Hello, my name is Phillip Santos!  

I am pursuing a BPhil in Molecular Biology and a Chemistry, Business double minor with plans to enroll in a PhD program after my time here at Pitt. 

I adore spending time with friends and always aim to make new ones! I love bananas, the color forest green, and my favorite day of the week is Thursday, though Sunday afternoons are a close second.

This Summer, the Brackenridge Fellowship has enabled me to gain research experience in the SKMO synthetic biology lab, focusing on regenerative medicine–the regrowth of lost or damaged limbs and organs. 

Synthetic Biology is a relatively new field in the life sciences and could be considered a melting pot of Developmental Biology, Systems Biology, and Bio-Engineering. Essentially, Synthetic Biology is any research that pertains to the creation, modification, and improvement of living systems. This topic is very broad and can range from the anatomical development of germ layers to the way our cells communicate with each other on a macro scale. 

I believe that one of the most impactful technologies of this field is stem cell models. Cultures of cells that can be induced to differentiate into any cell type. These models hold the key to the future of Regenerative Medicine; A field of medicine that aims to solve various congenital and degenerative diseases by replicating the cellular environment outside the body. 

My project focuses on characterizing the development of germ layers in novel human stem cell models. Luckily, my mentor, Joshua Hislop, is a leading member of the developmental biology field with his primary contribution being the novel heX-embryo model, a stem cell model that recapitulates a human fetal embryo post-impanation. 

Ethically sourced and resource-efficient, the heX-embryo model will allow us to peer into the black box that is the molecular and morphological niches of the fetal embryo. As we improve this model it could be used to test new drug therapies for congenital disease or learn the basic developmental mechanisms of the human embryo–the foundation of my summer project! 

After Pitt, I aim to earn a PhD in Synthetic Biology and am excited to further advance regenerative medicine. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of Synthetic Biology, my time spent in Pittsburgh under the Brackenridge Fellowship will allow me to learn communication skills and relish the research of my fellows. 

Though I had originally come to Pitt as a Pre-Dental Biological Sciences major, my exposure to research like what is being done at SKMO lab opened my eyes to the possibility of what could be. It is my hope that my exposure to the many facets of undergraduate research ongoing here at Pitt this summer will broaden my horizons and allow me to experience what an awesome community I am a part of.