Members of the EMBLA group

I lead the research group EMBLA - Enabling Microtechnologies for Biomedical and Life science Applications. The main goal of the lab is to develop microsystems for applications within the life sciences with a special interest on research related to micro/nano fabrication and processing of new materials.

I teach in several different courses in the undergraduate programmes and give a PhD course called "Introduction to BioMEMS". I was a member of the Young Academy of Sweden between 2014-2019 (chair 2018-2019 and vice chair 2017-2018) and I hold a Faculty position at SciLifeLab where I am also the Director of the pilot facility Customized Microfluidics. My research is funded by large grants from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Wallenberg Academy Fellow 2016 and Prolongation Grant 2021) and the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant 2017, ERC Consolidator Grant 2022).

I am on a research exchange at UC Santa Barbara, CA, USA during the academic year 2022-2023 collaborating with the group of Prof. Beth Pruitt. 

Short CV

• 2019, Professor Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University
• 2015, Docent Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University
• 2007, PhD Microtechnology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
• 2003, MSc Physics, Lund University
• 2002, BSc Physics, Imperial College London

Telephone: +46 (0)18 471 70 61     Email: maria.tenje@angstrom.uu.se

Samah joined the EMBLA research group in September 2020 as a Researcher.

Short CV

• 2018-2019 Postdoc, The Institute of Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University (Japan)
• 2016-2018 (Teaching) Assistant Professor, Amman University (Jordan)
• 2015-2016 Postdoc, The Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel)
• 2014 Postdoc, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
• 2012-2013 Postdoc, The Ohio State University (USA)
• 2009-2012 Lecturer, Al-Ghad College of Medical Sciences (Saudi Arabia)
• 2009, PhD Biochemistry "Identification of TM9SF2 as a candidate cell surface marker common to breast carcinoma cells", Okayama University (Japan)

Email: samah.abousharieha@angstrom.uu.se

Sofia joined the EMBLA research group in November 2017. Her research involves microengineering for reliable in vitro models of biological barriers (e.g. the blood-brain-barrier) through the development of organs-on-chip technology. This research on improved biological models using microfluidics and microfabrication aims to facilitate the drug discovery process and other biological investigations.

Short CV

• Since 2017, Postdoc in EMBLA group, Uppsala University
• 2015-2017, Postdoc in Hybrid Bio-Device group, University of Southampton (UK)
• 2014, PhD in Electrical Engineering "Vertical Nanowire High-Frequency Transistors", Lund University
• 2008, MSc in Engineering Nanotechnology, Lund University

Telephone: +46 (0)18 471 72 35   E-mail: sofia.johansson@angstrom.uu.se

Neeraj joined the EMBLA research group in May 2022 as a Postdoc. His research interests are in understanding the physical variables in on-chip cell cultures subjected to fluid flow and their role in the modulation of cellular behavior. He is also working on validating the algorithms, developed to predict the optimal culture conditions for spheroids/organoids in microfluidic culture platforms.

Short CV

• 2022, Research Associate, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali (India)
• 2021, Ph.D. in Nanoscience & Technology “Axonal transport of topically applied gold nanoparticles in the sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglion” from Center for Nanosciences & Molecular Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kochi (India)

Email: neeraj.katiyar@angstrom.uu.se

Federico joined the EMBLA research group in September 2017. His research is focused on the development of a laminated BBB model by combining bioengineering and microfluidics. The model could be used as a platform for drug screening and biological investigations.

Short CV

• Since 2017, PhD student in Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University
• 2016, MSc Materials Engineering and Nanotechnology, Politecnico de Milano (Italy)

Email: federico.cantoni@angstrom.uu.se

Praneeth joined the EMBLA research group in October 2017. In his PhD project, he focuses on developing microfluidic devices and molecular biology tools to study antibiotic resistance evolution in bacteria (Escherichia coli) at single cell level. Main PhD supervisor is Prof. Johan Elf at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University.

Short CV:

• Since 2017, PhD student in Molecular Biotechnology, Uppsala University
• 2017, MSc Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland)
• 2014, B. Tech (Honors) Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (India)

Telephone: +46 (0)790 21 18 62  Email: praneeth.karempudi@icm.uu.se

Astrid Olivefors joined the EMBLA research group in November 2022. Her project will be focused on microfabricated vessels for vascularisation of organoids.

Short CV:

• Since 2022, PhD student, Uppsala University
• 2020 – 2022, AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Technology & Development Graduate Programme
• 2019, MScEng Chemical Engineering and Engineering Physics, Nanotechnology, Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden)

Email: astrid.olivefors@angstrom.uu.se

Qian joined the EMBLA research group in September 2020. Her project will focus on the development of a microfluidic platform for controlled generation and culture of human cerebral organoids, with the assistance of acoutofluidic methods. The platform could be used for drug discovery and basic medical research.

Short CV:

• Since 2020, PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, Uppsala University
• 2020, MSc in Applied Biotechnology, Uppsala University
• 2017, BSc in Biochemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (Israel)

Email: qian.shi@angstrom.uu.se

Gabriel joined the EMBLA research group in June 2019. His research is focused on acoustic trapping for bead-based cytokine detection assays, which will be used for continuous organ-on-chip monitoring. Further, the heating effects during acoustic trapping will be investigated.

Short CV

• Since 2019, PhD student in Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University
• 2018, MSc Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München

Email: gabriel.werr@angstrom.uu.se

Lilli joined the EMBLA research group in January 2023. She is currently doing her master thesis focusing on microfluidic sample preparation for bacterial DNA assays. The aim is to reduce the time required for the sample preparation step.

Short CV:

• Since 2021, MSc student in Applied Biotechnology, Uppsala University
• 2018-2021, BSc in Molecular Biology, Uppsala University