Natasha Claxton, Ph.D.

My research integrates biomaterials engineering, focused ultrasound, and physiologically relevant disease models to investigate vascular dysfunction and develop regenerative therapies. I began this work during my doctoral training, where I developed vascularized in vitro systems to treat ischemic tissue, and I now extend it at Tulane into animal models of sickle cell disease and menopause. My postdoctoral research focuses on understanding vascular and inflammatory mechanisms of disease and evaluating stem cell–based and biomaterial-enabled therapeutic strategies.

In my future independent laboratory, I aim to build a translational research program in regenerative women’s health that combines mechanistic investigation with technology development. My lab will engineer injectable and modular biomaterial systems, integrate focused ultrasound for noninvasive modulation and drug delivery, and develop physiologically relevant in vitro and in vivo models of reproductive aging and diseases such as PCOS and menopause. By partnering closely with clinicians and leveraging human samples, my program will bridge fundamental biology and therapeutic innovation to restore ovarian, hormonal, and vascular function across the lifespan.