Riccardo Gottardi, PhD

Dr. Riccardo Gottardi is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Bioengineering and Biomaterials Laboratory, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. At the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Gottardi leads the Bioengineering and Biomaterials Laboratory, collaborating on clinical and research efforts to offer engineering solutions for pediatric health, primarily treatments for airway disorders. Dr. Gottardi researches mechanisms of laryngotracheal pathologies, applies tissue engineering to improve pediatric conditions, develops new devices, and formulates controlled drug delivery systems to treat and improve patients’ lives. Dr. Gottardi received a BSc in General Physics from University of Pisa, Italy. He received a MSc in Applied Physics (Medical Physics) also from University of Pisa. His PhD in Information and Communication Sciences and Technologies – Electronics and Information Engineering (Biomedical Electronics) was received from University of Genova, Genoa, Italy. While at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Gottardi held the positions of Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate under the tutelage of Rocky Tuan, PhD, and Steven Little, PhD. Prior to this, Dr. Gottardi was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Genova and a Visiting PhD Student at the University of Basel, M.E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology, Biozentrum, Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Gottardi’s research interests include:

• -OACTIVE - advanced personalized, multi-scale computer models preventing osteoarthritis
• -R-CaRe - rehabilitation for cartilage regeneration
• -Chondroprotection by menstrual cycle hormones: 3D engineered microtissue
• -Osteochondral crosstalk – osteoarthritis in the cartilage-bone
• -A microphysiological 3D organotypic culture system for studying degradation and repair of composite skeletal tissues in microgravity environment

In 2017, Dr. Gottardi was honored with the Young Investigator Award at the 2nd Fusion Conference on Musculoskeletal Development and Regeneration Conference.  He has applied for 6 patents. Dr. Gottardi is a member of these scientific and professional organizations:

• -BMES – Biomedical Engineering Society (since 2012)
• -AIChE – American Institute of Chemical Engineering (since 2012)
• -TERMIS – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (since 2013)
• -ICRS – International Cartilage Repair Society (since 2010)
• -ESB – European Society of Biomechanics (2008-2011)

Dr. Gottardi is a reviewer for several publications, including but not limited to, Science Advances, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, and Medical Engineering & Physics. View a list of Dr. Gottardi’s publications here.