Eduardo Reátegui Group for Bioengineering Research
Eduardo Reátegui Group for Bioengineering Research
Microtechnologies, biomaterials, spectroscopy, immunoengineering, circulating biomarkers
Link List
About

Dr. Reátegui’s research integrates microtechnologies, biomaterials, and molecular imaging strategies for high-throughput sorting and molecular profiling of circulating biomarkers; as well as the development of infection/inflammation on-a-chip devices for the biophysical and molecular characterization of immune cells at the single-cell level and their interactions with pathogens.
2024 - Transport Phenomena I (Spring 2021)
We are currently looking for undergraduate, graduate and posdoctoral researchers to join our group. Please feel free to contact me directly by email at reategui.8@osu.edu.

Dr. Eduardo Reátegui is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at The Ohio State University. He is also a member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the James Comprehensive Cancer Center.
He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota in 2012 and his BS degree in Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria in Lima, Perú. His doctoral thesis focused on the development of inorganic biomaterials and polymeric nanointerfaces with tunable properties for reversible encapsulation of proteins and cells.
After graduation, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston.
Professor Reátegui bridges engineering disciplines with biology to exploit complex cellular interactions and mechanisms towards the goal of solving unmet needs in life sciences and medicine.
The Reátegui research group focuses on the development of translational microtechnologies combining microfluidics, biomaterials, and molecular imaging techniques to help better diagnose, study, and treat cancer and infectious diseases.
Projects include the design and integration of biodegradable nanofilms for microfluidic devices that enabled the selective recovery of circulating tumor biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor extracellular vesicles (tEVs) for downstream molecular characterization.
Currently, Professor Reátegui is working on expanding the applications of circulating biomarkers not only as a diagnostic tool, but also exploring their role in cancer metastisis and cell-to-cell communication with the immune system.
Faculty Member |
Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center |
08/2017-present |
Faculty Member |
Host Defense and Microbial Biology Program, Institute of Infectious Diseases
Prevention, Detection and Therapies Program, Institute of Infectious Diseases
|
08/2017-present
08/2017-present |
KEY DISTINCTIONS
- 5 patents
- Invented the neutrophil swarming on a chip platform that enabled high throughput characterization of soluble factors, and inflammation EVs (iEVs) produced from neutrophils during the onset of inflammation.
- His doctoral work provided the foundation for launching Minnepura Technologies, a start-up company at the University of Minnesota.
- Best Dissertation Award, Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2012
- Doctoral Disertation Fellowship, University of Minnesota, 2010
- First Class Honors, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria, 2004
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
- Invited Speaker Award, Gordon Research Conference on Rare Cells in Circulation, 2016
- Young Investigator Travel Award, International Society of Extracellular Vesicles Conference, 2015
- Best Poster Award, Circulating Biomarkers Conference, 2014
- Travel Award and Best Poster Award (2009), The Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Water Conference, 2009, 2010
- Travel Award, USA-Mexico Workshop in Biological Chemistry, Mexico City, 2009
- Best Poster Award Sigma Xi Research Exhibition, University of Massachusetts, 2005
- Best Research Undergraduate Project, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Perú, 2003
- Fourth place, International IV Program of Energy and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Peru, 2004
REGIONAL
-
Lumley Research Award, The Ohio State University College of Engineering, 2021
-
First Class Honors
Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria; Lima, Perú, 2002
Related News
Orcid and Google Scholar
Research
The Reátegui Research Group at Ohio State integrates microtechnologies, biomaterials, and molecular imaging strategies for high-throughput sorting and molecular profiling of circulating cancer biomarkers; as well as the development of infection/inflammation on-a-chip devices for physical and chemical characterization of immune cell interactions with pathogens and cancer cells.



Our research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and the OSU Leukemia Research Program.
NOVEL APPROACH FOR ISOLATION AND ENRICHMENT OF EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES CHARACTERIZATION OF MOLECULAR CARGO OF SINGLE EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES
Innovation: Eduardo Reátegui’s approach to isolate and enrich extracellular vesicles (EVs) uses a combination of ultrafiltration and immunomagnetic separation to achieve high levels of specificity and sensitivity when compared to other commercially available methods for EV purification.
Impact: Reátegui’s EV purification technique works with either small or large amounts of different types of biofluids (e.g., urine) and removes up to 99.9 % of contaminants present in a sample.

CHARACTERIZATION OF MOLECULAR CARGO OF SINGLE EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES
Innovation: A new in-situ imaging method that enables quantification of protein and RNA cargo in single vesicles. The technology is a combination of advanced surface chemistry, molecular biology, and high resolution microscopy to achieve single vesicle sensitivity and specificity.
Impact: Reátegui is exploring applications for the early diagnosis of cancer with the analysis of biofluids in which EVs are present. The method enables him to quantify therapeutic cargo in engineering EVs to determine efficiency of loading and efficacy after injection in in vivo models. It also aids in predicting the response of patients to immunotherapy by the analysis of EVs present in their biofluids.
Group Members
Postdoctoral Associates
Luong T.H. Nguyen, Ph.D. |
Research Topic: “Circulating Biomarkers for Immunotherapy” |
(2018 - present) |
|
|
|
Xinyu Wang, Ph.D. (2019 - present) (Co-Advised: Lee) |
Research Topic: “Micro/Nanofluidic Systems for the Analysis of Single Extracellular Vesicles” |
Doctoral Students
Xilal Y. Rima |
Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (expected) |
(2018 - 2023) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thesis Topic: “Engineering Microsystems for Cancer Dormancy” |
|
|
Jingjing Zhang |
Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (expected) |
(2017 - 2022) |
Thesis Topic: “Purification Methods of Extracellular Vesicles in Biofluids for Quantification of Protein and RNA Content” |
|
|
Nicole Walters |
Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (expected) |
(2017 - 2022) |
|
|
Thesis Topic: “Neutrophil Swarming for Decoding Molecular Drivers of Inflammation” |
Master Students
Aaron Rajasuriyar |
M.S., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
(2017 - 2019) |
Report Topic: “A Droplet Microfluidic Platform for Cell Encapsulation” |
Undergraduate Students Researchers (non-thesis)
Claire Krabacher |
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
(2020 - present)
|
Research Topic: “Neutrophil Swarming” |
Richard G. Atta |
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
(2020 - present)
|
Research Topic: ”Cell Encapsulation” |
Jamie O’Sullivan |
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
(2019 - 2020)
|
Research Topic: ”Microfluidic Microvasculature” |
Ajay Shankaran |
B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
(2018 - 2019) |
Research Topic: “Micropatterning of Zymosan Particles on Glass Substrates for in vitro Inflammation Models” |
High School Summer Researchers
George Worley |
St. Charles Preparatory Academy (Class 2020) |
(Summer 2018, 2019)
|
|
Aakash Chawla |
St. Charles Preparatory Academy (Class 2020) |
(Summer 2018, 2019)
|
|

Five earn prestigious faculty titles in 2023

New tool predicts response to immunotherapy in lung cancer patients

Interdisciplinary collaboration catalyzed by President’s Research Excellence grants

2022 Graduate Research Symposium another resounding success

Xilal Rima to participate in national future faculty development program

Grad student Xilal Rima chosen for SACNAS travel award

Student, alumni win Prevent Blindness and NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Five faculty receive College of Engineering Awards
Publications
1. X. Y. Rima, N. Walters, L. TH Nguyen, E. Reátegui, Surface engineering within a microchannel for hydrodynamic and self-assembled cell patterning, Biomicrofluidics, 14, 014104, 2020.
2. N. Walters, L. TH Nguyen, J. Zhang, A. Shankaran, E. Reátegui, Extracellular vesicles as mediators of in vitro human neutrophil swarming on a large-scale microparticle array, Lab on a Chip, 19, 2874, 2019.
3. E. Reátegui*, K. van der Vos*, C. P. Lai*, M. Zeinali, N. A. Atai, F. Floyd, B. Aldikacti, A. Khankhel, V. Thapar, F. H. Hochberg, B. Carter, L. Balaj, M. Toner, D. Ting, X. O. Breakefield, S. L. Stott, Engineered Nanointerfaces for Microfluidic Isolation and Molecular Profiling of Tumor-specific Extracellular Vesicles, Nature Communications, 9, 175, 2018.
4. E. Reátegui, F. Jalali, A. Khankhel, E. Wong, H. Cho, J. Lee, C. N. Serhan, J. Dalli, H. Elliott, D. Irimia, Microscale Array for the Profiling of Start and Stop Signals Coordinating Human-neutrophil Swarming, Nature Biomedical Engineering, 1, 0094, 2017.
5. M.-H. Park*, E. Reátegui*, W. Li, S. N. Tessier, K. Wong, A. E. Jensen, M. Toner, S. L. Stott, P. T. Hammond, Enhanced Isolation and Release of Circulating Tumor Cells Using Nanoparticle Binding in and Ligand Exchange in a microfluidic chip, Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), 139, (7), 2741-2749, 2017. * Equal contribution.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1nKV5LEuVFP1aN/bibliography/public/
(Total Google Scholar Citations = 700; h-index = 10) as of 11/10/2020
- N. Walters, J. Zhang, L. Nguyen, E. Reátegui, Bioparticle Microarrays for Chemotactic and Molecular Analysis of Human Neutrophil Swarming in vitro. J. Vis. Exp. (156), e60544, doi:10.3791/60544, 2020
- Y. Rima, N. Walters, L.T.H. Nguyen, E. Reátegui, Surface Engineering within a Microchannel for Hydrodynamic and Self-assembled Cell Patterning. Biomicrofluidics, 14(1):014104. doi: 10.1063/1.5126608, 2020.
- J. Kim, J. Gómez-Pastora, C. J. Gilbert, M. Weigand, N. Walters, E. Reátegui, A. F. Palmer, M. Yazer, M. Zborowski, J. J. Chalmers, Quantification of the Mean and Distribution of Hemoglobin Content in Normal Human Blood Using Cell Tracking Velocimetry. Analytical Chemistry, 92, 2, 1956 – 1962, 2019.
- J. Kim, J. Gómez-Pastora, M. Weigand, M. Potgieter, N. Walters, E. Reátegui, A. F. Palmer, M. Yazer, M. Zborowski, J. J. Chalmers, A subpopulation of Monocytes in Normal Human Blood Has Significant Magnetic Susceptibility: Quantification and Potential Implications. Cytometry PartA, 95, 5, 461 - 582, 2019.
- N. Walters, J. Zhang, L. Nguyen, E. Reátegui, Extracellular Vesicles as Mediators of in vitro Neutrophil Swarming on a Large Scale Microparticle Array. Lab on a Chip, 19, 2874 - 2884, 2019.
- J. J. Kim*, E. Reátegui*, A. Hopke, F. Jalali, M. Roushan, P. S. Doyle, D. Irimia, High-throughput Patterning of Living Colloids for Dynamic Studies of Neutrophil-Microbe Interactions. Lab on a Chip, 18, 1514 - 1520, 2018. * Equal Contribution.
- E. Reátegui*, K. van der Vos*, C. P. Lai*, M. Zeinali, N. A. Atai, B. Aldikacti, F. P. Floyd, A. Khankhel, V. Thapar, F. H. Hochberg, L.V. Sequist, B. V. Nahed, B. Carter, M. Toner, L. Balaj, D. Ting, X. O. Breakefield, S. L. Stott, Engineered Nanointerfaces for Microfluidic Isolation and Molecular Profiling of Tumor-specific Extracellular Vesicles, Nature Communications, 9, (1), 175, 2018.* Equal Contribution.
- R. Vogel, A. K. Pal, S. Jambhrunkar, P. Patel, S. S. Thakur, E. Reátegui, H. S. Parekh, P. Saáz, A. Stassinopoulos, M. Broom, High-throughput Single-Particle Zeta Potential Characterization of Biological Nanoparticles using Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing. Scientific Reports, 7, (1), 17479, 2017.
- X. Jiang, K. H. K. Wong, A. H. Khankhel, M. Zeinali, E. Reátegui, M. J. Phillips, X. Luo, N. Aceto, F. Fachin, A. N. Hoang, W. Kim, A. E. Jensen, Lecia V. Sequist, S. Maheswaran, D. A. Haber, S. L. Stott, M. Toner, Microfluidic Isolation of Platelet-covered Circulating Tumor Cells, Lab on a Chip, 17, 3498-3503, 2017.
- J. Preciado*, E. Reátegui*, S. Azarin, E. Lou, A. Aksan, Immobilization Platform to Select and Induce Quiescence of Dormancy-capable Cancer Cells. Technology, 5, (3), 129-138, 2017.* Equal Contribution.
- E. Reátegui, F. Jalali, A. Khankhel, E. Wong, H. Cho, J. Lee, C. N. Serhan, J. Dalli, H. Elliott, D. Irimia, Microscale Array for the Profiling of Start and Stop Signals Coordinating Human-neutrophil Swarming, Nature Biomedical Engineering, 1, 0094, 2017.
- Highlighted in News and Views from Nature Biomedical Engineering.
- Highlighted in Behind the Paper from Nature Biomedical Engineering.
12. M.-H. Park*, E. Reátegui*, W. Li, S. N. Tessier, K. Wong, A. E. Jensen, M. Toner, S. L. Stott, P. T. Hammond, Enhanced Isolation and Release of Circulating Tumor Cells Using Nanoparticle Binding in and Ligand Exchange in a microfluidic chip, Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), 139, (7), 2741-2749, 2017. * Equal contribution.
13. J. J. Kim, K. W. Bong, E. Reátegui, D. Irimia, P. S. Doyle, Porous Microwells for Geometry Selective, Large-scale Microparticle Arrays, Nature Materials, 16, 139-146, 2017.
14. W. Li*, E. Reátegui*, M.-H Park, S. Castleberry, A. E. Jensen, M. Toner, S. L. Stott, P. T. Hammond, Biodegradable Nano-film for Capture and Non-invasive Release of Circulating Tumor Cells, Biomaterials, 65, 93-102, 2015. * Equal contribution.
15. E. Reátegui, N. Aceto, J. P. Sullivan, A. E. Jensen, E. J. Lim, M. Zeinali, J. M. Martel,A. J. Aranyosi, W. Li, S. Castleberry, A. Bardia, L. V. Sequist, D. A. Haber, S. Maheswaran, P. T. Hammond, M. Toner, S. L. Stott, Nanostructured Coating for Immunoaffinity Capture and Selective Release of Single Circulating Tumor Cells, Advanced Materials, 27, (9), 1593-1599, 2015.
16. E. Reátegui, L. Kasinkas, K. Kniesz, M. A. Lefebvre, A. Aksan, Silica-PEG Encapsulation of Mammalian Cells, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2, (42), 7440-7448, 2014.
17. E. Reátegui, L. Kasinkas, E. Reynolds, A. Aggarwal, L. Wackett, A. Aksan, M. J. Sadowsky, Silica Gel Encapsulated AtzA Biocatalyst for Atrazine Biodegradation, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 96, (1), 231-240, 2012.
18. E. Reátegui, A. Aksan, Effects of Water on the Structure and Low/High-Temperature Stability of Confined Proteins, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics, 12, 10161-10172, 2010.
19. E. Reátegui, A. Aksan, Effects of the Low-Temperature Transitions of Confined Water on the Structure of Isolated and Cytoplasmic Proteins, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 113, (39), 13048-13060, 2009.
20. E. Reátegui, A. Aksan, Structural Changes in Confined Lysozyme, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 131, (7), 745201-4, 2009.
21. E. Reátegui, A. Fowler, Desiccation of Nucleated Mammalian Cells in Nanoliter Droplets, Chemical Engineering Research, and Design, 86, (11), 1187-1195, 2008.
22. E. Reátegui, E. Reynolds, L. Kasinkas, A. Aggarwal, M. J. Sadowsky, A. Aksan, L. P. Wackett, Reactive Biomaterial for the Treatment of Herbicide-Contaminated Drinking Water: Atrazine Dechlorination. ASME Proceedings / Microsystems and Genetic Regulation in Biological Machines, Paper SBC2012-80205, pp 347-348, 2012.
23. E. Reátegui, L. Kasinkas, A. Aksan, Encapsulation of Mammalian Cells in Nanoporous Silica Gels: Interactions at the Biointerface. ASME Proceedings / Mechanics and Synthesis of Biological Interfaces, Paper SBC2012-80211, pp 667-668, 2012.
24. E. Reátegui, A. Aksan, Effect of Kinetic and Thermodynamic Transitions of Confined Water on Biomolecules. ASME Proceedings / Biomass Transfer Processes in Tissues, Paper SBC2008-192376, pp 155-156, 2008.
- E. Reátegui, M. Toner, S. Stott, "Capture and Release of Particles from Liquid Samples," United States Patent No. 10,551,376, 2020.
- E. Reátegui, M. Toner, S. Stott, X. Jian, "Platelet-targeted Microfluidic Isolation of Cells," United States Patent No. 10,391,491, 2019.
- E. Reátegui, L. Kasinkas, L. Wackett, A. Aksan, M. Sadowsky, "Silica-Encapsulated Biomaterials," United States Patent No. 9,790,484, 2017.
- E. Reátegui, A. Aksan and A. Hubel, "Biocoposite Cornea Substitute," United States Patent No. 9,492,271, 2016.
- E. Reátegui, L. Kasinkas, A. Aksan, "Silica Compositions, Materials Formed Therefrom, and Methods of Using the Same," United States Patent No. 9,427,408, 2016.