INTERNAL MEDICINE RESEARCH
Tu (Chengyi) Lab
Integrative Cardiovascular Research
Using patient-specific stem cells, tissue engineering, and omics technologies to develop precision medicine for cardiovascular disease.
We apply an integrative approach that combines stem cells, tissue engineering, molecular biology, and multiomics technologies to study acquired and genetic cardiac disorders, with the ultimate goal of developing precision medicine for heart disease.
This video demonstrates engineered heart tissues (EHTs) created from patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that beat spontaneously at about 60 beats per minute, similar to the human resting heart rate. Each tissue is anchored to two elastic posts, which mimic the mechanical load of the heart. The culture chamber can also electrically pace the EHTs to simulate different human heart rhythm patterns. These engineered tissues offer a patient-specific platform for studying cardiac disorders caused by either genetic or environmental stress.
Meet the Principal Investigator
Chengyi Tu, Ph.D.
Dr. Chengyi Tu received multidisciplinary training in stem cell differentiation, tissue engineering, omics analysis, and cardiac biology. He received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied how biophysical and biochemical cues influence stem cell differentiation and maturation into cardiovascular lineages. He then completed postdoctoral training at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, focusing on modeling cardiomyopathies using engineered heart tissues, particularly diseases that are difficult to model using conventional approaches. At Stanford, Dr. Tu developed the first in vitro model of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy (TIC) using a novel engineered tissue platform. This work uncovered a previously unknown mechanism of tachycardia-induced cardiac dysfunction and opened new directions for therapeutic discovery. Dr. Tu is now an Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine at UTSW, with a secondary appointment in Biomedical Engineering.