Contact Information
Summary
Carlos A. Urrego, Ph.D., is from Medellín, Colombia. His interdisciplinary background spans mechanical engineering, materials science, and biomedical engineering, with research and consulting experience in materials design and failure analysis. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he served as an adjunct professor and led a multidisciplinary team in the design and development of an electric-solar vehicle.
Dr. Urrego earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan as a Fulbright Scholar. His doctoral research focused on bone biomechanics and the effects of type 2 diabetes on women's skeletal health. His work integrates principles from mechanics, materials science, and biomedical engineering to investigate clinically relevant questions related to bone quality.
As a postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Tamara Alliston, Dr. Urrego is expanding this interdisciplinary approach by incorporating cellular and molecular methods to investigate the mechanisms that regulate bone quality and contribute to skeletal health.
Research Statement
Dr. Urrego’s research focuses on understanding how mechanical strain during loading contributes to the regulation and spatial distribution of bone quality. His work investigates the relationship among local strain, changes in bone architecture, and osteocyte signaling in both healthy and diseased states. He is also interested in understanding how exercise-induced mechanical loading can preserve or restore bone quality and serve as a potential non-pharmacological approach to mitigate age-related skeletal decline. Currently, Dr. Urrego is developing in vitro systems, including bone organoid models, to investigate the osteocyte response to microfluidic shear stress and to further elucidate the mechanisms by which mechanical cues regulate bone quality.
Scientific Publications
Education
University of Michigan
Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering (2021-2026)
Universidad EAFIT
M.Eng. Materials Science (2018-2019)
Universidad EAFIT
B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2014-2018)
Experience
Technical Director
Kratos - Universidad EAFIT (2020-2021)
Adjunct Professor
Universidad EAFIT (2020-2021)
Junior Scientist
Universidad EAFIT (2018-2020)
Engineering and Innovation Consultant
Universidad EAFIT (2018-2020)