By the time she earned her PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Crist had accumulated nearly ten years of experience developing 3D tissue-engineered models of human disease.
The ARCS Minnesota Scholar Alum and ARCS member now works at AIM Biotech, a Boston company actively translating these kinds of models into real-world development tools. Crist consulted for the company during the final months of her PhD work at the University of Minnesota. She became the first full-time U.S. employee of the Boston-based company and now works as the Business Development Manager and U.S. Technical Lead.
AIM develops user-friendly and affordable 3D cell culture models known as MPS or microphysiological systems. These systems mimic human tissues and organ functions more realistically than traditional lab methods.
“In my role, I help biopharma and academic researchers adapt our technologies by helping guide experimental design, train users, and build the collaborations that push the boundaries of what MPS models can do,” she says.
From loving physics and science in high school, Crist enrolled as an undergrad at Washington University and joined a “Transport and Tissue Engineering Lab.” It was there, she says, “I was introduced to academic research, the meaning of a PhD, and how engineering could be used to better understand cancer.” That lab experience taught her how to engineer “3D tissue constructs to grow blood vessels outside the human body.”
At the University of Minnesota, a research fellowship allowed Crist to design a PhD project to further explore cancer metastasis. This work used “microfluids to build miniaturized devices that grow small tumors next to blood vessels connected to downstream tissue sites.” The devices were constructed with a biocompatible and transparent material, “allowing us to image the cancer cells and blood vessels under a microscope.”
“This approach enabled us to directly visualize how cancer spreads and quantify how different chemical and physical factors influence that process,” Crist says, with the overarching goal to better understand cancer metastasis and develop more effective treatments.
In addition to her role at AIM Biotech, Crist is a board member of the ARCS Minnesota Chapter and serves on the national Scholar Relations committee.
“As a scholar alum, I am honored to give back to the organization that invested in me,” she explains. “To me, ARCS is more than a funding organization. It’s a network of people – scientists, leaders and supporters – who believe in the importance of advancing STEM in the U.S. and who genuinely care about the personal and professional growth of young researchers. I see my role as helping to strengthen the ARCS community and ensure the next generation of scientists feels seen, supported and inspired.”
Crist also shares enthusiasm “that the broader scientific and regulatory committees are beginning to recognize the value of these human-relevant, non-animal models. Agencies likes the FDA and NIH are actively supporting efforts to phase out animal testing in favor of more predictive, humanized models that improve patient safety and accelerate the delivery of new therapies.”
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