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Samira Musah

Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
101 Science Dr., Box 90281, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


The Musah Lab is interested in understanding how molecular signals and biophysical forces can function either synergistically or independently to guide organ development and physiology, and how these processes can be therapeutically harnessed to treat human disease. Given the escalating medical crisis in nephrology as growing number of patients suffer from kidney disease that can lead to organ failure, the Musah Lab focuses on engineering stem cell fate for applications in human kidney disease, extra-renal complications, and therapeutic development. Dr. Musah’s research interests include stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, molecular and cellular basis of human organ development and disease progression, organ engineering, patient-specific disease models, biomarker identification, therapeutic discovery, tissue and organ transplantation, microphysiological systems including Organ Chips (organs-on-chips) and organoids, matrix biology, mechanotransduction and disease biophysics.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering · 2019 - Present Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Assistant Professor in Medicine · 2019 - Present Medicine, Nephrology, Medicine
Assistant Professor in Cell Biology · 2021 - Present Cell Biology, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2019 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers
Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center · 2021 - Present Duke Regeneration Center, Basic Science Departments

In the News


Published July 9, 2024
HHMI Names 50 Gilliam Fellows in Milestone Year
Published June 5, 2024
Silkworms Help Grow Better Organ-Like Tissues in Labs
Published October 10, 2023
NIH honors medical scholars’ bold research

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Recent Publications


Engineered human induced pluripotent stem cell models reveal altered podocytogenesis in congenital heart disease-associated SMAD2 mutations.

Journal Article Nature biomedical engineering · November 2025 Clinical observations of patients with congenital heart disease carrying SMAD2 genetic variants revealed correlations with multi-organ impairments at the developmental and functional levels. Many patients with congenital heart disease present with glomerul ... Full text Cite

Decoding cell fate: human models reveal how SMAD2 variants shape development.

Journal Article Nature reviews. Genetics · September 2025 Full text Cite

A human stem cell-derived model reveals pathologic extracellular matrix remodeling in diabetic podocyte injury.

Journal Article Matrix biology plus · December 2024 Diabetic nephropathy results from chronic (or uncontrolled) hyperglycemia and is the leading cause of kidney failure. The kidney's glomerular podocytes are highly susceptible to diabetic injury and subsequent non-reversible degeneration. We generated a hum ... Full text Open Access Cite
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Recent Grants


TRIO NRSA Training Core-Pre Doc Trainee

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2028

Amanda Barreto HHMI Fellowship

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute · 2024 - 2027

Harnessing stem cells and synthetic gene circuits to repair glomerular injury

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2023 - 2027

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Wisconsin, Madison · 2013 Ph.D.