dr.ir. J. Rouwkema (Jeroen)

Jeroen Rouwkema is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Twente, where he is the PI of the Vascularization Lab. Jeroen received his doctoral degree from the University of Twente under the supervision of prof. Clemens van Blitterswijk. Prior to this, he worked 6 months in the lab of prof. Robert (Bob) Langer at MIT, USA. Between 2014 and 2015 he was also appointed as a Visiting Researcher at Harvard Medical School, USA, in the group of Prof. Ali Khademhosseini.

His lab focuses on tuning the local mechanical and chemical micro-environment in order to control development and organization of vascularized engineered tissues. Adding a vascular network to an engineered tissue is a promising method to enhance tissue integration and survival after implantation. The engineered vascular network can connect to the vasculature of the patient, resulting in a faster perfusion with blood and therefore a better supply of nutrients and oxygen. The lab consists of three pillars, which each concentrate on a specific aspect to reach the common goal:

To develop novel bioengineering technologies, such as 3D bioprinting and growth factor patterning technology, enabling the combination of multiple distinct cellular environments within a single tissue construct.
To develop computational models to predict the mechanical and chemical micro-environment due to external deformations and fluid flows, and subsequent models to predict tissue development based on this environment.
To develop micro-bioreactor systems to experimentally elucidate the effects of multiple combined mechanical and chemical signals on cell behavior and tissue development.

Jeroen has directed approximately € 3 million in research funding. He has received a VENI fellowship from NWO, as well as an International Outgoing Fellowship, which is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions of the European Commission. In 2017 he received a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant and in 2019 and in 2021 an ERC Proof of Concept grant. In 2017 he also received the TERMIS EU Robert Brown Early Career Principal Investigator Award.

For more info about Jeroen Rouwkema on the 'Featured Scientists' page, click below:

Engineering & Materials Science

# Biomaterials
# Hydrogels
# Intercellular Signaling Peptides And Proteins
# Scaffolds
# Tissue
# Tissue Engineering

Agriculture & Biology

# Blood Vessels

Medicine & Life Sciences

# Tissue Engineering

Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET), Engineering Organ Support Technologies (EOST)

Dr. Rouwkema focuses on tuning the local mechanical and chemical micro-environment in order to control development and organization of vascularized engineered tissues. Adding a vascular network to an engineered tissue is a promising method to enhance tissue integration and survival after implantation. The engineered vascular network can connect to the vasculature of the patient, resulting in a faster perfusion with blood and therefore a better supply of nutrients and oxygen.

For more information see the following website: http://www.vascularizationlab.com/

Rana, D., Padmanaban, P., Becker, M., Stein, F. , Leijten, J. , Koopman, B. , & Rouwkema, J. (2023). Spatial control of self-organizing vascular networks with programmable aptamer-tethered growth factor photopatterning. Materials Today Bio, 19, [100551]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100551

Trikalitis, V. D., Kroese, N. J. J. , Kaya, M., Cofino Fabres, C., ten Den, S. A. , S.M. Khalil, I. , Misra, S. , Koopman, B. F. J. M. , Passier, R. , Schwach, V. , & Rouwkema, J. (2023). Embedded 3D printing of dilute particle suspensions into dense complex tissue fibers using shear thinning xanthan baths. Biofabrication, 15(1), [015014]. https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/aca124

Farjam, P. , Verkerke, G. J. , Hekman, E. E. G. , & Rouwkema, J. (2022). Biomimetic Calcium Phosphate Coatings Applied to Polyurethane Substrates. Abstract from 30th Annual Meeting of the Netherlands society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering 2022, Lunteren, Netherlands.

El Akkawi, M. , Trikalitis, V. D., Gibson, I. , Goulas, C. , & Rouwkema, J. (2022). 3D printed Magnetically Deformable Hydrogels in a Granular Medium for Tissue Engineering applications. Poster session presented at 31st NBTE Annual Meeting 2022, Lunteren, Netherlands.

Kaya, M., Stein, F., Padmanaban, P., Zhang, Z. , Rouwkema, J. , Khalil, I. S. M. , & Misra, S. (2022). Visualization of micro-agents and surroundings by real-time multicolor fluorescence microscopy. Scientific reports, 12(1), [13375]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17297-7

Padmanaban, P. , Rouwkema, J., Kerstholt, M., & Merks , R. M. H. (2022). Simulate before you stimulate: predictive cell-based models for tissue engineering applications. 121-121. Poster session presented at EMBO Workshop Building networks: engineering in vascular biology, Barcelona , Netherlands.

Farjam, P. , Hekman, E. E. G. , Rouwkema, J. , & Verkerke, G. J. (2022). Bone fixation techniques for managing joint disorders and injuries: A review study. Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials, 126, [104982]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104982

Rana, D., Kandar, A., Salehi-Nik, N., Inci, I. , Koopman, B. , & Rouwkema, J. (2022). Spatiotemporally controlled, aptamers-mediated growth factor release locally manipulates microvasculature formation within engineered tissues. Bioactive Materials, 12, 71-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.10.024

Trikalitis, V. D., Stein, F., Kandar, A. K., Rangel, V., Perea Paizal, J., Stimac, M. , & Rouwkema, J. (2021). Motile Bioactive Embedding Baths based on Biomaterial Hydrogel Particles. Poster session presented at 6th world congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society, TERMIS 2021, Maastricht , Netherlands.

Padmanaban, P. , Chizari, A. , Knop, T., Zhang, J. , Trikalitis, V. D. , Koopman, B. , Steenbergen, W. , & Rouwkema, J. (2021). Assessment of flow within developing chicken vasculature and biofabricated vascularized tissues using multimodal imaging techniques. Scientific reports, 11, 1-14. [18251]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97008-w

Mohanty, S., Zhang, J., McNeill, J. M., Kuenen, T., Linde, F. P. , Rouwkema, J. , & Misra, S. (2021). Acoustically-actuated bubble-powered rotational micro-propellers. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 347, [130589]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2021.130589

Silva, A. L., Babo, P. S., Rodrigues, M. T., Gonçalves, A. I., Novoa-Carballal, R., Pires, R. A. , Rouwkema, J., Reis, R. L., & Gomes, M. E. (2021). Hyaluronic Acid Oligomer Immobilization as an Angiogenic Trigger for the Neovascularization of TE Constructs. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 4(8), 6023-6035. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.1c00291

Kaya, M., Stein, F. , Rouwkema, J. , Khalil, I. S. M. , & Misra, S. (2021). Serial imaging of micro-agents and cancer cell spheroids in a microfluidic channel using multicolor fluorescence microscopy. PLoS ONE, 16(6), [e0253222]. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253222

Vroemen, P. A. M. M. , Sinha, R., Gamardo, A. S. , Rouwkema, J. , Moroni, L., Webers, C. A. B., & Gorgels, T. G. M. F. (2020). The effects of pressure and strain on neuronal cells. Acta Ophthalmologica, 98(S264), 20-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/aos.14387

Rana, D. , Trikalitis, V. D., Rangel, V. R., Kandar, A. K. , & Rouwkema, J. (Accepted/In press). Patterning Self-Organizing Microvascular Networks within Engineered Matrices. Abstract from 29th Annual Meeting Netherlands Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Netherlands.

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Biomedische Technologie

Master

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