Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez

Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez joined Lehigh University's Department of Bioengineering in January 2022.

Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez’s research is focused on the engineering of novel cell-instructive 3D printable biomaterials to advance towards the clinical translation of 3D bioprinting for the repair of musculoskeletal tissues. The Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez Lab (The TGF Lab) focuses specifically in 3 different areas: (1) Development of 3D printed multicellular models of cartilage, bone and skin to understand the mechanisms behind degenerative diseases and explore novel therapeutic strategies, (2) study of the interplay between innervation and vascularization for the repair of diabetic tissues and (3) the engineering of novel immunomodulatory materials to enhance the tissue healing in degenerative disorders.

Tomas received his PhD in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering in 2018 from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) under the supervision of Prof. Daniel Kelly and Fergal O’Brien. His PhD work focused on the combination of non-viral gene therapy and 3D bioprinting for the spatial control of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) differentiation and the recapitulation of the biochemical gradients found in native tissues. After completing his PhD, Tomas joined the Leach lab at University of California Davis to explore biomaterial functionalization with different components of the extracellular matrix to direct MSC function and promote the repair of critically sized bone defects. During his postdoc, Tomas was awarded with the American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship to investigate the relationship between innervation and vascularization for the repair of diabetic wounds, and he was selected as a Rising Star in Engineering and Health by the University of Columbia.

In addition to his research, Tomas served as the Elected Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) Communications Officer since 2018. Currently, Tomas serves in the Diversity Committee of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and in the Education Committee of the International Section for Fracture Repair (ISFR) of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS).