Paulina Sierpinski 
Fourth Year Student, 2007-2008
E-mail address: psierpin@wfubmc.edu
Advisors: Dr. Anthony Atala & Dr. Mark Van Dyke
Laboratory: Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Education: Dual Degree BS/BA (Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry & Neuroscience), East Carolina University, 2004
Thesis Research:
My current research at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine deals with the development of novel tissue engineering strategies for peripheral nerve regeneration. More than 18 million extremity injuries occur in the United States each year, resulting in a substantial number of peripheral nerve injuries. Nerve defects are a common result of these types of injuries and present a significant challenge clinically. Current treatments for peripheral nerve defects are limited and rarely lead to full functional regeneration. My research is focused on the use of a unique biomaterial derived from human hair keratins as a tissue engineering scaffold for peripheral nerve regeneration. Specifically, we are investigating the ability of keratin scaffolds to enhance the regeneration process through a nerve guidance conduit. We are finding that human hair keratins have remarkable physical, chemical and biological properties with superior biocompatibility and growth factor activity. In addition, we have discovered that the insertion of keratin scaffolds into a nerve guidance conduit enhances nerve regeneration in vivo. The goal of my project is to investigate the mechanisms by which keratins are able to facilitate the nerve regeneration process and to use keratin based scaffolds to promote regeneration of large nerve defects.
HONORS and AWARDS:
November 2007 Article highlighted in Science 2007; 23:1219. Sierpinski P,
et al. The use of keratin biomaterials made from human hair for
the promotion of regeneration of peripheral nerves.
Biomaterials 29: 118-128 (2008).
June 2007 Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) Student Travel Award
December 2006 1st place Graduate Student Poster Presentation Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Retreat
May 2004 Honors in Neuroscience, East Carolina University
April 2004 1st place Undergraduate Student Thesis, East Carolina
University
2002 Conference USA Commissioners Award
For Outstanding Student-Athlete
Presented at East Carolina University
2001-2004 Conference USA All Academic Team
2000, 2001 Chancellor’s List – East Carolina University
2002, 2003 Dean’s List – East Carolina University
PUBLICATIONS
Apel PJ, Garrett J, Sierpinski P, Smith T, Koman LA, Van Dyke ME. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using a Keratin-Based Scaffold: Long-Term Functional and Histological Outcomes in a Mouse Model. (in review)
Sierpinski P, Garrett J, Ma, J, Apel PJ, Klorig D, Smith T, Koman, LA, Atala A and Van Dyke ME. The use of keratin biomaterials made from human hair for the promotion of regeneration of peripheral nerves. Biomaterials 29: 118-128 (2008).
Murashov AK, Chintalgattu V, Islamov RR, Lever TE, Pak SE, Sierpinski PL, Katwa LC, Van Scott, MR. RNAi pathway is functional in peripheral nerves. FASEB J. 21: 656-70 (2007).
Murashov AK, Pak ES, Hendricks WA, Owensby JP, Sierpinski PL, Tatko LM, Fletcher PL. (2005) Directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells into dorsal interneurons; FASEB J. 19: 252-4 (2005).
ABSTRACTS
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Keratin Biomaterials Made From Human Hair Activate Schwann Cells and Promote Rapid Regeneration of Peripheral Nerve. Wake Forest University Surgical Sciences Research Day, November 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Peter Apel, Jacquie Burnell, James Yoo, Anthony Atala, Mark Van Dyke. Regeneration of Peripheral Nerve Through Architecturally Modified Acellular Allografts. Wake Forest University Surgical Sciences Research Day, November 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. A biomaterial derived from human hair keratins can serve as a scaffold for tissue engineering in orthopaedic applications. Orthopaedic Research Society Conference, October 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Peter Apel, Jacquie Burnell, James Yoo, Anthony Atala, Mark Van Dyke. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Structurally Modified Allografts. Orthopaedic Research Society Conference, October 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jacquie Burnell, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Vamsy Bobba, Sarah DeLeo, Tom Smith and Mark Van Dyke. Keratin Biomaterials Made from Human Hair Mediate Schwann and Endothelial Cell Activity In Vitro. Orthopaedic Research Society Conference, October 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Peter Apel, Jacquie Burnell, James Yoo, Anthony Atala, Mark Van Dyke. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Structurally Modified Acellular Grafts. North Carolina Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (NCTERM) Meeting, September 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Activate Schwann Cells in vitro and Promote Rapid Regeneration of Peripheral Nerves in vivo. North Carolina Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (NCTERM) Meeting, September 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo, Regenerate Meeting, June 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo, Society for Biomaterials Meeting, April 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo. Experimental Biology Conference, April 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Society for Biomaterials Meeting, April 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo. Graduate Student Research Day, March 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Human Hair Derived Keratin Scaffolds, Wake Forest University Surgical Sciences Research Day, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Experimental Biology Conference, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Regenerate Conference, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski, Vamsy Bobba & Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, North Carolina Tissue Engineering Meeting, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jianjun Ma, Jeffrey Garrett, Jacquie Burnell, Sang Jin Lee, Tom Smith, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Neural Tissue Engineering Scaffolds from Self-Assembled Human Hair Keratins, Graduate Student Research Day, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jianjun Ma, Jeffrey Garrett, Jacquie Burnell, Sang Jin Lee, Tom Smith, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Tissue Engineering Scaffolds from Self-Assembled Human Hair Keratins, Regenerate Meeting, 2005.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Paulina Sierpinski, Wound healing with keratin biomaterials made from human hair. Babcock Graduate School of Management, Wake Forest University, February 2008 (Winston-Salem, NC)
Paulina Sierpinski, A biomaterial derived from human hair keratins can serve as a scaffold for tissue engineering in orthopaedic applications. Orthopaedic Research Society, October 2007 (Honolulu, HI).
Paulina Sierpinski, Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo, Regenerate Meeting, June 2007 (Toronto, ON).
Paulina Sierpinski, Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo, Society for Biomaterials, April 2007 (Chicago, IL).
Paulina Sierpinski, Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, North Carolina Tissue Engineering Meeting, September 2006 (Durham, NC)
Paulina Sierpinski, Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Self-Assembled Human Hair Keratin Scaffolds, Society for Biomaterials, April 2006 (Pittsburgh, PA)
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Paulina Sierpinski, Jacquie Burnell, Peter Apel, David Klorig, Vamsy Bobba, Sarah DeLeo, Tom Smith and Mark Van Dyke. Keratin Biomaterials Made from Human Hair Mediate Schwann and Endothelial Cell Activity In Vitro. Orthopaedic Research Society, October 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Peter Apel, Jacquie Burnell, James Yoo, Anthony Atala, Mark Van Dyke. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Structurally Modified Acellular Grafts. North Carolina Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (NCTERM) Meeting, September 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo. North Carolina Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (NCTERM) Meeting, September 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Human Hair Derived Keratins Mediate Schwann Cell Behavior in vitro and Facilitate Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration in vivo. Experimental Biology, 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Society for Biomaterials, 2007.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jeffrey Garrett, Jianjun Ma, Peter Apel, Tom Smith, L.Andrew Koman, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Human Hair Derived Keratin Scaffolds, Surgical Sciences Research Day, 2006 (Wake Forest University School of Medicine).
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Experimental Biology, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski and Mark Van Dyke. Biocompatibility of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair, Regenerate Meeting, 2006.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jianjun Ma, Jeffrey Garrett, Jacquie Burnell, Sang Jin Lee, Tom Smith, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Neural Tissue Engineering Scaffolds from Self-Assembled Human Hair Keratins, Graduate Student Research Day, 2006 (Wake Forest University).
Paulina Sierpinski, Jianjun Ma, Jeffrey Garrett, Jacquie Burnell, Sang Jin Lee, Tom Smith, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke. Tissue Engineering Scaffolds from Self-Assembled Human Hair Keratins, Regenerate Meeting, 2005.
Paulina Sierpinski, Jianjun Ma, Jeffrey Garrett, Jacquie Burnell, Sang Jin Lee, Tom Smith, Anthony Atala and Mark Van Dyke, North Carolina Tissue Engineering Meeting, 2006.
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