The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine congratulates the following 2015 Cellular Approaches to Tissue Engineering and Regeneration (CATER) Training Program participants who have successfully defended their research theses:
Heidi Hofer, PhD, dissertation defense was March 17, 2015. Dr. Hofer entered the CATER Training Program through the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering’s Bioengineering Graduate Program. Her advisor was McGowan Institute associate director Rocky Tuan, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The title of her thesis was: “Traumatized Muscle-Derived Multipotent Progenitor Cells: Pro-angiogenic Activity, Promotion of Nerve Growth, and Osteogenic Differentiation.” Dr. Hofer is currently employed at Gradalis, Inc., Dallas, Texas, as a Manufacturing Associate.
Ricardo Londono, PhD, dissertation defense was July 6, 2015. Dr. Londono entered the CATER Training Program as a MD/PhD candidate through the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate P
rogram (IBGP). His advisor was McGowan Institute deputy director Stephen Badylak, DVM, PhD, MD, professor of surgery. His thesis committee consisted of: Jon D. Piganelli, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Immunology, and McGowan Institute faculty members Bryan Brown, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Bioengineering, Patricia Hebda, PhD, adjunct professor, School of Medicine, Kacey Marra, PhD, associate professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, and director of the Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory, and Sanjeev Shroff, PhD, distinguished professor and chair, Department of Bioengineering. The title of his thesis was: “Mechanisms of Biomaterial-Mediated Cardiac and Esophageal Repair.” Dr. Londono is currently pursuing his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Austin Nuschke, PhD, dissertation defense was October 30, 2015. Dr. Nuschke entered the CATER Training Program through the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s IBGP. His primary advisor was McGowan Institute faculty member Alan Wells, MD, DMS, professor of pathology and the vice-chairman of the Department of Pathology. His thesis committee chair was McGowan Institute faculty member Donna Stolz, PhD, associate director of the Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and an associate professor in the Departments of Cell Biology and Pathology. Others in his thesis committee were: Dr. Tuan, and McGowan Institute affiliated faculty members Jeffrey Isenberg, MD, MPH, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and the Swanson School of Engineering, and Alejandro Soto-Gutierrez, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology. The title of his thesis was: “Improving the Clinical Utility of Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Enhanced Cell Survival: Engineered and Cellular Approaches.” Dr. Nuschke will graduate in the December 2015 ceremonies.
Megan Jamiolkowski, PhD, dissertation defense was November 9, 2015. Dr. Jamiolkowski entered the CATER Training Program through the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering’s Bioengineering Graduate Program. Her primary advisor was McGowan Institute director William Wagner, PhD, professor of surgery, bioengineering, and chemical engineering. The title of her thesis was: “Characterization of Real Time Platelet Deposition onto Opaque Surfaces under Clinically-Relevant Flow Conditions.” Dr. Jamiolkowski has accepted a Fellowship at the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
Erin Steer, PhD, dissertation defense was November 23, 2015. Dr. Steer entered the CATER Training Program through the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s IBGP. Her primary advisor was McGowan Institute affiliated faculty member Charleen Chu, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Pathology. Her committee chair was Scott Kulich, MD, PhD, associate professor of Pathology. Others in her thesis committee were Jeffrey L. Brodsky, PhD, professor and Avinoff chair of biological sciences, Kirill Kiselyou, PhD, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences, and McGowan Institute faculty member Yoram Vodovotz, PhD, professor in the Department of Surgery. The title of her thesis was: “Implications of an Interaction Between PINK1 and VCP for Parkinson’s Disease Pathogenesis.” Dr. Steer will graduate in the December 2015 ceremonies.
Congratulations, to all!