Assistant Professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, NC State University

At NC State, Jessica Gluck studies how microscale environments influence the behavior and function of living cells. Her work focuses on two connected areas: cardiac tissue engineering using electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds and human induced pluripotent stem cells, and strategies to address limbal stem cell deficiency as a cause of vision loss. Both draw on her expertise in scaffold fabrication and cell-material interaction.

Her group also investigates anti-pathogen treatments for textile surfaces, extending her work into material performance and safety.

Gluck joined NC State in 2019 following postdoctoral work at the University of California, Davis, where she worked on developing a biopacemaker using biomaterials and stem cells, supported by fellowships from CIRM and the NIH. She holds an affiliate appointment in NC State’s Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering and serves as Director of Education and Training for the Comparative Medicine Institute.

Science communication runs consistently through her work. She contributed to curriculum development for Discovery Place Science in Charlotte and continues outreach with local schools and museums to support K-12 STEM engagement.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UCLA, 2013
• Master of Science (MS), Biomedical Engineering, UCLA, 2008
• Master of Science (MS), Biomedical Textiles, NC State University, 2007
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Textile Technology, NC State University, 2005