Shyni Varghese

Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Orthopaedics

Shyni Varghese has a triple appointment in the Duke departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, and Orthopaedic Surgery. She is the first MEDx Investigator.

A leader in the field of biomaterials and stem cells, Varghese will develop her research at Duke in three major areas:

  • Musculoskeletal tissue repair
  • Disease biophysics, and
  • Organ-on-a-chip technology


A new initiative of the Pratt School of Engineering and Duke School of Medicine, Duke MEDx seeks to enhance and form new collaborations between doctors and engineers.

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Laszlo Ormandy Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
  • Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center

Contact Information

  • Email Address: shyni.varghese@duke.edu
  • Websites:

Education

  • Ph.D. National Chemical Laboratory (India), 2002

Research Interests

Musculoskeletal tissue repair, disease biophysics and organ-on-a-chip technology

Courses Taught

  • BME 394: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
  • BME 493: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
  • BME 494: Projects in Biomedical Engineering (GE)
  • BME 590: Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering
  • BME 791: Graduate Independent Study
  • BME 792: Continuation of Graduate Independent Study
  • EGR 393: Research Projects in Engineering
  • ME 592: Research Independent Study in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science
  • NEUROSCI 493: Research Independent Study 1
  • NEUROSCI 494: Research Independent Study 2

In the News

Representative Publications

  • Subramaniam, Shankar, Metin Akay, Mark A. Anastasio, Vasudev Bailey, David Boas, Paolo Bonato, Ashutosh Chilkoti, et al. “Grand Challenges at the Interface of Engineering and Medicine.” IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol 5 (2024): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1109/OJEMB.2024.3351717.
  • Shih, Yu-Ru V., David Kingsley, Hunter Newman, Jiaul Hoque, Ankita Gupta, B Duncan X. Lascelles, and Shyni Varghese. “Multi-Functional Small Molecule Alleviates Fracture Pain and Promotes Bone Healing.” Adv Sci (Weinh) 10, no. 36 (December 2023): e2303567. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202303567.
  • Guo, Wendi, Jiaul Hoque, Carolina J. Garcia Garcia, Kassandra V. Spiller, Abigail P. Leinroth, Vijitha Puviindran, Cahil K. Potnis, et al. “Radiation-induced bone loss in mice is ameliorated by inhibition of HIF-2α in skeletal progenitor cells.” Sci Transl Med 15, no. 724 (November 29, 2023): eabo5217. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abo5217.
  • Cigliola, Valentina, Adam Shoffner, Nutishia Lee, Jianhong Ou, Trevor J. Gonzalez, Jiaul Hoque, Clayton J. Becker, et al. “Spinal cord repair is modulated by the neurogenic factor Hb-egf under direction of a regeneration-associated enhancer.” Nat Commun 14, no. 1 (August 11, 2023): 4857. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40486-5.
  • Gonzales, G., S. Zauscher, and S. Varghese. “Progress in the design and synthesis of viscosupplements for articular joint lubrication.” Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science 66 (August 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cocis.2023.101708.