Kaustav Bera

I am a Helen Hay Whitney Foundation post doctoral fellow in the Anseth Research Group at University of Colorado Boulder. I also serve as a board member and treasurer for the Postdoctoral Association of Colorado Boulder (PAC). 

My current research utilizes novel photo-responsive hydrogel systems, in combination with molecular biology and advanced microscopy, to study our gut architecture and decipher how the cellular composition and function of mammalian intestine is maintained. To model the gut in vitro, I use tissue-like multicellular structures called organoids. Through my research I am hoping to understand the progression of intestinal diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.

Prior to joining CU Boulder I obtained a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. As part of my dissertation research in the Konstantopoulos Lab at the Institue of NanoBio Technology (INBT) I investigated how cancer metastasis (spread) is regulated by physical forces within our body. A highlight of my research has been the discovery that viscosity of fluids surrounding tumor cells can enhance their motility and thus cause them to metastasize more efficiently (Nature 2022).

I pursued Masters and Bachelors in Bioengineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur). I also completed a minor in Chemical Engineering and a micro-specialization in Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation.

In addition to my doctoral and postdoctoral research experiences, I undertook undergraduate research internships at Case Western Reserve University and University of British Columbia.