Cynthia Reinhart-King

Cynthia A. Reinhart-King
Alma materMassachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Pennsylvania
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Rochester
Vanderbilt University
Cornell University
Rice University
ThesisTraction forces exerted by endothelial cells on deformable substrates (2006)

Cynthia "Cindy" Reinhart-King is an American biomedical engineer and Department Chair of Bioengineering at Rice University. Her research considers cell motility and adhesion. She serves as president of the Biomedical Engineering Society.

Early life and education

Reinhart-King studied chemical engineering and biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[1] She studied integrin-mediated signaling alongside Doug Lauffenburger.[1] Integrin-mediated signaling describes the molecular signals that are initiated when an extracellular ligand binds to an integrin on the cellular surface, resulting in the regulation of a downstream cellular process. After graduating, she joined the University of Pennsylvania as a doctoral student, where she worked on cell adhesion in the endothelium.[2] She moved to the University of Rochester for postdoctoral research, studying atherosclerosis with Bradford Berk.[1]

Research and career

Reinhart-King's research has helped understanding of cancer progression.[3] She has monitored disease progression at the molecular, cellular and tissue level.[4] Her analytical strategy combines cellular imaging with mechanical measurements, histology and biochemical assays.[5] She showed how the cellular matrix stiffens after tumor formation, promoting tumor growth and impacting the effectiveness of cancer treatments.[3] Her lab, the Reinhart-King Laboratory, has demonstrated that although cancer cells move quickly during metastasis, their migration through the body occurs via the most easy pathways.[6] In particular, they favor wider spaces that are easier navigated than smaller and more confined ones.[6] The lab has also shown that metastatic cancer cells leaving tumors travel in clusters and "draft" off each other through tissue to preserve energy as they form new tumor sites.[7]

Reinhart-King has also investigated diabetic retinopathy. This condition can cause blindness in diabetic patients.[4] She started her independent scientific career at Cornell University.[8]

In 2021, Reinhart-King became President Elect of the Biomedical Engineering Society.[9] She was made Senior Associate Dean for Research at Vanderbilt University in 2022.[10] She has been involved with science policy, serving as an expert advisor to the federal government of the United States on biotechnology and biomanufacturing.[11] In 2024, Reinhart-King joined Rice University as the John W. Cox Professor of Bioengineering and chair of the Bioengineering department.[12]

Awards and honors

Selected publications

  • Matthew J Paszek; Nastaran Zahir; Kandice R Johnson; et al. (September 2005). "Tensional homeostasis and the malignant phenotype". Cancer Cell. 8 (3): 241–54. doi:10.1016/J.CCR.2005.08.010. ISSN 1535-6108. PMID 16169468. Wikidata Q27860932.
  • Cynthia A Reinhart-King; Micah Dembo; Daniel A Hammer (5 September 2008). "Cell-cell mechanical communication through compliant substrates". Biophysical Journal. 95 (12): 6044–6051. doi:10.1529/BIOPHYSJ.107.127662. ISSN 0006-3495. PMC 2599854. PMID 18775964. Wikidata Q37008291.
  • Cynthia A Reinhart-King; Micah Dembo; Daniel A Hammer (22 April 2005). "The dynamics and mechanics of endothelial cell spreading". Biophysical Journal. 89 (1): 676–689. doi:10.1529/BIOPHYSJ.104.054320. ISSN 0006-3495. PMC 1366566. PMID 15849250. Wikidata Q34350613.

Personal life

Reinhart-King is married to Michael King, the E.D. Butcher Chair of Bioengineering at Rice University.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Reinhart-King Laboratory: Meet the PI". cellmechanics.org. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  2. ^ ksas (2021-11-04). "Penn Bioengineering Alumna Cynthia Reinhart-King is President Elect of BMES". Penn Bioengineering Blog. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  3. ^ a b c "Cynthia Reinhart-King to serve on National Academies inaugural New Voices panel". Vanderbilt University. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  4. ^ a b c "Cynthia Reinhart-King named Biomedical Engineering Society Fellow". Vanderbilt University. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  5. ^ "Bio". School of Engineering. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  6. ^ a b ""Lazy" Cancer Cells Choose the Path of Least Resistance". Cancer Research from Technology Networks. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  7. ^ "Like racecars and geese, cancer cells draft their way to new tumor sites". Vanderbilt University. 2019-03-25. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  8. ^ "Cynthia Reinhart-King | Cornell's Next-Gen Leaders in the Life Sciences". CornellCast. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  9. ^ "Cynthia Reinhart-King is president-elect of the Biomedical Engineering Society". Vanderbilt University. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  10. ^ "Cynthia Reinhart-King is Senior Associate Dean for Research in School of Engineering". Vanderbilt University. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  11. ^ "Preeminent engineering researcher takes part in national summit on biotechnology and biomanufacturing". Vanderbilt University. 2022-09-20. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  12. ^ a b "Biomedical engineers Michael King, Cynthia Reinhart-King to join Rice faculty | Department of Bioengineering | Rice University". bioengineering.rice.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  13. ^ "BMES Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award - Biomedical Engineering Society". www.bmes.org. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  14. ^ "NSF Award Search: Award # 1741588 - CAREER:Functional Heterogeneity in Cell Chemotaxis". nsf.gov. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  15. ^ "Cynthia Reinhart-King, Ph.D. COF-2039 - AIMBE". Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  16. ^ Engineering, National Academy of (2017-01-31). Frontiers of Engineering: Reports on Leading-Edge Engineering from the 2016 Symposium. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-45036-2. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  17. ^ "BMES Mid-Career Award - Biomedical Engineering Society". www.bmes.org. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  18. ^ "Cynthia Reinhart-King Cynthia Reinhart-King to serve on National Academies inaugural New Voices panel - AIMBE". Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  19. ^ "Grace Hopper Lecture". Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  20. ^ "Cynthia A Reinhart-King - Biomedical Engineering Society". www.bmes.org. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  21. ^ "Two Vanderbilt biomedical engineers lead top academic societies in their fields". Vanderbilt University. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
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