Karina Nakayama, PhD

Professor, Oregon Health and Science University

The Nakayama Laboratory works on developing engineered and regenerative therapies to treat cardiovascular and musculoskeletal injuries and disease. Dr. Nakayama received her Ph.D. from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. During her doctoral training, she worked towards developing regenerative therapies for congenital kidney diseases using decellularized extracellular matrices and stem cell-derived renal precursors.

Dr. Nakayama completed her postdoctoral training at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. During her time at Stanford, her research focused on building iPSC-derived small diameter vascular grafts and myocardial tissues and enhancing angiogenesis in ischemic and severely damaged limbs through the manipulation of the spatial and mechanical properties of biomaterials.

Dr. Nakayama joined the faculty at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in January of 2020. The current research focus of the Nakayama Lab is the development of regenerative therapies for cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disease and injury using spatially patterned biomaterials and rehabilitation exercise.