Nolan Petrich

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

The small intestine is a high functioning organ responsible for digesting food, absorbing nutrients, and defending against pathogens, all through a single layer of epithelial cells. Its architecture consists of finger-like villi surrounded by invaginated crypts, maximizing surface area for nutrient absorption. Continuous shear stress exposure leads to mechanical damage, requiring continuous renewal to maintain barrier function. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) reside at the base of the crypts and are responsible for regeneration that preserves this epithelial lining. Regulation of these processes relies on complex cell signaling, extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, and mechanotransduction. However, decoupling these cues is difficult. Nolan utilizes photo-tunable materials and ISC organoid colonies to explore how controlled changes in the ECM influence stem cell behavior and ultimate crypt development. The hope is that this work will help achieve the goal of generating organoids with uniform morphology and cellularity for further study of intestinal development and regeneration, pathological states, and therapeutic design.