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null Sina Kheiri, PhD

Junior Scientist, RI-MUHC, Glen site

Cancer Research Program

Centre for Translational Biology

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University

 

Keywords

organ-on-a-chip • microphysiological systems • angiogenesis & vasculogenesis • translational medicine • tissue engineering & cancer modeling • self-driving biolabs

Research Focus

My research focuses on the development of human-relevant microphysiological systems (MPS), miniature engineered models of tissues and organs, to improve cancer research and drug development while reducing reliance on animal models. My laboratory builds vascularized tumor and organoid platforms that reproduce key features of the tumor microenvironment, including blood and lymphatic networks, interstitial fluid flow, and mechanical forces within the tissue. By integrating MPS, narrative tissue engineering, computational fluid dynamics, and quantitative biology, we investigate how the vascular and mechanical microenvironment influences tumor progression, metastasis, and response to therapy. We use these models to study drug transport and treatment efficacy in physiologically relevant settings that better reflect patient biology than conventional cell culture. Our work also combines robotics and machine learning to streamline and automate MPS design, handling, and analysis. Ultimately, we aim to create scalable human tissue models that enable faster, safer, and more predictive cancer drug discovery.

Selected Publications

Click on Pubmed to see my current publications list

  • 4D force patterning enables spatial control of angiogenesis. Kheiri S*, Shah J*, Chai P, Venkatesh SA, Flynn RA, Kamm RD, Raman R. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 2026. PMID: 42406945.

  • GlycoRNA complexed with heparan sulfate regulates VEGF-A signalling. Chai P, Kheiri S, Kuo A, Shah J, et al. Nature. 2026. PMID: 41606331.

  • Machine learning-assisted exploration of multidrug-drug administration regimens for organoid arrays. Yakavets I*, Kheiri S*, Cruickshank J, Hickman RJ, Rakhshani F, Aldeghi M, Rajaonson EM, Young EWK, Aspuru-Guzik A, Cescon DW, Kumacheva E. Science Advances 2025. PMID: 40737392.

  • Microfluidic Platform for Generating and Releasing Patient-Derived Cancer Organoids with Diverse Shapes: Insight into Shape-Dependent Tumor Growth. Kheiri S*, Yakavets I*, Cruickshank J, Ahmadi F, Berman HK, Cescon DW, Young EWK, Kumacheva E. Advanced Materials. 2024. PMID: 39276011.

  • Integrating spheroid-on-a-chip with tubeless rocker platform: A high-throughput biological screening platform. Kheiri S, Chen Z, Yakavets I, Rakhshani F, Young EWK, Kumacheva E. Biotechnology Journal. 2023. PMID: 37436706.