Understanding the human brain requires knowing how it communicates within itself and with the body, and how these interactions shape development and function across neurons, vascular systems, and other tissues. Capturing this complexity in a controlled, experimentally accessible way remains a fundamental challenge in neuroscience.

We address this challenge through engineering. By combining human stem cell biology, tissue engineering, microfluidics, and advanced multiphoton imaging, we build microphysiological systems that reconstruct key aspects of human brain development. These models let us observe how human tissues develop, communicate, and respond to perturbations in ways conventional models cannot. Our goal is not to miniaturize human tissue but to ask new questions about neuroscience for learning and memory and identify therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular and neurodevelopmental disorders.