Dr. Sydney Geissler
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering
BMS J260, University of Florida
352-273-6865
Email: sydneygeissler@gmail.com
Year Joined Lab: 2010
Education
- B.S. in BioEngineering from the University of California, Berkeley (2009)
Research
Scaffolds to Promote Regeneration After Spinal Cord Injury
My research focuses on the development of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Based hydrogels as a scaffold for spinal cord regeneration. I am working to develop an injectable, thermally gelling, system to introduce a scaffold to promote axonal regeneration. This will provide a scaffold that fills the lesion completely as well as provide a scaffold for the introduction of growth encouraging factors (e.g. growth factors, progenitor cells etc.). I will optimize the gels for differentiation of progenitor cells which will act to promote axonal regeneration and remyelination.
HA Scaffolds for Neural Progenitor Cell Differentiation
I am working to direct differentiation of neural progenitor cells by adjusting the mechanical properties of UV gelling HA hydrogels. Cells respond to the mechanical properties of their environment. By adjusting the mechanical properties of these gels, I hope to direct differentiation of neural progenitor cells to provide treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.