Joan Nichols

Joan Nichols, PhD

Dr. and Mrs. Alan L. Kaplan Centennial Chair in Cellular Therapeutics and Organ Bioengineering, Department of Surgery
Professor of Immunology in Surgery, Academic Institute
Houston Methodist


jenichols@houstonmethodist.org
Biography

Joan E. Nichols, MA, PhD directs and collaborates in research projects examining wound and tissue repair mechanisms, and alterations in immune response of the lung and other respiratory tissues after exposure to pollutants and/or respiratory pathogens. She has expertise in the areas of tissue engineering, stem cell therapies, immunology of wound healing and foreign body response, inflammation, disease pathogenesis, stem cell characterization/differentiation and host response to microbial pathogens. 

Dr. Nichols has collaborated with Houston Methodist Research Institute since 2011, and in 2021 joined HMRI as Professor of Immunology in Surgery. Prior to 2019, she was at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) for 27 years. 

Her research group has combined adult and embryonic stem cells with tissue engineering techniques to construct human bioengineered microphysiologic tissue models systems (MPS) to study wound healing as well as disease pathogenesis and the response to human pathogens such as avian-influenza, NIPAH virus, SARS-CoV-2  and other BSL-2, -3 and -4 agents. Modeling tissue development using small MPS tissue engineered constructs has led to development of methods to support whole organ engineering and to a preclinical pilot focused on transplantation of whole tissue engineered lung into a large animal model. Publication highlights include manuscripts demonstrating production of whole human acellular scaffolds, production of bioengineered pediatric lungs from adult lung cells, systems to support vascular engineering and production and transplantation of bioengineered lung. 

Areas Of Expertise

Human Hodels of Infectious Disease
Publications

Real-time imaging of dynamic tissues
Nichols, JE & Azar, SR 2023, , Nature Methods, vol. 20, no. 11, pp. 1631-1632. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-023-02047-y

Long-acting refillable nanofluidic implant confers protection against SHIV infection in nonhuman primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Trani, ND, Capuani, S, Campa-Carranza, JN, Nehete, B, Sharma, S, Shelton, KA, Bushman, LR, Abdelmawla, F, Williams, M, Roon, L, Nerguizian, D, Chua, CYX, Ittmann, MM, Nichols, JE, Kimata, JT, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC & Grattoni, A 2023, , Science translational medicine, vol. 15, no. 702, eadg2887, pp. eadg2887. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adg2887

Changes in local tissue microenvironment in response to subcutaneous long-acting delivery of tenofovir alafenamide in rats and non-human primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Di Trani, N, Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Wood, AM, Nehete, B, Niles, J, Shelton, KA, Kezar, S, Bushman, LR, Chua, CYX, Ittmann, MM, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2023, , Journal of Controlled Release, vol. 358, pp. 116-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.04.037

Local Delivery of Drugs in a 3D Bioengineered Subcutaneous Niche: Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics.
Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Paez-Mayorga, J, Dogra, P, Wang, Z, Cristini, V, Chua, CYX, Nichols, J & Grattoni, A 2023, , 8th Nano Today Conference, San Diego, United States, 4/22/23 - 4/25/23.

Implantable niche with local immunosuppression for islet allotransplantation achieves type 1 diabetes reversal in rats
Paez-Mayorga, J, Campa-Carranza, JN, Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Liu, H-C, Chua, CYX, Pons-Faudoa, FP, Malgir, G, Alvarez, B, Niles, JA, Argueta, LB, Shelton, KA, Kezar, S, Nehete, PN, Berman, DM, Willman, MA, Li, XC, Ricordi, C, Nichols, JE, Gaber, AO, Kenyon, NS & Grattoni, A 2022, , Nature Communications, vol. 13, no. 1, 7951. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35629-z, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35629-z

Localization of drug biodistribution in a 3D-bioengineered subcutaneous neovascularized microenvironment
Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Paez-Mayorga, J, Dogra, P, Wang, Z, Cristini, V, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2022, , Materials Today Bio, vol. 16, pp. 100390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100390

Localization of drug biodistribution in a 3D-bioengineered subcutaneous neovascularized microenvironment
Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Paez-Mayorga, J, Dogra, P, Wang, Z, Cristini, V, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2022, , Materials Today Bio, vol. 16, 100390, pp. 100390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100390

Implantable niche with local immunosuppression for islet allotransplantation achieves type 1 diabetes reversal in rats
Paez-Mayorga, J, Campa-Carranza, JN, Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Liu, HC, Chua, CYX, Pons-Faudoa, FP, Malgir, G, Alvarez, B, Niles, JA, Argueta, LB, Shelton, KA, Kezar, S, Nehete, PN, Berman, DM, Willman, MA, Li, XC, Ricordi, C, Nichols, JE, Gaber, AO, Kenyon, NS & Grattoni, A 2022, , Nature Communications, vol. 13, no. 1, 7951. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35629-z

Biodistribution of locally delivered drugs in a 3d bioengineered subcutaneous niche.
Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Paez-Mayorga, J, Dogra, P, Wang, Z, Cristini, V, Chua, CYX, Nichols, J & Grattoni, A 2022, , 7th Bioengineering & Translational Medicine Conference, Boston, United States, 12/14/22 - 12/16/22.

Emerging local immunomodulatory strategies to circumvent systemic immunosuppression in cell transplantation
Campa-Carranza, JN, Paez-Mayorga, J, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2022, , Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 595-610. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425247.2022.2076834

Platforms to test the temporospatial capabilities of carrier systems in delivering growth factors to benefit vascular bioengineering
Argueta, LB, Niles, JA, Sakamoto, J, Liu, X, Vega, SP, Frank, L, Paessler, M, Cortiella, J & Nichols, JE 2021, , Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine, vol. 36, 102419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2021.102419

Preventive Efficacy of a Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Nanofluidic Implant in SHIV-Challenged Nonhuman Primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Sizovs, A, Shelton, KA, Momin, Z, Niles, JA, Bushman, LR, Xu, J, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE, Demaria, S, Ittmann, MM, Hawkins, T, Rooney, JF, Marzinke, MA, Kimata, JT, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC, Ferrari, M, Sastry, KJ & Grattoni, A 2021, , advanced therapeutics, vol. 4, no. 3, 2000163. https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000163

Preventive efficacy of a tenofovir alafenamide fumarate nanofluidic implant in SHIV-challenged nonhuman primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Sizovs, A, Shelton, KA, Momin, Z, Niles, JA, Bushman, LR, Xu, J, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE, Demaria, S, Ittmann, MM, Hawkins, T, Rooney, JF, Marzinke, MA, Kimata, JT, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC, Ferrari, M, Sastry, KJ & Grattoni, A 2021, , Advanced Therapeutics, vol. 4, no. 3. https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000163

Preventive Efficacy of a Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Nanofluidic Implant in SHIV-Challenged Nonhuman Primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Sizovs, A, Shelton, KA, Momin, Z, Niles, JA, Bushman, LR, Xu, J, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE, Demaria, S, Ittmann, MM, Hawkins, T, Rooney, JF, Marzinke, MA, Kimata, JT, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC, Ferrari, M, Sastry, KJ & Grattoni, A 2021, , advanced therapeutics, vol. 4, no. 3, 2000163, pp. 2000163. https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000163, https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000163

Neovascularized implantable cell homing encapsulation platform with tunable local immunosuppressant delivery for allogeneic cell transplantation
Paez-Mayorga, J, Capuani, S, Hernandez, N, Farina, M, Chua, YX, Blanchard, R, Sizovs, A, Liu, HC, Fraga, DW, Niles, JA, Salazar, HF, Corradetti, B, Sikora, AG, Kloc, M, Li, XC, Gaber, AO, Nichols, J & Grattoni, A 2020, , Biomaterials, vol. 257, 120232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120232

HLA-associated protection of lymphocytes during influenza virus infection
Ochoa, EE, Huda, R, Scheibel, SF, Nichols, JE, Mock, DJ, El-Daher, N, Domurat, FM & Roberts, NJ 2020, , Virology Journal, vol. 17, no. 1, 128, pp. 128. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01406-x

Preventive efficacy of a tenofovir alafenamide fumarate nanofluidic implant in SHIV-challenged nonhuman primates
Pons-Faudoa, FP, Sizovs, A, Shelton, KA, Momin, Z, Bushman, LR, Xu, J, Chua, CYX, Nichols, JE, Hawkins, T, Rooney, JF, Marzinke, MA, Kimata, JT, Anderson, PL, Nehete, PN, Arduino, RC, Ferrari, M, Sastry, KJ & Grattoni, A 2020, , bioRxiv, pp. 2020.05.13.091694. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.13.091694

Multicycle Autoclave Decontamination of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators
Bopp, NE, Bouyer, DH, Gibbs, CM, Nichols, JE, Ntiforo, CA & Grimaldo, MA 2020, , Applied Biosafety, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 150-156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1535676020924171

Enhanced In Vivo Vascularization of 3D-Printed Cell Encapsulation Device Using Platelet-Rich Plasma and Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Paez-Mayorga, J, Capuani, S, Farina, M, Lotito, ML, Niles, JA, Salazar, HF, Rhudy, J, Esnaola, L, Chua, CYX, Taraballi, F, Corradetti, B, Shelton, KA, Nehete, PN, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2020, , Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 9, no. 19, 2000670, pp. e2000670. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202000670

Cell Encapsulation: Enhanced In Vivo Vascularization of 3D-Printed Cell Encapsulation Device Using Platelet-Rich Plasma and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Adv. Healthcare Mater. 19/2020)
Paez-Mayorga, J, Capuani, S, Farina, M, Lotito, ML, Niles, JA, Salazar, HF, Rhudy, J, Esnaola, L, Chua, CYX, Taraballi, F, Corradetti, B, Shelton, KA, Nehete, PN, Nichols, JE & Grattoni, A 2020, , Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 9, no. 19. https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202070071

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