Bioengineering
Assistant Professor
The mission of the Aguado iBiomaterials Research Group is to develop "precision biomaterials" that enable the evaluation of a patient’s unique biology to diagnose and treat a variety of health disorders as a function of sex, age, and/or ancestry. Our multidisciplinary team will first focus on using precision biomaterials as in vitro and in vivo tools to understand sex as a biological variable in cardiovascular disorders, including aortic valve disease and heart failure. We will operate at multiple length scales to understand how sex hormones, sex chromosomes, cardiac cells, biochemical/mechanical cues from the tissue microenvironment, and inflammation all contribute to dimorphisms in cardiovascular diseases. Our efforts will improve our understanding of sexual dimorphisms in health and disease, which represents the next step toward developing more effective sex-specific therapies.
Bio
Aguado completed his BS degree in Biomechanical Engineering from Stanford University and his MS/PhD degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University. He also obtained his certificate in Management for Scientists and Engineers from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Dr. Aguado completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Aguado’s research has been supported with multiple awards, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program, an NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Dr. Aguado’s leadership efforts include serving previously as the President of the Postdoctoral Association of Colorado and Chair of the Young Scientist Group for the Society for BIomaterials. He currently serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Society of Biomaterials, and serves on the Early Career Editorial Board of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. Aguado also co-founded LatinXinBME, a social media organization dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community of Latinx biomedical engineers and scientists to support each other personally and professionally through their careers.