Dr. Sharon Fleischer is an Assistant Professor at the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research. She earned her B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Tel Aviv University, where she also completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biotechnology. Dr. Fleischer conducted her postdoctoral training at Columbia University, where she specialized in stem cells, tissue engineering and human organ-on-a-chip systems.
Education:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 2017-2025
Ph.D in Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 2017
M.Sc in Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 2012
B.Sc in Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, 2011
The Fleischer Lab pioneers next-generation organ-on-a-chip technologies to advance human health. By integrating human stem cells, complex biomaterials, and advanced bioreactors, we build miniature organ systems that capture human physiology and disease. Our goal is to uncover fundamental mechanisms of human (patho)physiology and translate these insights into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, we leverage these human models as predictive testbeds for drug screening and the discovery of new therapies. Our current research primarily focuses on cardiovascular and neuromuscular conditions
We are an interdisciplinary, highly collaborative lab seeking curious and motivated postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. students, and M.Sc. students who are excited to push the boundaries of translational bioengineering.
Highlighted Publications:
1. Morsink, M*., Fleischer, S*., Nash, T. R*.; Falcucci, T*., Leonard-Duke, J., Li V., Pinezich, M., Sahoo J.K., Hasturk O., Lee A., Theodossiou S., Choi J., Graney, P. L., Hung, C., Kaplan, L.D., Vunjak-Novakovic, G. “A Practical Toolbox for Modeling Fibrosis in vitro”. Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2026.
2. Fleischer, S*., Liberman, M*., Summers, M., Li, V., Nash, T. R., Vunjak-Novakovic, G. “OptoBarrier: An Optogenetic Platform for Modulating Endothelial Barriers In Vitro”. ACS Biomatererials Science & Engineering. 2025.
3. Fleischer, S*., Nash, T. R*., Tamargo, M. A., Lock, R. I., Venturini, G., Morsink, M., Graney, P., L.; Li, V., Lamberti, M. J., Liberman, M., Kim, Y., Tavakol, D. N., Zhuang, R. Z., Whitehead, J., Friedman, R. A., Soni, R. K., Seidman, J. G., Seidman, C. E., Geraldino-Pardilla, L., Winchester, R., Vunjak-Novakovic, G. “An engineered human cardiac tissue model reveals contributions of systemic lupus erythematosus autoantibodies to myocardial injury”. Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2024.
4. Tamargo, M. A*., T. R. Nash*, Fleischer, S*, Y. Kim, O. F. Vila, K. Yeager, M. Summers, Y. Zhao, R. Lock, M. Chavez, T. Costa and G. Vunjak-Novakovic. "milliPillar: A Platform for the Generation and Real-Time Assessment of Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues." ACS Biomatererials Science & Engineering . 2021.
5. Fleischer, S., D. N. Tavakol and G. Vunjak-Novakovic. "From arteries to capillaries: approaches to engineering human vasculature”. Advanced Functional Materirals. 2020.
