Gideon Wills Kpeli, Ph.D.

During my doctoral studies, I developed vascularized microphysiological systems (MPS) to investigate sex-specific cancer pathophysiology, with a particular focus on lung and breast cancers. These platforms included a lung cancer–induced angiogenesis model and a multi-organ lung cancer model designed to study systemic cancer effects.

I currently collaborate on the development of patient-derived lung cancer organoids from resected tumor tissues. My current research focuses on leveraging these models to investigate the effects of sex hormones, including estrogen and testosterone, on lung cancer survival, progression, and response to chemotherapy. Using multi-organ microphysiological systems, I also aim to investigate how these sex hormones influence lung cancer–induced effects on distant organs and contribute to systemic cancer progression.