Principle Investigator

David F. Meaney, Ph.D.

Solomon R. Pollack Professor and Chair of Bioengineering

 

BSE in Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1987
MSE, 1989 and Ph.D., 1991, in Bioengineering, The University of Pennsylvania

Interests

  • Understanding mechanical cues that regulate CNS injury and repair
  • Multiscale integration of mechanical injury response from synaptic spines to neural networks
  • Mechanisms of network dysfunction and therapeutic targets for repair

 

 

 

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Rosalind E. Mott, Ph.D.Publications

BS in Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 1999
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, 2008

Interests
  • Cell adhesions, cytoskeleton and their role in mechanotransduction.
  • Mechanisms of local mRNA translation.
  • The impact of injuryd on mRNA translation and synaptic plasticity.
  • The interplay between network activity and synaptic plasticity.

Katie Kopil, Ph.D.Publications

AB in Pyschology, Princeton University, 2004
Ph.D. Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, 2012

Interests
  • Elucidating alterations in receptor regulation and intrinsic excitability properties that underlie neuronal dysfunction following traumatic brain injury.
  • Examining the role of homeostatic plasticity and synaptic scaling in recovery of neural networks after injury.
  • Neuronal Ca2+ signaling, live-cell imaging, viral vectors, and electrophysiology.

Ph.D. Candidates

Yung Chia ChenPublications

BSE in Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Ph.D. Candidate

Interests
  • Changes in astrocytic signaling after neuronal trauma
  • In vivo 2-photon imaging
  • Mechanical injury to hippocampal slice cultures
  • Dissociated cell culture injury

Tapan PatelPublications

BS in Biochemistry and Mathematics, University of Delaware, 2007
M.D./Ph.D. Candidate, University of Pennsylvania

Interests
  • Functional Multineuronal calcium imaging
  • Changes in neural network topology following in vitro or in vivo injury
  • Multiscale computational model of neural network activity
  • Automated analysis of neurobehavior

Patrick McClanahanPublications

BS in Physics, Penn State, 2009
Ph.D. student, University of Pennsylvania

Interests
  • Understanding traumatic and neurotoxic brain injury and recovery
  • Ball lightning

Laura WilesPublications

BS in Bioengineering, Clemson University, 2012
Ph.D. student, University of Pennsylvania
NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Interests
  • Understanding traumatic brain injury and recovery using in vitro models
  • STEM outreach and education

 

Research Specialists

Tanya Merdiushev

BS, Biology, Conneticut University
Executive Master's in Technology Management, Univeristy of Pennsylvania

Interests
  • Lab management

David Gullotti

BS in Physics and Biology, Loyola University Maryland, 2010

Interests
  • Computational modeling
  • Effects of blast injury on neurobehavior

Matt Beamer

BS in Biochemistry, Dickinson College, 2011

Interests
  • The role of Elk in traumatic brain injury
  • Effect of blast injury on neuronal networks

Laura Baehr

BS in Neuroscience and BA in Dance, Muhlenberg College, 2012

Interests
  • Effects of TBI on neuronal connectivity
  • TBI drug therapy and treatment

Undergraduate research assistants

  • Scott Ventre (Bioengineering, 2013)
  • Tom Woltemate (Biology, 2014)
  • Karen Man (Bioengineering, 2014)
  • Noor Bosch (Bioengineering, 2014)

Lab Alumni

  • Anthony Choo, Ph.D.
  • Jenn Singh, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral fellow at University of Pennsylvania
  • Catherine von Reyn, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral fellow at Janelia Farms HHMI
  • Pallab Singh, Ph.D., Patent Law firm
  • Mahlet Mesfin, Ph.D., National Academy of Sciences
  • Vineet Tiruvadi, B.S./M.S., Emory/Georgia Tech (MD/PhD candidate)
  • Adam Hockenberry, B.A., Northwestern University (Ph.D. candidate)
  • Bill Miller, Ph.D., Swiftwater Group consulting
  • Dave Shreiber, Ph.D., Rutgers University (Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering)
  • Donna Geddes-Klein, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Centyrex Venture at Centocor
  • Mike DeRidder, Ph.D.,
  • Phil Nibley, B.S., Drexel Medical School
  • Emory Kuo, B.S.E., Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Kelly McManus, B.S.
  • Brittainy Wierzbicki, B.S., Temple University (Occupational Therapy)
  • Dave Scarsella, B.S.