Dr. Luai Huleihel is an affiliated faculty member at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Also, he serves as Senior Manager, Research and Development at Smith+Nephew. Prior to this, he was Manager of Research & Development at Integra LifeSciences.

Dr. Huleihel received his BS, MS, and PhD from Ben-Gurion University – Israel, and conducted his research training at the University of Pittsburgh and Yale University. During the course of his training, Dr. Huleihel investigated the involvement of miRNAs and stem cells in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

His post-doctoral training was done at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine in the laboratory of deputy director Stephen Badylak, DVM, PhD, MD.

Dr. Huleihel is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of ECM-induced constructive remodeling, specifically in examining the role of miRNAs, exosomes and MBVs involvement in the remodeling response and the effect on macrophage activation. He is also investigating the direct effect of ECM on macrophage activation with the extended goal of identifying molecular targets to bias activation.

Dr. Huleihel serves as a reviewer for the following journals:  AJP – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Tissue Engineering, and Acta Materialia.

Dr. Huleihel received the SPRIG Scholar’s Pilot Project Award in 2016.

View a list of Dr. Huleihel’s publications here.