Pioneering heart research helps earn Ying Mei the McQueen Quattlebaum Professorship

A bioengineer renowned for his research into repairing hearts damaged by attack or disease has been selected for the McQueen Quattlebaum Professorship, a high honor that marks him as a key leader on Clemson University's faculty.

Ying Mei joined Clemson's Department of Bioengineering in 2012 and has steadily advanced research into cardiac organoids that show promise for replacing dead and damaged heart tissue. He is based in Charleston as part of the Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program.

The professorship was made possible by a gift from the late Alexander McQueen Quattlebaum, who graduated from Clemson in 1934, was a professor of engineering until World War II and served on the Board of Trustees from 1958-74. He made the gift in honor of his father, McQueen Quattlebaum, who was in Clemson's Class of 1909.

Named professorships such as the one now held by Mei add prestige to the recipient and the University, helping attract and retain top talent. A named professorship signals to colleagues and potential students that the recipient is among Clemson's leading faculty members.

Mei said that when he learned that he was receiving the professorship, two words came to mind- appreciation and opportunity.

"The professorship shows Clemson's appreciation for the contributions I've made, " he said. "However, I cannot do it alone, and I would like to express my appreciation for the support I've received from the University, the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences and the Department of Bioengineering.

"This professorship will create opportunities that otherwise wouldn't be available or would be harder to get. It will help open doors to engage with leaders in the field, program officers in agencies that provide research funding and to financial backers, when our technology is ready to be translated to bedside application."

In his most recent research, Mei has tackled some of the unique challenges that come with using human pluripotent stem cells to treat heart muscle damage. It is crucial work because the heart is not able to heal itself in the same way as a cut on the skin would.

Mei and his team have combined the stem cell-derived heart muscle cells with silicon nanowires that are visible only by microscope. The combination results in organ-like structures called organoids.

The silicon nanowires were key because they improved the electrical connectivity and overall function of the lab-grown organoids, researchers found.

In a new research project, Mei and his team plan to genetically modify the stem cells so they will not be rejected by the human body as foreign cells. They will then test whether the modifications affect the functioning of the stem cells or the nanowires.

"Much of my career has been focused on engineering the human cardiac organoid system, and what I am interested in is how we can accelerate its clinical translation," Mei said. "The McQueen Quattlebaum Professorship will help support my efforts."

Delphine Dean, chair of the Department of Bioengineering, congratulated Mei on the professorship.

"The department is fortunate to have him on our faculty, and he is truly deserving of the McQueen Quattlebaum Professorship," she said. "This prestigious honor not only recognizes his past achievements but also empowers him to continue making groundbreaking advancements in health innovation."