Research in the Lutolf lab is at the interface of stem cell biology and bioengineering to gain fundamental insight into how complex three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments, termed niches, control the behavior of stem cells. We exploit this know-how to develop novel technologies for maintaining stem cells in vitro and for controlling their differentiation and self-organization into 3D functional tissues (organoids).

Lutolf is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of stem cell bioengineering and tissue engineering. His research program uniquely combines stem cell biology with engineering principles and quantitative thinking. His team, composed of engineers, chemists, physicists, cell and developmental biologists, strives to develop technologies that have true biological and medicinal function and applicability. Lutolf’s work has led to more than 110 peer-reviewed scientific publications, many of which published in highly reputed journals, more than 25 patents, and the commercialization of several products. Current research in the Lutolf lab is focused on the bioengineering of miniature tissues, termed organoids, that are generated from self-organizing stem cells.