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Daniel Harrington
Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)
Daniel Harrington is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Rice University, affiliated with the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Biosciences. He also holds a position as a faculty member at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, specifically within the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Academic Background and Research
Dr. Harrington earned his PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Northwestern University, where he also completed his undergraduate studies in the same field. His research focuses on the molecular design, synthesis, and evaluation of polymeric and supramolecular biomaterials, particularly in tissue engineering applications. He employs an interdisciplinary approach that includes nanoscale features to enhance cell interactions within engineered tissues.
His active research projects include:
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3-D Hydrogel Models of Epithelial Cancers: Utilizing ECM-derived hyaluronan polymers to study cancer interactions in three-dimensional environments, which allows for more accurate modeling of multicellular interactions compared to traditional two-dimensional cultures.
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Salivary Gland Tissue Engineering: Developing methods to regenerate salivary glands affected by radiotherapy in head-and-neck cancer patients, focusing on the culture of human salivary-derived stem cells in hydrogel matrices to restore gland function.
Dr. Harrington has directed numerous undergraduate and graduate students and has extensive collaborations across the Texas Medical Center.123
