CRS Scientist Spotlight on Hannes Campo

Hannes Campo, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Julie Kim's and Dr. Francesca Duncan's labs. His current research focuses on improving in vitro culture methods applied in basic reproductive research.

Mentor: J. Julie Kim, PhD and Francesca Duncan, PhD

What brought you to join the CRS community and what is your current position? 

I initially joined Northwestern in 2019 as a visiting scholar with Dr. Julie Kim and Dr. Teresa Woodruff to learn about their microfluidic and endometrial culture models. I have since been fortunate to stay and expand this opportunity into other lines of research as a postdoctoral fellow in both Dr. Julie Kim and Dr. Francesca Duncan’s labs.  

Could you describe your research? 

My goal is to improve in vitro culture methods applied in basic reproductive research. Most current methods are performed on two-dimensional cultures of a single cell type, which is the opposite of what the human body is made of. To help bridge this gap, we are leveraging three-dimensional culture techniques and microfluidics to develop a tissue-agnostic multi-organ microfluidic culture platform which we call “LATTICE”. This research was pioneered by the Woodruff lab and has grown in exciting ways!  In the Kim lab, we use LATTICE to model certain features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in vitro to gain a better understanding of this complex disease. In the Duncan lab, we are using the system to develop a screening method to test non-hormonal contraceptive candidate compounds and to model ovarian senescence in vitro.  

What aspect(s) of CRS do you find most valuable or look forward to engaging in?  

CRS is a great catalyst for personal, scientific, and professional development. It is a great community of leading scientists from all career stages, and I look forward to learning more about how everyone is tackling their specific scientific questions!  

What has been the most valuable aspect to your training as a reproductive scientist? 

I’d say it is the collaborative and interdisciplinary environment that has convinced me of a bright future in the “odd” mixture of engineering and reproductive biology. 

What would you recommend to junior scientists in order for them to succeed in their scientific careers?  

Never forget that what we do is extremely challenging. Remember to be kind to yourself - failure is an integral part of science and you will always learn something new and interesting on your journey towards achieving your goals. Lastly, don’t be afraid to think out of the box! 

What do you think will be the next big contribution in the reproductive biology field?  

This is always an interesting discussion because there are so many avenues for profound innovation in reproductive biology. Dry lab approaches such as the integrative analysis of different -omics data sets and computational modeling and engineering will be vital. On the other hand, wet lab innovations such as next-generation single cell sequencing, CRISPR-Cas based genome-editing and “true-to-life” three-dimensional in vitro culture models will greatly decrease our dependence on flawed animal models while generating data with exceptional translational value. From my (biased) point of view, true innovation will be found in the confluence of these technologies.  

What hobbies do you have outside of the lab?   

Chicago weather permitting, I enjoy running and cycling. It’s a great way to explore the city and its surroundings. I discovered bouldering as a fun indoor activity during the long winters, and as a Belgian I would never say no to watching a soccer game with a good beer.