Abigail N. Koppes
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Affiliated Faculty, Bioengineering
Office
- 340 Mugar
- 617.373.6221
Lab
- 111 Mugar
- 617.373.8161
Related Links
Research Focus
Bioelectric medicine, development of novel interventions and tissue engineered platforms for nerve regeneration and repair, body-on-a-chip for enteric-gut interactions
About
Joined the Chemical Engineering Department in Fall 2014.
The main focus of the Advanced Biomaterials for NeuroEngineering Laboratory (ABNEL) is advancing treatments for persons suffering from debilitating disorders and injuries of the central and peripheral nervous system. Using a combinatorial approach, we seek to create therapeutic strategies for improved nerve guidance channels that incorporate biomaterial manufacturing, biophysical (optogenetics) cues, structural (nanotopography) cues, and/or biochemical (cytokine) stimulation to modulate neuronal and non-neuronal support cell behavior. We are interested in probing the underlying mechanisms of neural growth and regeneration while engineering future modalities for neural tissue engineering applications.
Through tissue engineering of the enteric nervous system, the ‘Brain in the Gut,’ we hope to improve drug discovery platforms and regenerative medicine interventions for the millions of people suffering from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, such as irritable bowel diseases. This work will combine primary small intestinal organoid culture with neuro-engineering techniques to recapitulate this complex biological system. Ultimately, we aim to understand the underlying mechanisms of cellular responses to engineered systems and their native biological niches towards rationally designed therapies. Our research utilizes techniques from bioengineering, chemical engineering, materials science, and cellular, molecular, and systems biology.
Education
- B.S. (Biomedical Engineering) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2007
- M.S. (Biomedical Engineering) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2010
- PhD (Biomedical Engineering) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2013
Honors & Awards
- 2021 National Science Foundation CAREER Award
- 2020 Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award
- 2020 Young Innovator of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (BMES Society)
- NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators
Research Overview
Bioelectric medicine, development of novel interventions and tissue engineered platforms for nerve regeneration and repair, body-on-a-chip for enteric-gut interactions
Advanced Biosystems for Neuroengineering Laboratory
Research in the Advanced Biosystems for Neuroengineering Laboratory (ABNEL) focuses on neural engineering and the interface between neurons and surrounding tissues. Specifically ABNEL develops novel and transformative devices, biomaterials, and biophysical-based therapies for this aims. Current work centers on the gut, heart, and central/peripheral nervous system.
Selected Research Projects
- Bioengineer Long-lasting 3D Neurovascular Microphysiological System to Model Chronic Inflammation-mediated Neurodegeneration
- – co-Principal Investigator, NASA
- Engineered Probiotics for Closed-Loop Control of Disease-Associated Gut Metabolites in Gut-On-Chip Models
- – co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
- Defining the Regulators of Enteric Plasticity in Engineered Microfluidic Environments
- – Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation, CAREER Award
- Biomanufactured Nerve Guidance Channels for Complex Nerve Repair
- – Co-Principal Investigator, Northeastern University
- GUMI: New in Vitro Platforms to Parse the Human Gut-Epithelial-Microbiome-Immune Axis
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
- Trailblazer: Engineering a Humanized Gut-Enteric-Axis
- – Principal Investigator, National Institutes of Health
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- Bindas, Adam J., Kulkarni, Subhash, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). Parkinson’s Disease and the Gut: Models of an Emerging Relationship. Acta Biomaterialia, . 10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2021.03.071
- Diaz Vera, David, Soucy, Jonathan R., Lee, Audrey, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). Light irradiation of peripheral nerve cells: Wavelength impacts primary sensory neuron outgrowth in vitro. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 215,112105. 10.1016/J.JPHOTOBIOL.2020.112105
- Ventre, Daniel M., Cluff, Avery, Gagnon, Christian, Diaz Vera, David, Koppes, Ryan A., Koppes, Abigail N. (2021). The effects of low intensity focused ultrasonic stimulation on dorsal root ganglion neurons and Schwann cells in vitro. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 99(1),374-391. 10.1002/JNR.24700
- S. Hosic, W. Lake, E. Stas, R. Koppes, D. Breault, S. Murthy, A. Koppes, Cholinergic Activation of Primary Human Derived Intestinal Epithelium does not Ameliorate TNF-α Induced Injury, Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (Journal of BMES), CMBE 2020 Young Innovator Issue, 2020
- S. Hosic, M. Puzan, F. Zhou, R. Koppes, D. Breault, S. Murthy, A. Koppes, Rapid Prototyping of a Multilayer Microphysiological System for Primary Human Intestinal Epithelial Culture, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 2020
- K. Nichols, R. Koppes, A. Koppes, Recent Advancements in Microphysiological Systems for Neural Development and Disease, Invited Review; Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering, 2020
- M. Puzan, S. Hosic, C. Ghio, A.N. Koppes, Enteric Nervous System Regulation of Intestinal Stem Cell Differentiation and Epithelial Monolayer Function, Scientific Reports, 8(1), 2018, 6313
- D. Ventre, M. Puzan, E. Ashbolt, A.N. Koppes Enhanced Total Neurite Outgrowth and Secondary Branching in Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons Elicited by Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound, Journal of Neural Engineering, 15(4), 2018, 046013
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 & […]
Apr 27, 2023
Announcing Summer 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Summer 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards. They will be pursuing a diverse set of projects, including a study of a pathogen that haunts hospitals, an examination of segregationist rhetoric in Boston newspapers, and an analysis of creativity in music. Base Camp Awardees […]
Jan 25, 2023
Announcing Spring 2023 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Spring 2023 PEAK Experiences Awards. Base Camp Awardees Sophia Nguyen COE’26, “Neuromodulation of Motor Cortex’s Response to Different Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Pulse Waveforms” Mentor: Mathew Yarossi, Bouvé, Physical Therapy/Movement/Rehab Science This project seeks to use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive […]
Dec 07, 2022
NIH Trailblazer Award for Engineering Smarter Gut Metabolites to Affect Human Health
ChE Assistant Professor Benjamin Woolston is leading a $628K NIH Trailerblazer Award with Assistant Professor Ryan Koppes, Associate Professor Abigail Koppes, and Professor Rebecca Carrier for “Engineered Probiotics for Closed-Loop Control of Disease-Associated Gut Metabolites in Gut-On-Chip Models.”
Oct 07, 2022
Announcing Fall 2022 PEAK Experiences Awardees
Several engineering students and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2022 PEAK Experiences Awards. This extraordinary group of students is taking on a range of exciting projects, from exploring axolotl limb regeneration to building a snake-inspired robot to understanding accessibility on Broadway. ASCENT AWARDS Justin Almendral COE’24, “Wearable Art” Mentor: […]
Aug 16, 2022
Abigail Koppes: Advancing Technology, Treatment, and Diversity in Biomedical Engineering
Associate Professor Abigail Koppes, chemical engineering, began her career as a Future Faculty Fellow through Northeastern’s ADVANCE Office of Faculty Development. Today she is an associate professor, has two patents, and numerous young investigator recognitions.
Aug 11, 2022
GelMA/MeTro Composites for Peripheral Nerve Repair
ChE Associate Professor Abigail Koppes and Assistant Professor Ryan Koppes were awarded a patent for creating “Gelatin/elastin composites for peripheral nerve repair.”
Jun 09, 2022
Improving Fluidic Devices for Cell Cultures
ChE Assistant Professor Ryan Koppes and Associate Professor Abigail Koppes were awarded a patent for designing a “Fluidic device and method of assembling same.”
Apr 19, 2022
Congratulations RISE: 2022 Winners
Congratulations to our engineering students who won awards at the RISE:2022 Research, Innovation and Scholarship Expo!
Apr 04, 2022
$2M NASA Grant To Build Long Lasting Neurovascular Model
BioE Associate Professor Guohao Dai, ChE Associate Professor Abigail Koppes, and ChE Assistant Professor Ryan Koppes received a $2M grant from NASA titled “Bioengineer Long-lasting 3D Neurovascular Microphysiological System to Model Chronic Inflammation-mediated Neurodegeneration”.