Dr. Belardi focuses on probing, perturbing, and re-programming biological barriers across length scales. Metazoans - which include humans - have evolved to assemble exquisite semi-permeable membrane structures that regulate the flux of select material in and between cells and tissues. The complex, multi-component topologies and mesh-like architectures of biological barriers are rich sources of biological information and often deteriorate in pathological conditions. His group studies epithelial cells and tissue, extracellular matrix, and cell membrane interfaces to gain a quantitative and mechanistic understanding of these barriers. Leveraging these fundamental insights, researchers in his lab design smarter molecules, materials, and cells for improving drug bioavailability in the gut and brain, detecting and repairing cancerous tissue, and for regenerative medicine applications.

​

Dr. Belardi is the holder of the Lyondell Chemical Company Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Engineering