Education:
Postdoc - University of Toronto (2014)
PhD - McMaster University (2011)
MASc - McMaster University (2005)
B.Sc. in Engineering Chemistry - Queen’s University (2003)
Biography
Laura A. Wells (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada). Her lab’s research focuses on the development and modification of polymeric biomaterials for ocular applications in intraocular lens and drug delivery as well as the exploration of host responses with a focus on the redevelopment of surgical mesh. Dr. Wells is an Engineering Chemistry graduate from Queen’s and completed both a PhD and MASc at McMaster University, before joining Queen’s as Faculty in 2014. Dr. Wells was awarded an Ontario Early Research Award in 2019 and is helping lead a Smith Engineering Emerging Research Cluster on Sex and Gender considerations Biomedical Devices.
Biomedical engineering, focusing on the development of new types of polymeric materials for drug delivery and tissue engineering in wound healing and ophthalmic applications. She is particularly interested in cell/material interactions, and plans to develop strategies for designing and synthesizing polymers that respond to biological and physical stimuli
Fall
CHEE 907: Bio:Cellular Engineering
Winter
CHEE 210: Thermodynamic Properties of Fluids
CHEE 440: Pharmaceutical Technology
Karim S*, Wells LA. Azobenzene-Grafted Acrylate Coatings to Modulate Lens Epithelial Cells. ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 2025, 11, 4, 2127–2145.
Bustillo, B*, Escobedo C, Wells LA. A bovine oviduct microfluidic platform to evaluate the effects of cisplatin and hormones on cilia beating frequencies. Materials Today Communication. 2024; 40: 109985.
Fong V*, Wells LA. Copolymer functional groups modulate extracellular trap accumulation and inflammatory markers in HL60 and murine neutrophils. Biomedical Materials. 2023; 18(3) (online)
Pernari J*, Wells LA. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) surface chemistry and modulus differentially modulate neutrophils and lens epithelial cells—possible implications in cellular responses to intraocular lenses. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A. 2023; 111(6): 863-878.
Phillips, S. Gee, K. Wells LA. Medical Devices, Invisible Women, Harmful Consequences. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 19(21): 14524.
Clasky D*, Meunier L, Wells LA. Drug release model from an intraocular lens to treat post-cataract surgery complications. Translational Vision Science and Technology. 2022. 11(5): 14.
Clarke A*, Angelatos C*, Russell K*, LeBlanc E*, Wells LA. Neutrophil extracellular trap release on PMMA of different surface chemistries and their effect on THP1 cells. Journal of Materials Science. 2022. 57(22): 10299–10312.
Book Chapters
Karim S*, Rayner C*, Wells LA. Ophthalmic Biomaterials – Chapter X. Intraocular lenses. Publishers: Royal Society of Chemistry. Editors: Wells and Sheardown. Will be published Spring 2025.
Books
Wells LA, Sheardown H. (equal co-editors). Ophthalmic Biomaterials. Royal Society of Chemistry. June 11 2025. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781839169779