Chiara Bellini
Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, Bioengineering
Research Focus
Diseases of the cardiovascular system; effects of cellmediated growth and remodeling processes on tissue and organ mechanics
Education
- 2012 PhD in Biomedical Engineering, The University of Calgary
- 2008 MSc in Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- 2005 BSc in Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Research Overview
Diseases of the cardiovascular system; effects of cellmediated growth and remodeling processes on tissue and organ mechanics
Selected Research Projects
- Cardiopulmonary Outcomes of Dual Cigarette and E-cigarette Use in Animal Models of Chronic Exposure
- – Principal Investigator, National Institute of Health
- Cardiopulmonary Risk Assessment from Smoke Exposure at the Wildland Urban Interface
- – co-Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
- Continuous, Non-Invasive Optical Monitoring of Circulating Tumor Cell-Mediated Metastasis in Awake Mice
- – Principal Investigator, National Cancer Insititute and NIH
- Evaluation of Aortic Stiffening as an Early Indicator of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity
- – Principal Investigator, National Institute of Health
- Health Consequences Following Acute and Chronic Firefighter Exposure to Wildland Fire Smoke
- – Principal Investigator, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Health Consequences Following Electronic Cigarette Exposure
- – Principal Investigator, National Institute of Health
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- Augustin, Christoph M., Fastl, Thomas E., Neic, Aurel, Bellini, Chiara, Whitaker, John, Rajani, Ronak, O’Neill, Mark D., Bishop, Martin J., Plank, Gernot, Niederer, Steven A. (2020). The impact of wall thickness and curvature on wall stress in patient-specific electromechanical models of the left atrium. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 19(3),1015-1034. 10.1007/S10237-019-01268-5
- Boytard, Ludovic, Hadi, Tarik, Silvestro, Michele, Qu, Hengdong, Kumpfbeck, Andrew, Sleiman, Rayan, Fils, Kissinger Hyppolite, Alebrahim, Dornazsadat, Boccalatte, Francesco, Kugler, Matthias, Corsica, Annanina, Gelb, Bruce E., Jacobowitz, Glenn, Miller, George, Bellini, Chiara, Oakes, Jessica, Silvestre, Jean-Sébastien, Zangi, Lior, Ramkhelawon, Bhama (2020). Lung-derived HMGB1 is detrimental for vascular remodeling of metabolically imbalanced arterial macrophages. Nature Communications, 11(1). 10.1038/S41467-020-18088-2
- Dong, Melody, Oakes, Jessica M., Bellini, Chiara, Rayz, Vitaliy L., LaDisa, John F., Parker, Dave, Wilson, Nathan M., Shadden, Shawn C., Marsden, Alison L., Goergen, Craig J., Boster, Kimberly A. Stevens (2020). Integrated Image-Based Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Software as an Instructional Tool. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 142(11). 10.1115/1.4047479
- Farra, Yasmeen M., Eden, Matthew J., Coleman, James R., Kulkarni, Praveen, Ferris, Craig F., Oakes, Jessica M., Bellini, Chiara (2020). Acute neuroradiological, behavioral, and physiological effects of nose-only exposure to vaporized cannabis in C57BL/6 mice. Inhalation Toxicology, 32(5),200-217. 10.1080/08958378.2020.1767237
- Fitzgerald, Jessica E., Byrd, Brook K., Patil, Roshani A., Strawbridge, Rendall R., Davis, Scott C., Bellini, Chiara, Niedre, Mark (2020). Heterogeneity of circulating tumor cell dissemination and lung metastases in a subcutaneous Lewis lung carcinoma model. Biomedical Optics Express, 11(7),3633. 10.1364/BOE.395289
- Mueller, Amy V., Eden, Matthew J., Oakes, Jessica M., Bellini, Chiara, Fernandez, Loretta A. (2020). Quantitative Method for Comparative Assessment of Particle Removal Efficiency of Fabric Masks as Alternatives to Standard Surgical Masks for PPE. Matter, 3(3),950-962. 10.1016/J.MATT.2020.07.006
- Spronck, Bart, Ferruzzi, Jacopo, Bellini, Chiara, Caulk, Alexander W., Murtada, Sae-Il, Humphrey, Jay D. (2020). Aortic remodeling is modest and sex-independent in mice when hypertension is superimposed on aging. Journal of Hypertension, 38(7),1312-1321. 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002400
- A. Korneva, L. Zilberberg, D.B. Rifkin, J.D. Humphrey, C. Bellini, Absence of LTBP-3 Attenuates the Aneurysmal Phenotype But Not Spinal Effects on the Aorta in Marfan Syndrome, Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 18(1), 2019,261-273
- C. Bellini, N.J. Kristofik, M.R. Bersi, T.R. Kyriakides, J.D. Humphrey, A Hidden Structural Vulnerability in the Thrombospondin-2 Deficient Aorta Increases the Propensity to Intramural Delamination, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedial Materials, 71, 2017, 397-406
- C. Bellini, M.R. Bersi, A. Caulk, J. Ferruzzi, D.M. Milewicz, F. Ramirez, D.B. Rifkin, G. Tellides, H. Yanagiswa, J.D. Humphrey, Comparison of Ten Murine Models Reveals a Distinct Biomechanical Phenotype in Thoracuc Aortic Aneurysms, Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 14(130), 2017
May 08, 2024
2024 URF Scholars Recipients
Thirty-six engineering students received 2024 URF Scholars Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. URF Scholars are students who are graduating this year and who have earned a PEAK Experience Award, applied for a distinguished fellowship, or participated in graduate school advising.
May 07, 2024
Announcing Summer 2024 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Summer 2024 PEAK Experiences Awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Apr 25, 2024
Celebrating Affinity Student Groups at the 18th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet
Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate partners were recognized for their commitments to several COE affinity student groups at the 18th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet. The groups represented included SHPE, SWE, BESS, SASE, and DICE.
Feb 01, 2024
Faculty and Staff Awards 2024
The College of Engineering recognized faculty and staff at the annual faculty and staff awards event and thanked everyone for their hard work and dedication in support of our students, college, and university during the 2023-2024 academic year. View award recipients and photo gallery.
Jan 31, 2024
BioE PhD Student Receives 2024 AHA Predoctoral Fellowship
BioE PhD candidate Ana Vargas, who works in the labs of both MIE Associate Professor Rouzbeh Amini and BioE Associate Professor Chiara Bellini, was selected by the American Heart Association to receive a Predoctoral Fellowship for her project “Pregnancy Induced Mechanobiological Remodeling in Maternal Vasculature in Health and Disease.”
Jan 11, 2024
Announcing Spring 2024 PEAK Experiences Student Awardees
A record number of engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Spring 2024 PEAK Experiences Awards.
Dec 21, 2023
Moving Toward a Future In Bioengineering Research
By succeeding academically, thriving in two co-ops, participating in student groups, and working with a mentor, Hannah Kim, E’24, bioengineering, is set to pursue an advanced degree with a research focus on tissue mechanics and tissue biology.
Sep 15, 2023
Announcing Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards. Projects this fall are tackling a range of topics and modes with students developing an autobiographical zine, studying the development of amphibian limbs, building better rocket parts, and more. BASE CAMP AWARDS Farhad Ibrahimzade COE’26 & […]
Jul 12, 2023
Vargas Selected as Runner-Up in SB3C Student Paper Competition
Bioengineering graduate student Ana I. Vargas, PhD’24, was chosen as the runner-up in the Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, & Biotransport Conference (SB3C) Student Paper Competition for the “Morphogenesis, Maternal/Abdominal Health” competition category.
Jul 05, 2023
The Cardiovascular and Respiratory Effects of E-cigarettes and Cigarettes
BioE Associate Professors Chiara Bellini and Jessica Oakes received a $3.8 million NIH grant for “Cardiopulmonary Outcomes of Dual Cigarette and E-cigarette Use in Animal Models of Chronic Exposure.” The project will provide scientific evidence in support of data-driven e-cigarette regulation under The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, specifically concerning the health risks of dual combustible and electronic cigarette use.