Jump to Content

Vallejo-Giraldo Group

Our Research

During my PhD and part of my postdoctoral training, I focused on how brain gliosis can be modulated through the design and functionalization of biomaterials. Through these experiences, I developed a deep fascination with one particular brain cell — the astrocyte, a true “star” of the brain. I became captivated by how geometry and spatial organization influence astrocyte fate and, more broadly, the structural and functional organization of the brain.

Today, in my lab — the CVG Lab — we explore the mechanobiology of the brain, investigating how alterations in spatial and geometrical cues shape cell–cell communication and how variations in available or restricted space drive global brain responses. We study how nuclear and cytoskeletal reorganization enable cells to adapt to their microenvironment, seeking to translate these fundamental insights into design principles for biomaterials that inspire innovative therapeutic strategies for the brain.

Our group brings together a strong interdisciplinary team of engineers, biologists, and physicists — all motivated to uncover mechanistic insights through collaborative projects that support the development of brain therapies and ultimately improve lives.

We are actively working on three main thematic projects:

Trapping and killing glioblastoma through the engineering of a novel material, with a stronger focus on nuclear damage and hormonal profiling and its effects on resistance to current therapies.
Understanding glioblastoma from the tumour microenvironment through the design of complex material platforms.
Generating organoids and assembloids as in vitro tools to study neurological diseases from a mechanobiology perspective.