Overview
Shyni Varghese has a triple appointment in the Duke departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, and Orthopaedic Surgery. She is the first MEDx Investigator.
A leader in the field of biomaterials and stem cells, Varghese will develop her research at Duke in three major areas:
- Musculoskeletal tissue repair
- Disease biophysics, and
- Organ-on-a-chip technology
A new initiative of the Pratt School of Engineering and Duke School of Medicine, Duke MEDx seeks to enhance and form new collaborations between doctors and engineers.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2026 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery,
Clinical Science Departments
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
·
2017 - Present
Pratt School of Engineering
Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
·
2017 - Present
Biomedical Engineering,
Pratt School of Engineering
Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center
·
2021 - Present
Duke Regeneration Center,
Basic Science Departments
Recent Scholarly Works
Computing inspired by the brain: a journey from algorithms to organoids.
Journal article Nat Comput Sci · July 2026 The human brain has long served as a blueprint for computation, guiding evolution from early symbolic systems to modern deep learning models. Despite these advances, traditional computing systems remain fundamentally limited in mirroring the remarkable fle ... Full text Link to item CiteHybrid extracellular vesicles for targeted delivery of therapeutic cargoes to combat osteoporotic bone loss
Journal article Cell Biomaterials · January 1, 2026 Osteoporosis arises from an imbalance between bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts, driving progressive bone loss. Here, we engineer bone-targeting hybrid vesicles by fusing extracellular vesicles (EVs) with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to ... Full text CiteModeling functional responses to pollutant exposure using modular hydrogel supported vascularized alveolosphere-on-a-chip.
Journal article Biomater Sci · October 21, 2025 Alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells play a pivotal role in maintaining lung homeostasis, and the generation of three-dimensional cultures, such as alveolospheres, provides a valuable model for studying lung development, pathologies, and drug responses. Here, we in ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Metastasis-Initiating Cells and Lung Repair as Drivers of Metastasis in Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma (UPS): Biologic and Therapeutic Implications
ResearchCollaborating Investigator · Awarded by United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity · 2026 - 2029Boston Children's/UCLA/Duke Next Generation Regeneration for Osteoarthritis (BUD NextGenRegen for OA)
ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health · 2024 - 2029Molecular engineering of HA-based lubricants for articular cartilage
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases · 2023 - 2028View All Grants
Education
National Chemical Laboratory (India) ·
2002
Ph.D.