Personal Profile – Arti Ahluwalia

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Brief track record

Arti Ahluwalia is Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the Department of Information Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Pisa, affiliated with the Research Center “E. Piaggio and head of the Biomodels Group (www.centropiaggio.unipi.it). Although highly multidisciplinary in nature, her research has centered on the interaction between biological systems and man-made devices or structures focused towards the creation of organ and system models in-vitro. Ahluwalia has several papers published in international scientific journals (over 100) and numerous communications, reports, etc. She is the author of 15 patents on microfabrication, and on microfabricated multicompartmental bioreactors and has coordinated and participated in projects on human resource development, tissue engineering, biosensing and bioreactors for in-vitro models. With a strong focus on innovation, translational research and human resource development, she is also cofounder of two startup companies. Her main research activities are:

  • In vitro models: Development of in in-vitro models of integrative pathophysiology and associated innovative materials and advanced cell culture systems. The driving force for this research is the necessity to develop meaningful models of healthy and disease tissue in order to better study and understand physiopathological processes and the principle of the 3Rs.
  • Innovation in Biomedical Engineering: Cofounded Kirkstall Ltd. UK, which has industrialized 3 inventions patented by Ahluwalia and her group. Recently she cofounded a University spin off company IVTech srl, dedicated to the commercialization of innovative technology for in-vitro cell culture.
  • Human Resource Development: Having been brought up in Africa, she has maintained an interest in capacity building in the developed world and have contributed to the establishment of Biomedical Engineering courses in Indonesia and the Philippines. She is also a founding member of the Africa Biomedical Engineering Consortium dedicated to improving healthcare in Africa through reinforcement of human capacity in engineering academia and the use of open source techniques and technology for designing biomedical devices.