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Tatiana Segura

Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
534 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


Tatiana Segura is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Neurology, and Dermatology at Duke University. She received her B.S. degree in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and her doctorate in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University.  She began her career in Biomaterials research during her doctoral work working with Prof. Lonnie Shea. She designed hydrogels for local non-viral gene delivery, a topic that she still works on today. She continued her Biomaterials training during her postdoctoral work with Jeffrey Hubbell. There she worked on the design of hydrogels and self-assembled polysulfides for gene delivery. She began her independent career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering reaching the title of Professor. At UCLA she participated actively in service culminating with her election as department Vice Chair and running the Graduate Program. At Duke she has continued to be heavily involved in service at the department, school, and university level. In only 5 years, she has Chaired 6 committees, and participated in at least 6 more, is the direct mentor to two young assistant professors, is the Co-director of the Center for Biotechnology and Tissue Engineering and serves as MPI of the T32 Biotechnology Training grant. Notably she is currently the Chair of the BME department Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. 

Prof. Segura’s research is centered on biomaterials and in engineering biomaterial-soft tissue interactions to promote repair and regeneration. Together with her lab members, she designs new biomaterial interventions that can promote brain plasticity after stroke, promote scarless healing in skin wounds, induce tolerance of transplanted skin, and promote constructive immune responses after biomaterial implantation. Currently, her lab has 12 graduate students, 4 postdoctoral scholars, 2 master students, 1 plastic surgery resident, 16 undergraduate students, one high school student, and one research associate. 

Professor Segura has received numerous awards and distinctions during her career, including being named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, receiving the Acta Biomaterialia Silver Medal, a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, a Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, and a National Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association. She was also named a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE). Professor Segura has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and reviews and has over 10,000 citations. Her laboratory has been continuously funded since 2008 with several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Biomedical Engineering · 2018 - Present Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Professor in Neurology · 2019 - Present Neurology, Clinical Science Departments
Professor in Dermatology · 2021 - Present Dermatology, Clinical Science Departments
Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center · 2021 - Present Duke Regeneration Center, Basic Science Departments

In the News


Published March 5, 2025
Harnessing the Body’s Ability to Heal Itself
Published December 14, 2023
Measuring Empty Spaces for Better Wound Healing
Published February 20, 2023
Tatiana Segura Named National Academy of Inventors Senior Member

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Recent Publications


Wound Healing Splinting Devices for Faster Access and Use.

Journal Article JID innovations : skin science from molecules to population health · March 2025 With the goal of studying skin wound healing and testing new drug treatments to enhance wound healing in rodent models, there is a clear need for improved splinting techniques to increase surgical efficiency and support routine wound monitoring. Splinted w ... Full text Cite

Clustered VEGF Nanoparticles in Microporous Annealed Particle (MAP) Hydrogel Accelerates Functional Recovery and Brain Tissue Repair after Stroke.

Journal Article bioRxiv · February 5, 2025 Ischemic stroke, a blockage in the vasculature of the brain that results in insufficient blood flow, is one of the world's leading causes of disability. The cascade of inflammation and cell death that occurs immediately following stroke drives vascular and ... Full text Link to item Cite

Anti-Cytokine Active Immunotherapy Based on Supramolecular Peptides for Alleviating IL-1β-Mediated Inflammation.

Journal Article Advanced healthcare materials · February 2025 IL-1β is a principal proinflammatory cytokine underlying multiple local and systemic chronic inflammatory conditions including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 2 diabetes. Passive immunotherapies and biologic drugs targ ... Full text Open Access Cite
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Recent Grants


Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) - NIAID

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2029

Investigating mechanisms of cell volume regulation in the zebrafish notochord

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2024 - 2028

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

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Education, Training & Certifications


Northwestern University · 2004 Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley · 1999 B.S.