We aim to understand the morphogenesis, homeostasis, and disease pathogenesis of lymphatic vessels and blood vessels and their microenvironments to provide new strategies for regenerative medicine and treatment of immune diseases, cancer, and edema. To this end, we are working to develop novel three-dimensional (3D) organ-on-chip systems, cellular and molecular tools, and in vivo models to better understand the mechanisms by which cells regulate and respond to biological and mechanical cues.
Recent News
April 16, 2024:
Dr. Lee is the recipient of the NSF Career Award! The NSF award will support our research and education on breast cancer-related secondary lymphedema.
Cornell BME News: “Esak Lee awarded NSF CAREER grant for lymphedema in breast cancer research”
April 5, 2024:
Big congratulations to Dr. Renhao Lu for successfully defending his dissertation! Being the first Ph.D. in the Lee lab, Renhao’s research on “Tissue-Engineered In Vitro Models for Studying Lymphatic Morphogenesis, Pathogenesis, and Drug Delivery” sets a remarkable precedent!
March 25, 2024:
Check out our collaborative work with Dr. Young-Kwon Hong from USC, published in Nature Neuroscience! In this study, Renhao demonstrated how Piezo1 controls fluid drainage using lymphatics-on-chip, offering a new idea to address excessive CSF buildup in the brain!
October 11, 2023:
Dr. Lee is named a Young Innovator in Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) 2023. Congratulations!
October 3, 2023:
Cornell Chronicle Highlights our lymphedema-on-chip study!
October 2, 2023:
Check out our new paper in PNAS! “A 3D biomimetic model of lymphatics reveals cell-cell junction tightening and lymphedema via a cytokine-induced ROCK2/JAM-A complex” PDF
September 14, 2023:
Dr. Lee is the recipient of the James and Mary Tien Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest award for teaching in the College of Engineering at Cornell University. Congratulations!
June 23, 2023:
Great news! We got our second R01 from NIH! We appreciate the NCI Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative (Cancer TEC) program! We will study lymphatic function in breast cancer to improve breast cancer immunotherapy.
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“To create and nurture a diverse community dedicated to the discovery, scholarship, and leadership to improve human health and wellness by taking principles from engineering, biology, and medicine” – Lee lab mission.