![Headshot of Dr. Sara Molinari in front of a brick wall](https://cafgroup.blogs.rice.edu/files/2020/01/Profile_Picture_Molinari.png)
She/Her
Dr. Molinari is an incoming professor at the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her future lab will bridge synthetic biology and material science to develop multifunctional engineered living materials for health and environmental applications.
Favorite Scientist: Rita Levi Montalcini
Education: Ph.D. Systems, Synthetic & Physical Biology, Rice University
Ajo-Franklin Group Publications:
“A de novo matrix for macroscopic living materials from bacteria”, Sara Molinari, Robert F. Tesoriero Jr., Dong Li, Swetha Sridhar, Rong Cai, Jayashree Soman, K. R. Ryan, P. D. Ashby, C. M. Ajo-Franklin*, Nature Communications, 13, 5544 (2022).
“Bottom Up Approaches to Living Materials: Challenges and Future Directions”, S. Molinari*, R. F. Tesoriero Jr, and C. M. Ajo-Franklin*, Matter, 4, 3095-3120 (2021).
“Engineering high-yield biopolymer secretion creates an extracellular protein matrix for living materials,” M. Charrier, M. T. Orozco-Hidalgo, N. Tjahjono, D. Li, S. Molinari, K. R. Ryan, P. D. Ashby, B. Rad, C. M. Ajo-Franklin, mSystems, 6, e00903-20 (2021). *Editor’s Pick