https://humanbiomimetics.com/mementos daily 0.75 2021-04-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce435d6bea1ed00016ba287/1558964652247-5MWXNMFZVOPGE4TY6U2Q/MHeiderich_ReflexionenZwei-05-copy.jpg mementos https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/9f6027ab-b5ed-469f-8a14-7d60101ef77a/20180823-HDR-Building22.jpeg mementos Our new home - The Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research and the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/895bfe3a-6646-4053-8706-6409f4fb80d8/4AD8087A-8A70-4E02-A817-B85738342881.JPG mementos First coffee in our "in house" restaurant the Library https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/70e98bc5-a169-4382-8a4a-78bdd0bc1f2a/johns-hopkins-all-childrens-research-and-education-building-gathering.jpeg mementos Nothing more stimulating then the casual hallway chat with colleagues and friends https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/21d8b831-4088-4ee7-aa22-1d7ebba5bfe9/5a7029ccd4a16fdacb1f89a2a289ee72.jpg mementos Sunsets in St. Pete will definitely make up for long days in the lab https://humanbiomimetics.com/our-team daily 0.75 2021-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618536266542-KGZSYBJMEYAOUC7N6CUQ/IMG_4517.jpg Team - Martin Trapecar, Principal Investigator Assist. Professor of Medicine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618590463682-KTOQ64M83VJAUT35AGES/0779C899-E220-4888-BF3C-A730DBDDDFC6.jpg Team - Volt, Field Investigator Volt, Field Investigator Assist. to the Professor https://humanbiomimetics.com/publications daily 0.75 2021-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce435d6bea1ed00016ba287/1558964652247-5MWXNMFZVOPGE4TY6U2Q/MHeiderich_ReflexionenZwei-05-copy.jpg publications https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618529533324-GRYO6M79W8LO3HT2IG4M/F1.medium.gif publications https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618529545912-90HWOA3CK32VQPKMSRFQ/cover.tif.jpg publications https://humanbiomimetics.com/research daily 0.75 2021-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce435d6bea1ed00016ba287/1558964652247-5MWXNMFZVOPGE4TY6U2Q/MHeiderich_ReflexionenZwei-05-copy.jpg Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618531712036-1GQ7V3PPGIUKIGQ7DJ6S/Untitled-1.png Research - Role of MR1-Restricted Lymphocytes of the Gut-Liver Axis in Health and Disease Recently discovered MR1-restricted lymphocytes, such as MAIT cells, represent a heterogeneous population of immune cells that, interestingly, have a unique ability to recognize a number of metabolites as their antigen. Previous studies have found a connection between their migration and proliferation and several autoimmune disorders, however their exact role in either prevention or potentiation of these diseases remains to be established. Given their high frequencies in mucosal as well as hepatic tissue, we are interested in the role they might play in concurrent pathologies such as IBD and autoimmune liver diseases, as well as the therapeutic potential of engineered MR1-restricted lymphocytes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618609770151-QB5SH89HH0I96E1X3XIC/unsplash-image-igwG8aIaypo.jpg Research - Identifying immunometabolic modulators of Gut-Liver-Cerebral homeostasis. Despite well described connections between the gut, liver and brain, many mechanisms contributing to their humoral metabolic, immunological and structural homeostasis remain unidentified. Our preliminary data suggest that the behavior and maturation of individual organ systems greatly differs during their interaction as opposed to isolation primarily due to metabolic changes and tissue-immune interactions. Identifying critical factors responsible for these phenomena would open new venues for therapeutic interventions, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618612102318-LNS97A26APUX82YONVXN/Image013.jpg Research - Deciphering the role of lipid metabolism and gut-liver-cerebral interactions in mitochondrial neurodegenerative pathologies Evidence of ferroptosis and mitochondrial disfunction playing a role in the death of dopaminergic neurons is mounting and increased interest exists in the connection between neuroinflammatory conditions, ferroptosis and fatty-acid metabolism. Our preliminary work implicates changes in neuronal lipid metabolism due to increased local inflammation and activation of microglia, to further modulate disease progression. Our established model of the gut-liver-cerebral axis offers the opportunity to chart causal relationships between systemic alteration of lipid metabolism, immunity and neurodegenerative disease. https://humanbiomimetics.com/trapecar-lab daily 1.0 2026-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1648670465305-I42IVB5HELWRMS0IM0FE/IMG_4517.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1648671194657-3ZWXKHHWNJKKNDIAFGZA/lorenzo.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1660061910041-T3P7A7G9F5MF5RVVJS3U/Sheeren.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/6b10d985-96f1-4742-a763-9e31b71390ed/IMG_0613.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/a7d8c5d3-4a25-481f-a6cb-018896775a6b/ronb2-scaled-e1667504686809-600x400.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/e7bc3ebf-2925-430d-9986-c1aa185bad8a/IMG_8879.jpeg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/ed6247f6-92c6-473c-ac2d-60ae84aa13cd/tempImageTe1iGr.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618768475259-Y9GGL0B2GBAONRTUPALN/Screen+Shot+2020-11-20+at+9.19.54+AM.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618768510893-BTH4PBEH4X1DXCDRU4M4/HC2978+F+Muc+25x.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618768541257-IVCW7NDNHPKWUNT821U7/MAC-DC++E.COLI+65+finalII.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618768738148-JK5IN1THKTPV2E4CQG4Q/buddy+4-01-01.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618769182842-RK4ZVVND7RHQFSI3BFXH/ApproachET.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618769469448-4QLLNIUYL45TH03URB07/Untitled-1.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Tissue-resident immune environments across multiple organ systems We connect same-donor, engineered human gut, liver, and lymph node tissues—and pair them with single-cell profiling—to see how local tissue-resident immune cells sense microbes, diet, and injury, and how those signals propagate tolerance or trigger inflammation across organs. These linked models serve as personalized surrogates of individual responses to infection, autoimmunity, and cancer, revealing new roles for tissue-resident immunity and informing the design of better vaccines, biologics, and cell therapies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618609444057-FT75PBT5CYG27L4UKD04/unsplash-image-igwG8aIaypo.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Identifying immunometabolic modulators of neurodegenration in the Gut-Brain axis. We engineer an all-human, same-donor gut–liver–brain circuit to resolve how peripheral metabolites and proteins reshape brain maturation and neuroinflammatory tone. By fluidically coupling intestinal epithelium and hepatocyte-like tissue to midbrain-patterned organoids (with microglia) and tracing factor transfer with targeted proteomics, we identify gut- and liver-derived drivers of Parkinson’s-relevant phenotypes that only emerge under inter-organ crosstalk. CNS drug failures often stem from models that ignore systemic context; our goal is to expose causal, human-specific pathways that de-risk targets before clinical translation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/b7614de9-1782-40db-899f-63fcb7a4642b/tempImageZxZHE9.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Systemic metabolsim and ageing We integrate six donor-matched modules—gut, liver, pancreatic islets, skeletal muscle, adipose, and brain—perfused with circulating immune cells to quantify emergent control of glucose and lipids. Time-series multi-omics under fasting, normal, and “Western-diet–like” stresses train a computational digital twin that links metabolic decompensation to meta-inflammation and brain vulnerability, and benchmarks pharmacologic rescue (e.g., metformin, semaglutide). Metabolic homeostasis is an emergent network property; isolating organs hides failure modes that drive aging and neuro-inflammatory risk. We build the human in-vitro analogue needed to reveal—and reverse—those network collapses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/620d358c-e07f-4971-8e4a-7d8736d13874/tempImageJoDd7Z.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - MicroPhysiological Systems We engineer human multi-organ platforms purpose-built to expose interorgan causality. Our systems use modular, donor-matched compartments linked by a shared micro-circulation, with independently tunable flow, residence time, barrier function, and immune trafficking. Designs emphasize adaptability and adoption: interchangeable channel and floor geometries, standard lab interfaces (common pumps, tubing, plate-reader access), sampling ports for time-series multi-omics, footprints scalable from 2–8 tissues, and clear SOPs/BOMs so other groups can reproduce and extend the work. Most models optimize a single tissue and lose the cross-talk that drives real disease. We build tools that preserve each tissue’s ideal conditions while enabling controlled coupling and rigorous, sharable workflows—so the field can test causal hypotheses and translate findings faster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618769768151-GYPDC0HEIUMLB37I0JNS/striving+for+Garmpro.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/73b20e64-ee0b-4519-ba65-0001d2314d6d/Screenshot+2026-03-10+at+9.58.29%E2%80%AFAM+%282%29.png Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Systems mapping of intra-donor, cross-tissue T cell clonal expansion and tissue adaptation in the gut-liver-blood axis Systems mapping of intra-donor, cross-tissue T cell clonal expansion and tissue adaptation in the gut-liver-blood axis Ran et al., Cell Reports 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/0dd47b19-fb9b-4b77-adb8-b8cf35ea4002/Fig+1.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Personalized Gut–Liver Microphysiological System Maps Donor-Specific Tissue-Resident Immunity and Reveals a Conserved Metabolic Crosstalk Uslu et al., BioRxiv 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1f8706ba-cb32-464e-b548-bca59eaeff4a/feb2.v596.4.cover.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Multiorgan microphysiological systems as tools to interrogate interorgan crosstalk and complex diseases. Trapecar, FEBS Letters 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/787274b9-6f57-414b-967b-7a32a603086e/F1.medium.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Human physiomimetic model integrating microphysiological systems of the gut, liver, and brain for studies of neurodegenerative diseases Trapecar et al., Science Advances 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618785275235-V1JBZT9UXIVZLK169RWI/cover.tif.jpg Laboratory of Human Biomimetics - Gut-Liver Physiomimetics Reveal Paradoxical Modulation of IBD-Related Inflammation by ShortChain Fatty Acids Trapecar et al., Cell Systems 2020 https://humanbiomimetics.com/open-positions daily 0.75 2021-05-17 https://humanbiomimetics.com/the-lab daily 0.75 2021-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618269100849-1IAYILGKZDBXABUJNVE5/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-11-20%2Bat%2B9.19.54%2BAM.jpg the lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618340896366-C5FDCYI8YL0KIV7V48W8/HC2978%2BF%2BMuc%2B25x.jpg the lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618340507588-DOCAQ1TNDC4ZH26D2809/MAC-DC++E.COLI+65+finalII.jpg the lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618366001371-KJN948ZSA4E0N5NQWZIM/buddy+4-01-01-01.png the lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618704087371-ZJHY24KEBMV28SFPRDFJ/ApproachET.png the lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6054ed50fc6c3622f126ad69/1618704305254-G1FNIZO2OUJTWRB7GNTV/striving+for+Garmpro.png the lab