Ryan Stowers

Biography

Stanford University: Postdoctoral Fellow 2015-2019
University of Texas at Austin: Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering 2009-2014
Clemson University: B.S. Bioengineering 2005-2009

Research

Our research explores how cells interact with and are influenced by the mechanical properties of their environment. These properties regulate a variety of biological processes, such as stem cell differentiation and cancer progression. We engineer novel biomaterials for 3D cell culture to recapitulate key aspects of the cellular microenvironment and use these platforms to understand molecular mechanisms driving cell behavior. We are particularly interested in developing tunable or stimuli-responsive hydrogels to achieve spatial and temporal control of microenvironmental properties. Biological areas of interest include cancer initiation and progression, stem cell differentiation, epigenetics, and mechanotransduction.

Mentoring Priorities

"My goal as a mentor is to guide students along their unique paths to becoming an independent researcher, pursuing interesting and impactful questions. I will focus on helping you develop and test hypotheses, train in relevant lab techniques, communicate your science and set goals through our weekly 1-on-1 meetings, lab meetings, and informal discussions."