The Biotechnology Training Program is pleased to present the following seminar by Laura De la Vega:

From Bench to Business: Engineering Human Tissue for Drug Discovery

Advances in tissue engineering are transforming how we model human biology, enabling more predictive systems for studying disease and advancing drug discovery. This talk will introduce foundational concepts in the field, including stem cell biology, biomaterials, and drug delivery systems, and how these components can be integrated to engineer functional human tissues.

Building on this framework, Dr. De la Vega will highlight her research on engineering neural tissues from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), with a focus on developing physiologically relevant in vitro models. Selected studies will illustrate key challenges and opportunities in designing complex tissue systems that better recapitulate human biology.

The talk will conclude with the translation of this work into entrepreneurship through the founding of Axolotl Biosciences, a company developing advanced bioinks for 3D bioprinting applications. Dr. De la Vega will discuss the transition from academic research to startup formation, and how engineered human tissue models can help address critical gaps in drug discovery and disease modeling.

Dr. De la Vega is a Co-Founder and the Chief Technology Officer of Axolotl Biosciences, a biotechnology company developing advanced bioinks for 3D bioprinting human tissue models for drug discovery and disease research. She earned her B.S. in Biotechnology Engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and completed her Ph.D. at the University of Victoria, where her research focused on engineering neural tissues from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

Her scientific training spans both academic and industry settings, including experience at larger biotechnology companies, which has shaped her translational approach to innovation. Having lived and worked internationally in Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Japan, she brings a global perspective to her work. At Axolotl Biosciences, she leads scientific strategy, technology development, strategic collaborations, and intellectual property, focusing on building more predictive, human-relevant models to accelerate discovery and transform how new therapies are developed.