021 May; 10(5): 1194.
  5. V.Allwardt, A. J. Ainscough, P. Viswanathan, S. D. Sherrod, J. A. McLean, M. Haddrick, V. Pensabene, (2020). “Translational Roadmap for the Organs-on-a-Chip Industry toward Broad Adoption”. Bioengineering, 7(3) 112, 2020.
  6. A.E.Ongaro, D.Di Giuseppe, A.Kermanizadeh, A.Miguelez Crespo, A.Mencattini, … V.Pensabene, M.Kersaudy-Kerhoas, ”Polylactic is a Sustainable, Low Absorption, Low Autofluorescence Alternative to Other Plastics for Microfluidic and Organ-on-Chip Applications” Analytical Chemistry, 92(9), 6693-6701, 2020.
  7. V.Mancini, V. Pensabene “Organs-on-chip models of the female reproductive system” Bioengineering, 6(4), 2019.
  8. S. Taccola, V. Pensabene, T. Fujie, S. Takeoka, NM. Pugno, V. Mattoli, “On the injectability of free-standing magnetic nanofilms“, Biomedical Microdevices 19, 51, Sep 2017.
  9. JS Gnecco, AP Anders, D Cliffel, V Pensabene, et al, “Instrumenting a Fetal Membrane on a Chip as Emerging Technology for Preterm Birth Research” Current pharmaceutical design 23 (40), 6115-6124, 3, 2017.
  10. JS Gnecco, V Pensabene, DJ Li, T Ding, EE Hui, KL Bruner-Tran, et al, “Compartmentalized culture of perivascular stroma and endothelial cells in a microfluidic model of the human endometrium”, Annals of biomedical engineering 45 (7), 1758-1769, 8, 2017.
  11. V. Pensabene, L. Costa, A. Terekhov, J.S. Gnecco, J. Wikswo, W. Hofmeister, “Ultrathin polymer membranes with patterned, micrometric pores for organs-on-chips”, ACS applied materials & interfaces 8 (34), 22629-22636 8, 2016.
  12. K.L. Bruner-Tran, J.S. Gnecco, T. Ding, D.R. Glore, V. Pensabene, K.G. Osteen, “Exposure to Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Human Reproductive Dysfunction:  Translating Lessons from Murine Models”, Reprod Toxicol, 68:59-71, 2017.
  13. M. S. Hutson, P. Alexander, V. Allwardt, D. Aronoff, K. Bruner-Tran, D. Cliffel, J. Davidson, A. Gough, D. Markov, L. McCawley, J. McKenzie, J. McLean, K. Osteen, V. Pensabene, S. Sherrod, M. Shotwell, L. Taylor, L. Tetz, R. Tuan, L. Vernetti, J.P. Wikswo, “Organs-on-Chips as Bridges for Predictive Toxicology”, Applied In Vitro Toxicology on Organs-on-Chips for Toxicology and Animal Alternatives, 2 (2), 97-102, 13, 2016.
  14. J.P. Wikswo, A.B. Bowman, J.A. Brown, S.G. Codreanu, D.A. Markov, J.M. May, L.J. McCawley, J.A. McLean, M.D. Neely, V. Pensabene, S.D. Sherrod, M.Shi, D.J. Webb, Human Neurovascular Unit On-A-Chip: Microscale Systems for Tissue-Level Response, Neurotoxicology and Teratology 55, 67-67, 2016.
  15. J. Brown, V. Pensabene, D. Markov, V. Allwardt, D. Neely, M. Shi, C. Britt, O. Hoilett, Q. Yang, B. Brewer, P. Samson, L. McCawley, D. Webb, D. Li, A. Bowman, R. Reiserer, J. Wikswo, "Recreating blood-brain barrier physiology and structure on chip: A novel neurovascular microfluidic bioreactor", Biomicrofluidics 9, 054124, 2015.
  16. V. Pensabene, P. P Patel, P. Williams, T.L. Cooper, K.C. Kirkbride, T.D. Giorgio, N.B. Tulipan, “Repairing Fetal Membranes with a Self-adhesive Ultrathin Polymeric Film: Evaluation in Mid-gestational Rabbit Model”, Ann Biomed Eng. Aug;43(8):1978-88, 2015.
  17. D.J. Alcendor, F.E. III Block, D.E. Cliffel, J.S. Daniels, K.L.J. Ellacott, S.R. Goodwin, L.H. Hofmeister, D. Li, D.A. Markov, J.C. May, L.J. McCawley, B. McLaughlin, J.A. McLean, K.D. Niswender, V. Pensabene, K.T. Seale, S.D. Sherrod, H.J. Sung, D.L. Tabb, D.J. Webb, J.P. Wikswo, “Neurovascular Unit on a Chip: Implications for Translational Applications”, Stem Cell Research & Therapy- Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 4(Suppl 1):S18, 2013.