Funding Alert!
March 19, 2026
HVE lab receives the ICTS K12 Early-Career Scholar Award to study "Red Blood Cell Mechanobiology as a Biomarker for Diabetes-Induced Vascular Dysfunction!"
Funding Alert!
March 18, 2026
HVE lab receives American Heart Association Career Development Award to study "Exercise and Hydroxyurea Effects on Sickle Red Blood Cell Mechanosignaling and Endothelial Function!"
Graduate Students Join The HVE LAB!
March 10, 2026
The HVE lab welcomes Ph.D. students Laura Molina and Yue Yu, as well as Master's student Hang Yu!
Research Paper Alert!
January 28, 2026
A high-fat diet can disproportionately harm blood vessel health in women. This study shows that perivascular adipose tissue, the fat surrounding blood vessels, is altered in female rats fed a high-fat diet and releases signals that impair arterial relaxation. We also found evidence of greater inflammation in this fat tissue, suggesting that changes in vessel-surrounding fat may help explain how a high-fat diet promotes vascular dysfunction.
Undergraduates awarded urop funding
December 19, 2025
Our talented undergraduate researchers, Harleen Kaur, Brandee Hess, and Abhinav Vijay, were awarded $500 to support their project investigating optimal methods for storing and preserving red blood cells!
The RAMEN RUMBLE
November 15, 2025
HVE Lab slurp tests HiroNori Craft Ramen, scoring an impressive 8.7 ± 0.7 out of 10 (lowest to tastest; 5 = average). Conclusion: significant satisfaction detected (p < delicious).
Undergraduates present research
October 3, 2025
Abhinav Vijay and Brandee Hess present their summer research projects at the Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center Summer Research Symposium!
DR. SANGHA PRESENTS AT IBMS 10
September 6, 2025
Dr. Sangha presents his postdoctoral work investigating how diabetes alters pathways associated with red blood cell nitric oxide production at the 10th International Biofluid Mechanics and Mechanobiology Symposium!
Burger Battles
August 19, 2025
HVE lab settles the debate over whether Burger King or In-N-Out has better burgers. The verdict? Burger King came out on top for burger and fry quality (yeah... we were surprised too), while In-N-Out delivered the better overall value.
EQUITI-SURP Student Presents Research
August 14, 2025
Alan Hoang passionately presents his research, 'Modeling Red Blood Cell Mechanobiology in Health and Disease,' at the UCI Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium!
Research Paper Alert!
July 28, 2025
Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule that helps blood vessels stay healthy, and it is produced by the enzyme eNOS. This paper reveals how eNOS in red blood cells is activated by piezo1, a mechanosensitive channel that responds to physical forces. In diabetes, red blood cells show even stronger eNOS activation than cells from non-diabetics. These findings reveal how mechanically stimulated red blood cells in blood flow may activate eNOS and highlight how diabetes alters this signaling, providing novel targets to study vascular dysfunction.
Dr. Sangha Joins PRIDE-FTG Blood Disorders Program
July 7, 2025
Dr. Sangha joins PRIDE-FTG Cohort 12 to advance research training in cutting-edge experimental approaches for studying blood disorders in red blood cells, immune cells, and platelets.
Fully Functional
July 2, 2025
The HemtoVascular Engineering Laboratory is up and running in full force! We begin studying how blood cell mechanobiology regulates cardiovascular health.
Graduate Student Joins Lab
June 9, 2025
After a successful rotation, David Quiroz officially joins the lab. Welcome David!
Dr. Sangha Presents at BIC 2025
June 1, 2025
Dr. Sangha presents his postdoctoral work investigating how diabetes alters pathways associated with red blood cell nitric oxide production at the 2025 UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium!
First Lab Meeting!
April 7, 2025
The HematoVascular Engineering Lab had its first lab meeting!
THE HEMATOVASCULAR LAB LAUNCHES!
April 1, 2025
UC Irvine welcomes Dr. Gurneet Sangha to the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center (CIRC).