Sangeeta N. Bhatia, MD, PhD

Research Summary

The Bhatia Laboratory engineers micro and nanotechnologies, also called “tiny technologies,” to address complex challenges in human health ranging from cancer to liver disease and acquired infections. Operating at the interface of living and synthetic systems, the Bhatia group uses these miniaturization tools to improve areas of medicine including diagnostics, drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and disease modeling. In cancer, Bhatia’s multidisciplinary team develops tools for use in diagnostics and detection, and in precision therapeutics to specifically target tumors. Nanosensors designed by the Bhatia team are capable of detecting and profiling very early-stage tumors, and can be analyzed via a simple urine test. The same technology may also yield insights into a tumor’s response to certain therapies. The Bhatia Lab has also created human microlivers, which model human drug metabolism, liver disease, and interaction with pathogens.

Biography

Sangeeta Bhatia earned her BS at Brown University, followed by an MS in Mechanical Engineering at MIT, a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, and an MD at Harvard Medical School. Prior to her appointment at MIT, Bhatia held a tenured position at UCSD. She and her trainees have launched multiple biotechnology companies to improve human health. As a prolific inventor and passionate advocate for diversity in science and engineering, Bhatia has received many honors including the Lemelson-MIT Prize, known as the “Oscar for inventors,” and the Heinz Medal for groundbreaking inventions and advocacy for women in STEM fields. She is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Director of the Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, and an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Science, the National Academy of Inventors, and Brown University's Board of Fellows.

Bhatia is a board member of Brown University, Vertex Pharmaceuticals,* Port Therapeutics,* Ropirio Therapeutics.* She has an advisory role with Global Oncology Inc., Sunbird BIO,* Satellite Bio,* Matrisome Bio,* Xilio Therapeutics,  Danaher,  Ochre Bio,* Amplifyer Bio,* Earli Inc.,* Brigham Research Institute/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Impilo Therapeutics.*

*Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia holds equity in these institutions

See list of publications