Zaruhi Karabekian

Head of Laboratory
Professor, PhD

E-mail: zkarabekian@yahoo.com

The Laboratory of Immunology and Tissue Engineering (LITE) currently conducts research in the field of regenerative medicine and drug discovery. The primary objective of tissue engineering (TE) is to develop organs and tissues in laboratory settings that can be used for novel treatment approaches. This includes the creation of biological implants that serve as safe, reliable, and readily available alternatives to organ transplantation, mitigating the risks of graft rejection and ethical concerns. LITE focuses specifically on the regeneration of skin, liver, aortic valve, and neural tissues. The laboratory is particularly interested in generating extracellular matrix substitutes (scaffolds) and living cells, including adult stem cells, capable of repopulating these scaffolds. LITE primarily employs decellularization-based methods due to the significant advantages they offer, such as the preservation of tissue architecture and bioactive agents. However, in certain cases, they combine this method with other tissue engineering approaches, such as 3D bioprinting, to maximize outcomes by leveraging the advantages of each approach. Additionally, LITE utilizes these techniques to develop engineered experimental models for drug testing and other applications. Importantly, LITE also prioritizes the immunological assessment of all engineered constructs and tissues to ensure the development of non-immunogenic tissue substitutes. Another research focus of LITE is the experimental evaluation of novel pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. In collaboration with FAST funded grants, LITE is working on advancing drug discovery through AI-driven screening and selection of the most promising small molecule candidates for cancer inhibition. The laboratory expertise in cell isolation, characterization, and compound testing using various techniques allows to assess selected candidate molecules in vitro. LITE is also actively engaged in teaching activities. The laboratory offers periodic hands-on courses in tissue engineering to foster interest among young scientists in this fascinating field. In addition, LITE members serve as trainers in the BIO-SEE program at the Orbeli Institute of Physiology aiming to educate researchers in bio-visualization techniques and promote their use to enhance the quality of research and resulting publications.