Sara Molinari

Dr. Sara Molinari is an Assistant Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. She completed her doctoral studies in the Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Ph.D. program at Rice University, where her research focused on programming cellular differentiation in bacteria. This groundbreaking work played a pivotal role in advancing the emerging field of engineered living materials, as it enabled the creation of innovative patterns by physically isolating genetically distinct cells. During her postdoctoral tenure, Dr. Molinari achieved a significant milestone by developing the world's first de novo macroscopic living material, which grows from engineered bacteria. This pioneering work introduced a genetically encoded synthetic matrix that can hierarchically assemble cells over several orders of magnitudes while allowing precise genetic control over the mechanical and catalytic properties of engineered living materials. Within her laboratory at the University of Maryland, Dr. Molinari continues to push the boundaries of research by crafting engineered living materials with customized biological and mechanical properties that are particularly transformative at the interface with complex environments, such as the human body.