Brendan Harley

Brendan Harley

Research Program Leader, Cancer Center at Illinois

Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Areas of Research

3D Cell Culture, Brain Cancer, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Glioblastoma, Tumor Microenvironment

Research Program and Theme

Cancer Engineering and Biological Systems | Comparative and Engineered Oncology Models

Research Focus

Brendan Harley’s lab focuses on developing biomaterials that present microenvironmental (biophysical and biomolecular) signals to regulate cell behavior for applications in musculoskeletal regeneration dynamically, hematopoietic stem cell biomanufacturing, and models of invasive brain cancer. His lab employs a broad range of tissue engineering technologies to trace cell responses within biomimetic materials at the single-cell and cell population levels, ideally suited for gathering requisite data to support multi-scale modeling modalities. Harley’s cancer research efforts explore the invasive spreading and treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. Visit his research group’s website for more information.

Education

  • Sc.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006

Campus Affiliations

Select Honors and Recognitions

  • NSF CAREER Award, 2013
  • BMES Fellow, 2021
  • AAAS Fellow, 2014
  • AIMBE Fellow, 2019

Why I Study Cancer

A Closer Look at Brendan Harley’s Research

What You Might Not Know About Brendan Harley