Lab Members
Faculty
D. Kacy Cullen
Principal Investigator
dkacy@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (2005)
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (2002)
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (2000)
John C. O'Donnell, Ph.D.
Faculty Mentee
john.charles.odonnell@gmail.com
Projects
Modeling Disorders of Consciousness
Tissue-Engineered Living Scaffolds for Neuroregeneration
Hippocampal Circuitry Disruption Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awards & Fellowships
NIH NRSA F32 Fellowship, Modeling Disorders of Consciousness(2016-2019)
Degrees
Ph.D., Neuropharmacology, University of Pennsylvania (2016)
M.S., Biology, Towson University (2009)
B.A., Biology, LaSalle University (2004)
Postdoctoral Fellows
Kathryn L. Wofford, Ph.D.
kwofford@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Understanding and Employing the Innate Immune System to Promote Regeneration Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Awards & Fellowships
Brain Injury Training Grant “Understanding and Exploiting Innate Immune Cell Infiltration into the Brain Following Trauma” NIH NRSA T32.
Degrees
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University (2019)
M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University (2015)
B.A., Biophysics and Psychology with Honors, Austin College (2012)
Robert B. Shultz, Ph.D.
Projects
Tissue-Engineered Axon Fusion for Immediate Recovery Following Nerve Injury
Awards & Fellowships
NIH NRSA T32 Fellowship (2019-2021); T32 Title: “Training Without Borders: Translating Research in Regenerative Medicine”, lead organization: Rutgers University (PI: Joachim Kohn)
Degrees
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University (2019)
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University (2012)
Mike R. Grovola
mgrovola@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Neuroinflammation and Axonal Pathology Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury in Swine
Degrees
M.S., Drexel University
B.A., University of Richmond
Dimple Chouhan
dimple.chouhan@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Biofabricatioon of nigrostriatal pathway for the treatment of Parkinson's disease
Tissue-engineered nigrostriatal pathway as test-bed for evaluating axonal pathophysiology in Parkinson's disease
Degrees
Ph.D., Biosciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India (2019)
B.Tech., Electronics and Communication, Rajasthan Technical University, India (2012)
Research Specialists
Kevin D. Browne, B.A.
kbrowne@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Development of a Large Animal Model of Neurointensive Care and Recovery
Plasmalemmal Permeability and Cell Death after Non-Impact Head Trauma and Blast Injury
In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Tissue-Engineered Nerve Grafts for Peripheral Nerve Injury
Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry
Suradip Das, Ph.D.
Senior Research Investigator
suradip@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue-Engineered Neural Constructs for Neuromuscular Injury Repair
Degrees
Ph.D., Biosciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guawahati (2016)
Graduate Students
Erin M. Purvis, B.S.
Doctoral Student - Neuroscience
epurvis@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue-Engineered Rostral Migratory Stream for Directed Neuronal Replacement
Awards & Fellowships
Predoctoral Fellowship, National Science Foundation (GRFP)
Provost's Graduate Academic Engagement Fellowship at the Netter Center, University of Pennsylvania
Degrees
B.S., Biopsychology, University of California at Santa Barbara (2017)
Victor Acero
Doctoral Student - Bioengineering
vacero@seas.upenn.edu
Projects
Engineering an In Vitro Model of Hippocampal Networks
Awards & Fellowships
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, High-Efficiency Kirigami Vase Water Harvester(2018-2021)
Fontaine Fellowship (2017)
Degrees
B.S., Engineering Science, Pennsylvania State University (2017)
Kiera Yankson
Doctoral Student - Bioengineering
kyankson01@gmail.com
ProjectsLiving Deep Brain Stimulation for For External Control of Striatal Dopamine
Awards & Fellowships
Fontaine Fellowship
Degrees
B.S., Applied Mathematics (Biology)
Kyndall Nicholas
Doctoral Student - Neuroscience
kyndall@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
The Effects of Neuronal Lipid Constituents on Susceptibility to Plasma Membrane Damage in Traumatic Brain Injury
Awards & Fellowships
University of Pennsylvania Graduate Training in Neuroscience Training Grant (NIH- T32)
Degrees
B.S., Biochemistry, Hampton University (2019)
Melanie Hilman
Doctoral Student - Bioengineering
mhilman@seas.upenn.edu
Projects
Stretch Grown Tissue-Engineered Muscle for Volumetric Muscle Loss Repair
Degrees
B.S.E., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania (2020)
M.S.E., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania (2020)
Saarang Karandikar
Doctoral Student - Bioengineering
saarangk@sas.upenn.edu
Projects
Upscaling of Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Sensorimotor "Living Electrode" Applications
Degrees
B.A.S., Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania (2020)
Connor Wathen
Connor.Wathen@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Spinal Cord Injury Repair
Degrees
MD, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
BS, Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame
Undergraduate Students
Jerry Gao
BSE Candidate - Bioengineering (2023)
gaojerry@seas.upenn.edu
Projects
Investigating the Colocalization of Damaged Neurons and Perivascular Regions After a Single or Repetitive Diffuse TBI
Sam Lien
BSE Candidate - Bioengineering (2023)
samlien@seas.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue Engineered Nerve Grafts
Ronit Patel
BAS Candidate - Neuroscience (2024)
ronitp@sas.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue-engineered nigrostriatal pathway as test-bed for evaluating axonal pathophysiology in Parkinson's disease
Adedotun Bello
BAS Candidate - Neuroscience (2023)
adbello@sas.upenn.edu
Projects
The Effects of Neuronal Lipid Constituents on Susceptibility to Plasma Membrane Damage in Traumatic Brain Injury
The Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on White Matter Interstitial Neurons
Andrés Garcia-Epelboim
BAS Candidate - Physics
garciaan@sas.upenn.edu
Eric Muthersbaugh
BAS Candidate - Neuroscience (2025)
ericmuth@sas.upenn.edu
Projects
Tissue Engineered Muscular Units and Electrospun Nanofiber Materials
Gabrielle Porter
BAS Candidate - Chemistry
gaporter@sas.upenn.edu
Olivia Rivellini
BAS Candidate - Neuroscience (2023)
oriv@sas.upenn.edu
Lab Alumni
Shavon Coulter: Undergraduate Student, Xavier University of Louisiana
Annette Prah: Undergraduate Student, Emory University
Natalia Fedorcza: Undergraduate Student, Dickenson University
Wisberty J. Gordián-Vélez: Graduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Projects: Transplantable Axonal Tracts as "Living DBS" for Dopamine Replacement in Parkinson's Disease, Three-Dimensional Human Axon Tracts Derived from Cerebral Organoids
Justin C. Burrell: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
Projects: Development of Micro-Tissue Engineered Nerve Grafts to Preserve Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Capacity and Maintain the Distal Nerve Pathway, In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Tissue Engineered Nerve Grafts for Peripheral Nerve Injury, Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry
Nicholas Paleologos: Undergraduate Student, Biological Basis of Behavior, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Neuroinflammation and Axonal Pathology Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury in Swine
Kaila Helm: Undergraduate Student, Biological Basis of Behavior, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Tissue-Engineered Living Scaffolds for Neuroregeneration
Carolyn E. Keating: Graduate Student, Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Acute Permeability & Synucleinopathy in TBI and 3D Neural Cell Culture
Dayo Adewole: Graduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: The Application of Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks as Living Electrodes for Sensorimotor Information
Fellowship: NIH NRSA T32 Fellowship (2018 - 2020)
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks as "Living Electrodes" to Relay Sensory Information for a Brain-Machine Interface (2015-2018)
Vishal Tian: Undergraduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Optogenetic Stimulation of Motor Neurons in a Tissue Engineered Nerve Graft to Enhance Axonal Outgrowth
Kritika S. Katiyar, Ph.D.: Bioengineering, Drexel University
Projects: Tissue-Engineered Living Scaffolds for Neuroregeneration; Molecular Mechanisms of Axon-Mediated Axon Regeneration; 3-D Neural Cell Culture Techniques
Fellowship: NIH NRSA F31 Fellowship, Mechanisms for Axonal Guidance Using Living Tissue Engineered Scaffolds (2015-2018)
Halimulati Kaisaier: Undergraduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Development of Innervated Tissue Engineered Muscle on Aligned Nanofibers for Volumetric Muscle Loss Repair
Laura A. Struzyna, Ph.D.: Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Projects: Tissue-Engineered Biohybrid Neuroprosthetic Interfaces; Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry; Neurophysiological Assessment of Nervous System Repair
Fellowship: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Tissue Engineered Constructs for Neural Repair (2013-2016)
Kate Panzer: Undergraduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Tissue-Engineered Living Scaffolds for Neuroregeneration
Joseph Maggiore: Undergraduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Tissue-Engineered Nerve Grafts for Peripheral Nerve Injury
Dan Brown, B.S.: Research Specialist
Projects: In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Tissue-Engineered Nerve Grafts for Peripheral Nerve Injury; Chronic Neurodegenerative and Neurophysiological Sequela in TBI
Chelsea Wallace, D.V.M.: Staff Veterinarian
Project: Effects of FK506 on Host Regeneration Through Tissue-Engineered Allograft and Xenograft Nerve Constructs
Sanford Roberts, B.A.: Medical Student
Project: Evaluation of Polyethylene Glycol as an Agent of Rapid Axonal Fusion Following Nerve Transection
Dmitriy Petrov, M.D.: Neurosurgical Resident
Project: Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry
Fellowship: Codman Neurotrauma & Critical CareResearch Fellowship, Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Hippocampal Circuitry (2015-2016)
Carla Winter: Undergraduate Student, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Tissue-Engineered Living Scaffolds for Neuroregeneration
Tina Lulla: Undergraduate Student
Project: Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry
Jimmy Harris: Postdoctoral Fellow
Project: Chronic Neurodegenerative and Neurophysiological Sequela in TBI & Micro-Tissue Engineered Neural Networks to Restore Brain Circuitry
Carla Hernandez: Undergraduate Student
Project: Histological Techniques to Assess Neurotrauma Pathology and Repair Strategies
Ryan Zahalka: Undergraduate Student
Project: Molecular Mechanisms of Axon-Mediated Axon Regeneration; Environmental Control for Bench-Top Mechanobioreactor
Ellie Boyle: Undergraduate Student
Project: Tissue Engineering Strategies for Nerve Regeneration
Anthony Parisi: Undergraduate Student
Project: Quantitative Neuropathological Analyses of Rodent and Porcine Tissue Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Joseph Morand, B.S.: Research Specialist
Project: In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Tissue Engineered Nerve Grafts for Peripheral Nerve Injury
Emory Kuo, M.S.: Predoctoral Fellow
Project: Tissue Engineering for Neuroregeneration, Chronic Neurodegenerative and Neurophysiological Sequela in TBI
Constance Mietus, B.A: Research Specialist
Project: Neural Cell Biophysical Responses in Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
Joe Frasca, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow
Project: Chronic Neurodegenerative and Neurophysiological Sequela of Closed-Head TBI
John A. Wolf, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Functional Reorganization of Limbic Circuitry After TBI in Swine, Biohybridized Neural Tissue-Engineered Constructs for Electrical Interface with Peripheral Nerve
Matthew Weingard: Medical Student, Tulane
Project: Tissue Engineering with Primary Cortical Neurons
Scott Yerganian: Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Mechanisms of Axon-Mediated Axon Regeneration
Janid Kiely: Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania
Project: Biomechanics of Concussion: Pathobiological Implications of Acute Cellular Damage
Arshneel Kochar: Medical Student, CWRU
Project: Tissue Engineering Micro-Conduits for Targeted Axonal Tract Reconstruction
Billy Lane: Pre-Med, Notre Dame
Project: Mechanisms of Axonal Degeneration in a Swine Model of Closed-Head TBI
Jonathan Yu: Biology, Haverford College
Project: Tissue Engineering Micro-Conduits for Targeted Axonal Tract Reconstruction