The Vascularization Lab is part of the Technical Medical Centre at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. The lab, directed by Jeroen Rouwkema , focuses on tuning the local mechanical and chemical micro-environment in order to control development and organization of vascularized engineered tissues. Adding a vascular network to an engineered tissue is a promising method to enhance tissue integration and survival after implantation. The engineered vascular network can connect to the vasculature of the patient, resulting in a faster perfusion with blood and therefore a better supply of nutrients and oxygen. The lab consists of three pillars, which each concentrate on a specific aspect to reach the common goal: To engineer tissue units using novel fabrication technology in order to localize distinct micro-environments. To develop computational models to predict the mechanical and chemical micro-environment due to external deformations and fluid flows, and subsequent models to predict tissue development based on this environment. To develop micro-bioreactor screening systems to experimentally elucidate the effects of multiple combined mechanical and chemical signals on cell behavior and tissue development.