ICORD is pleased to announce three new Principal Investigators have joined the research group. Drs. Sandra Hundza, Carolyn Sparrey and Stephanie Willerth were welcomed in February, 2011. Dr. Willerth is a faculty member at the University of Victoria.
Dr. Stephanie Willerth
Dr. Willerth‘s interest in biomedical engineering began as an undergraduate at MIT, and became increasingly focussed through her research at Washington University in St. Louis and UC Berkeley, ultimately bringing her to the University of Victoria with profound expertise in the field of tissue engineering.
The research lab under Dr. Willerth’s direction has been developing three-dimensional scaffolds to direct the behaviour of stem cells as they differentiate in neural tissue, an endeavour which provides insight into basic biological questions while also applying directly to eminently practical bio-engineering issues.
These progressive scaffolding mechanisms are anticipated to provide a significant supplement to work already in progress at ICORD. Dr. Willerth’s work, whether it is used to provide structure for existing advanced cell replacement, or as a delivery mechanism for medication to induce regeneration, is a welcome complement to the research and therapeutic approaches under development.
