Lisa M. Larkin

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About

Lisa M. Larkin’s research lies at the intersection of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and bio-inspired robotics, with a focus on developing functional skeletal muscle constructs. Her major contributions center on overcoming the critical challenge of engineered muscle that fails to produce forces comparable to native tissue. In her highly cited 2016 study (43 citations), Larkin investigated the effects of dexamethasone on satellite cells and tissue-engineered skeletal muscle units, advancing the potential for these constructs as soft tissue grafts, pharmaceutical testing platforms, and biomechanical actuators for soft robots. Earlier, in her foundational 2007 work (10 citations), she reported the successful completion of Phase II of a program to engineer living muscle actuators for robotic and prosthetic applications, using integrated bioreactors to guide tissue maturation. Her work has been instrumental in bridging the gap between biological tissue engineering and mechanical actuation, with implications for both clinical repair and the development of biohybrid robots. Larkin’s research continues to shape the field, offering a path toward muscle constructs that can match native performance and serve dual roles in medicine and engineering.