About

Rebecca R. Pompano is a Shannon Mid-Career Fellow and Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Virginia, with additional appointments in Biomedical Engineering and the Carter Immunology Center. Her research develops methods based on microfluidic culture systems, bioanalytical techniques, and spatially resolved simulations to quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of the inflammatory cascade and develop targeted therapies. Her work focuses on the kinetics of immunity and inflammation, aiming to control these processes in the contexts of vaccination, autoimmunity, and chronic inflammatory diseases. Her research involves designing microfluidic devices to study the effects of spatial distribution and local delivery of signals, as well as developing new ways to measure cell secretions in living tissues with high spatial and temporal resolution. She combines disciplines such as microfabrication, quantitative analysis of chemical signals, live cell and tissue imaging, and numerical simulations to understand complex biological systems. Her goal is to enable experiments that contribute to the fundamental understanding of immunity and chemical kinetics, ultimately guiding the design of highly targeted vaccines and immunotherapies.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Medicine
• Immunology
• Materials science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Cell biology
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental chemistry
• Pathology
• Psychology
• Mathematics education

Selected publications

• Interstitial fluid flow in an engineered human lymph node stroma model modulates T cell egress and stromal change

  APL Bioengineering · 2025-04-04 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  The lymph node (LN) performs essential roles in immunosurveillance throughout the body. Developing in vitro models of this key tissue is of great importance to enhancing physiological relevance in immunoengineering. The LN consists of stromal populations and immune cells, which are highly organized and bathed in constant interstitial fluid flow (IFF). The stroma, notably the fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) and the lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), play crucial roles in guiding T cell migration and are known to be sensitive to fluid flow. During inflammation, interstitial fluid flow rates drastically increase in the LN. It is unknown how these altered flow rates impact crosstalk and cell behavior in the LN, and most existing in vitro models focus on the interactions between T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells rather than with the stroma. To address this gap, we developed a human engineered model of the LN stroma consisting of FRC-laden hydrogel above a monolayer of LECs in a tissue culture insert with gravity-driven interstitial flow. We found that FRCs had enhanced coverage and proliferation in response to high flow rates, while LECs experienced decreased barrier integrity. We added CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and found that their egress was significantly decreased in the presence of interstitial flow, regardless of magnitude. Interestingly, 3.0 μm/s flow, but not 0.8 μm/s flow, correlated with enhanced inflammatory cytokine secretion in the LN stroma. Overall, we demonstrate that interstitial flow is an essential consideration in the lymph node for modulating LN stroma morphology, T cell migration, and inflammation.

  PublisherDOI

• Open-source tubing-free impeller pump platform for controlled recirculating fluid flow for microfluidics and organs-on-chip

  HardwareX · 2025-07-03

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Fluid flow is utilized in many microscale technologies, including microfluidic chemical reactors, diagnostics, and organs-on-chip (OOCs). In particular, OOCs may rely on fluid flow for nutrient delivery, cellular communication, and application of shear stress. In order for microscale flow systems to be readily adopted by non-experts, a tubing-free, user-friendly pump would be useful, particularly one that is simple to use, affordable, and compatible with cell culture incubators. To address these needs, here we share the design and fabrication of an impeller pump platform that provides recirculating fluid flow through a microfluidic loop without the need for tubing connections. Flow is driven by rotating a magnetic stir bar or 3D-printed impeller in a pump well, using magnets mounted on a DC motor. The DC motors used produce negligible heat output in a compact system, making it compatible with cell culture incubators. The pump platform accommodates user-defined microfluidic or OOC device geometries, which may be easily customized by 3D printing. Furthermore, the system is easily assembled from low-cost materials and simple circuitry by someone with no prior training. We demonstrate the ability of the platform to drive recirculating fluid flow in a microfluidic device at well-characterized flow velocities ranging from µm/s to mm/s for use with microfluidic technologies. Though designed with OOCs in mind, we envision that this platform will enable users from ranging disciplines to incorporate fluid flow in customized microscale technologies.

  PublisherDOI

• Tubing-Free Microscale Impeller Pump Platform for Controlled Recirculating Fluid Flow for Microfluidics and Organs-on-Chip

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Ex Vivo Model of Breast Cancer Cell Invasion in Live Lymph Node Tissue

  ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science · 2025-02-10 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Lymph nodes (LNs) are common sites of metastatic invasion in breast cancer, often preceding spread to distant organs and serving as key indicators of clinical disease progression. However, the mechanisms of cancer cell invasion into LNs are not well understood. Existing in vivo models struggle to isolate the specific impacts of the tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) milieu on cancer cell invasion due to the coevolving relationship between TDLNs and the upstream tumor. To address these limitations, we used live ex vivo LN tissue slices with intact chemotactic function to model cancer cell spread within a spatially organized microenvironment. After showing that BRPKp110 breast cancer cells were chemoattracted to factors secreted by naïve LN tissue in a 3D migration assay, we demonstrated that ex vivo LN slices could support cancer cell seeding, invasion, and spread. This novel approach revealed dynamic, preferential cancer cell invasion within specific anatomical regions of LNs, particularly the subcapsular sinus (SCS) and cortex, as well as chemokine-rich domains of immobilized CXCL13 and CCL1. While CXCR5 was necessary for a portion of BRPKp110 invasion into naïve LNs, disruption of CXCR5/CXCL13 signaling alone was insufficient to prevent invasion toward CXCL13-rich domains. Finally, we extended this system to premetastatic TDLNs, where the ex vivo model predicted a lower invasion of cancer cells that was not due to diminished chemokine secretion. In summary, this innovative ex vivo model of cancer cell spread in live LN slices provides a platform to investigate cancer invasion within the intricate tissue microenvironment, supporting time-course analysis and parallel read-outs. We anticipate that this system will enable further research into cancer-immune interactions and allow for isolation of specific factors that make TDLNs resistant to cancer cell invasion, which is challenging to dissect in vivo.

  PublisherDOI

• Initiation of primary T cell—B cell interactions and early antibody responses in an organized microphysiological model of the human lymph node

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-01-15 · 2 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Antibody production is central to protection against new pathogens and cancers, as well as to certain forms of autoimmunity. Antibodies often originate in the lymph node (LN), specifically at the extrafollicular border of B cell follicles, where T and B lymphocytes physically interact to drive B cell maturation into antibody-secreting plasmablasts. In vitro models of this process are sorely needed to predict aspects of the human immune response. Microphysiological systems (MPSs) offer the opportunity to approximate the lymphoid environment, but so far have focused primarily on memory recall responses to antigens previously encountered by donor cells. To date, no 3D culture system has replicated the engagement between T cells and B cells (T-B interaction) that leads to antibody production when starting with naïve cells. Here, we developed a LN-MPS to model early T-B interactions at the extrafollicular border built from primary, naïve human lymphocytes encapsulated within a collagen-based 3D matrix. Within the MPS, naïve T cells exhibited CCL21-dependent chemotaxis and chemokinesis as predicted. Naïve T and B cells were successfully skewed on chip to an early T follicular helper (pre-Tfh) and activated state, respectively, and co-culture of the latter cells led to CD38+ plasmablast cells and T cell dependent production of IgM. These responses required differentiation of the T cells into pre-Tfhs, physical cell-cell contact, and were sensitive to the ratio at which pre-Tfh and activated B cells were seeded on-chip. Dependence on T cell engagement was greatest at a 1:5 T:B ratio, while cell proliferation and CD38+ signal was greatest at a 1:1 T:B ratio. Furthermore, plasmablast formation was established starting from naïve T and B cells on-chip. We envision that this MPS model of primary lymphocyte physiology will enable new mechanistic analyses of human humoral immunity in vitro.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• An Ex Vivo Intervertebral Disc Slice Culture Model for Studying Disc Degeneration and Immune Cell Interactions

  Cells · 2025-08-08 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Intervertebral disc degeneration is a leading cause of back and leg pain and a major contributor to disability worldwide. Despite its prevalence, treatments remain limited due to incomplete understanding of its pathology. In vivo models pose challenges for controlled conditions, while in vitro cell cultures lack key cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. To address these limitations, we developed a novel tissue slice culture model of mouse discs, in which intact mouse discs were sliced down to 300 μm thickness with a vibratome and cultured ex vivo at various time points. The cell viability, matrix components, structure integrity, inflammatory responses, and macrophage interactions were evaluated with biochemistry, gene expression, histology, and 3D imaging analyses. Disc slices maintained structural integrity and cell viability, with preserved extracellular matrix in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and mild degeneration in nucleus pulposus (NP) by day 5. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced disc degeneration manifested by increased glycosaminoglycan release in media and reduced aggrecan and collagen II mRNA levels in disc cells. Cultured disc slices promoted macrophages towards pro-inflammatory phenotype with elevated mRNA levels of il-1α, il-6, and inos. Macrophage overlay and 3D imaging demonstrated macrophage infiltration into the NP and AF tissues up to ~100 µm in depth. The disc tissue slice model captures key features of intervertebral discs and can be used for investigating mechanisms of disc degeneration and therapeutic evaluation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Boosting B cells in blood-derived organoids

  Nature Materials · 2025-01-24

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Poly I:C vaccination drives transient CXCL9 expression near B cell follicles in the lymph node through type-I and type-II interferon signaling

  Cytokine · 2024-08-20 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Ex vivo model of breast cancer cell invasion in live lymph node tissue

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-07-22 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Lymph nodes (LNs) are common sites of metastatic invasion in breast cancer, often preceding spread to distant organs and serving as key indicators of clinical disease progression. However, the mechanisms of cancer cell invasion into LNs are not well understood. Existing in vivo models struggle to isolate the specific impacts of the tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) milieu on cancer cell invasion due to the co-evolving relationship between TDLNs and the upstream tumor. To address these limitations, we used live ex vivo LN tissue slices with intact chemotactic function to model cancer cell spread within a spatially organized microenvironment. After showing that BRPKp110 breast cancer cells were chemoattracted to factors secreted by naïve LN tissue in a 3D migration assay, we demonstrated that ex vivo LN slices could support cancer cell seeding, invasion, and spread. This novel approach revealed dynamic, preferential cancer cell invasion within specific anatomical regions of LNs, particularly the subcapsular sinus (SCS) and cortex, as well as chemokine-rich domains of immobilized CXCL13 and CCL1. While CXCR5 was necessary for a portion of BRPKp110 invasion into naïve LNs, disruption of CXCR5/CXCL13 signaling alone was insufficient to prevent invasion towards CXCL13-rich domains. Finally, we extended this system to pre-metastatic TDLNs, where the ex vivo model predicted a lower invasion of cancer cells. The reduced invasion was not due to diminished chemokine secretion, but it correlated with elevated intranodal IL-21. In summary, this innovative ex vivo model of cancer cell spread in live LN slices provides a platform to investigate cancer invasion within the intricate tissue microenvironment, supporting time-course analysis and parallel read-outs. We anticipate that this system will enable further research into cancer-immune interactions and allow isolation of specific factors that make TDLNs resistant to cancer cell invasion, which are challenging to dissect in vivo.

  PublisherDOI

• Spatially resolved quantification of oxygen consumption rate in ex vivo lymph node slices

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-01-04 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Cellular metabolism has been closely linked to activation state in cells of the immune system, and the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in particular serves as a valuable metric for assessing metabolic activity. Several oxygen sensing assays have been reported for cells in standard culture conditions. However, none have provided a spatially resolved, optical measurement of local oxygen consumption in intact tissue samples, making it challenging to understand regional dynamics of consumption. Therefore, here we established a system to monitor the rates of oxygen consumption in ex vivo tissue slices, using murine lymphoid tissue as a case study. By integrating an optical oxygen sensor into a sealed perfusion chamber and incorporating appropriate correction for photobleaching of the sensor and of tissue autofluorescence, we were able to visualize and quantify rates of oxygen consumption in tissue. This method revealed for the first time that the rate of oxygen consumption in naïve lymphoid tissue was higher in the T cell region compared to the B cell and cortical regions. To validate the method, we measured OCR in the T cell regions of naïve lymph node slices using the optical assay and estimated the consumption rate per cell. The predictions from the optical assay were similar to reported values and were not significantly different from those of the Seahorse metabolic assay, a gold standard method for measuring OCR in cell suspensions. Finally, we used this method to quantify the rate of onset of tissue hypoxia for lymph node slices cultured in a sealed chamber and showed that continuous perfusion was sufficient to maintain oxygenation. In summary, this work establishes a method to monitor oxygen consumption with regional resolution in intact tissue explants, suitable for future use to compare tissue culture conditions and responses to stimulation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• A user-friendly microchip for rapid optimization of protein conjugation reactions

  NIH · $143k · 2019–2022

• A spatially organized microphysiological model of a human lymph node

  NIH · $3.3M · 2019–2025

• Modeling immunity with a hybrid lymph node tissue-chip

  NIH · $2.3M · 2017–2023

Frequent coauthors

• Alexander G. Ball

  University of Virginia

  57 shared

• Maura C. Belanger

  University of Virginia

  47 shared

• Megan A. Catterton

  28 shared

• Jennifer M. Munson

  Biomedical Research Institute

  25 shared

• Parastoo Anbaei

  Virginia College

  19 shared

• Ashley E. Ross

  University of Cincinnati

  17 shared

• Jonathan M. Zatorski

  University of Virginia

  15 shared

• Sophie R. Cook

  University of Virginia

  14 shared

Awards & honors

• Shannon Mid-Career Fellow