NovaCell Researcher Chosen for FOCUS Program

Gabriel J. Rodriguez Rivera, PhD (fourth from left), assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Villanova University, has been selected to participate in the Future Faculty of Cardiovascular Sciences (FOCUS) program over the next year. Based at the University of California, San Diego, and funded by the National Institutes of Health, FOCUS supports early-career cardiovascular researchers through mentorship, grant-writing training, leadership development and opportunities to build research collaborations.

Dr. Rodriguez Rivera’s previous research advanced biomaterials for cardiac conditions, including injectable hydrogels designed to improve cardiac pacing and support tissue repair after a heart attack. His laboratory will investigate how biomaterials influence cellular signaling and heart tissue function, with the long-term goal of informing new approaches to cardiac repair and regeneration. Participation in FOCUS will support the continued development of his research program and efforts to secure competitive research funding.