Sakiyama-Elbert Lab main menu

Home Research Members Publications Teaching Resources Contact

About the Sakiyama-Elbert Lab

Welcome to the research lab of Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, Texas.

Our research program employs tissue and cellular engineering approaches to investigate biomedical problems. In particular, our lab is interested in the related areas of gene therapy, drug delivery, and stem cell biology with applications to therapies for spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury.

People

SakiyamaElbertLab
Sakiyama-Elbert Lab Fall 2019

Principal Investigator

 ShellySakiyamaElbert  

Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert, PhD

Department Chair, Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering,
California Institute of Technology 2000

M.S. Chemical Engineering,
California Institute of Technology 1998

B.S. Chemical Engineering and Biology,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1996

Faculty Bio

Contact

Professional Staff

 Mary  

Mary Alice Salazar

Lab Manager, 2017-2022

M.S. Chemistry

COMSET Graduate Fellow

Clemson University

B.S. Biochemistry, B.A. Biology
University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Scaffold for nerve regeneration, growth factor delivery, spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury, microspheres

Contact

Graduate Students

 JaewonLee  

Jaewon Lee

Ph.D, Candidate, 2016--

B.S. Chemical Engineering,
Carnegie-Mellon University 2015

Research Areas: Microfluidics, biomimetics

Contact

 Sanju  

Sangamithra Vardhan

Ph.D, Candidate, 2017--

B.S. Biological Engineering,
Cornell University 2017

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, astrocyte, hydrogels

Contact

 Hayley  

Hayley Lindsay

Ph.D, Candidate, 2018--

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Vanderbilt University 2016

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, corticospinal neurons, biomaterials

Contact

 Pablo  

Pablo Ramos Ferrer

Ph.D, Candidate, 2018--

B.S. Chemical Engineering,
University of Alabama 2018

Research Areas: Biomaterials, growth factor delivery, drug delivery, spinal cord regeneration, hydrogels

Contact

 Tyler  

Tyler N Jordan

Ph.D, Candidate, 2020--

B.S. Chemical Engineering,
NC State University 2019

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, astrocyte, extracellular vesicles

Contact

Undergraduate Students

 Aditi  

Aditi Merchant

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2023

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, astrocyte, extracellular vessicles

Contact

 Alaynah  

Alaynah Murphy

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2022

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Biomaterials, growth factor delivery, drug delivery, spinal cord regeneration, hydrogels

Contact

 Miriam  

Miriam Gonzalez

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2022

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, differentiation, V1 interneurons

Contact

 Morgan  

Morgan Owens

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2024

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, differentiation, V1 interneurons

Contact

Doctoral Student Alumni

 NickWhite  

Nick White

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering,

University of Texas at Austin. 2022

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
University of California Merced 2015

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, differentiation, V1 interneurons, Center pattern generator, 2015-2022

Contact

 JenPardieck  

Jennifer Pardieck

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering

University of Texas at Austin. 2021

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology 2009

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, differentiation, V0 interneurons, 2014-2021

Contact

 BillWang  

Bill Wang

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering

University of Texas at Austin. 2019

B.S. Bioengineering,
University of California San Deigo 2013

Research Areas: Microfluidics devices, GDNF signalling

2014-2019

 RussellThompson  

Russell Thompson

MD/Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering, 2014--

B.S. Chemistry Biology,
Harvey Mudd College 2012

Research Areas: Spinal cord injury, astrocytes, matrix scaffolding

Contact

 NishaIyer  

Nisha Iyer

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering

Washington University in St. Louis 2016

NRSA F31 Graduate Fellow

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Johns Hopkins University 2011

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, V2a interneurons, microdevices, spinal cord injury

2012-2016

 HaoXu  

Hao Xu, PhD

Ph.D, Biomedical Engineering
Washington University in St. Louis 2015

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Yale 2009

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, V3 interneurons, differentiation

2010-2015

 ThomasWilems  

Thomas Wilems, PhD

Ph.D, 2015

NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2015

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Texas A&M 2010

Research Areas: Spinal cord injury, anti-inhibitory molecules, drug delivery

2011-2015, 2017-2018

 LauraMarquardt  

Laura Marquardt, PhD

Post-Doc, Stanford University

NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2014

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
St. Louis University 2010

Research Areas: Schwann cells, peripheral nerve injury, acellular nerve grafts

2011-2014

 XiLu  

Xi Lu, PhD

Post-Doc, Uppsala, Sweden

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2013

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology 2008

Research Areas: Parkinson's disease, microdevices

2009-2013

 DylanMcCreedy  

Dylan McCreedy, PhD

Post-Doc, Gladstone Institutes

NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2013

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
University of Utah 2008

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, motor neurons, spinal cord injury, differentiation

2009-2013

 NithyaJesuraj  

Nithya Jesuraj, PhD

Post-Doc, Boston Scientific

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2012

B.S. Chemical Engineering,
Cornell University, 2007

Research Areas: Schwann cell phenotype, peripheral nerve injury

2008-2012

 LabAlumni  

Matthew Wood

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2009

2006-2009

 LabAlumni  

Philip Johnson

Senior Scientist, Holaira

Ph.D Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2012

2005-2009

 LabAlumni  

Stephanie Willerth

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
University of Victoria, BC

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2008

2004-2008

 LabAlumni  

Nicole Moore

Program Officer NCI/NIH, Physical Sciences

Ph.D Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2008

2004-2008

 LabAlumni  

Sara J. Taylor

Staff Scientist, Washington University School of Medicine

Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2005

2001-2005

Faculty and Post-Doc Alumni

 LindseyCrawford  

Lindsey Crawford

Post Doctoral Researcher, 2015-2016

PhD Chemical Engineering,
Cornell University, 2015

B.S. Chemical Engineering Engineering,
Clarkson University, 2010

Research Areas: Adult stem cells, differentiation, drug delivery

Contact

 AmyHarkins  

Amy Harkins

Professor, St. Louis University

Ph.D. Neuroscience and Biophysics,
University of Pennsylvania, 1993

M.S. Neuroscience,
University of Texas San Antonio, 1988

B.S. Biology,
University of Texas Austen, 1986

Research Areas: Bioactive glass

Sabbatical 2011-2012

 EmilyCrownover  

Emily Crownover

Ph.D. University of Washington-Seattle,
Bioengineering 2010

B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia,
Biological Engineering 2005

Post-Doc 2010-2011

 EmilyCrownover  

Dustin J. Maxwell

Ph.D. University of Washington-Seattle,
Bioengineering 2010

Post-Doct 2002-2004

Masters Student Alumni

 Rachel  

Rachel S Somvarapu

Masters/BS, Biomedical Engineering,
University of texas at Austin, 2022


Research Areas: Microfluidics, biomimetics

Contact

 LabAlumni  

Lin Bai

L'oreal

M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2012

2011-2012

 LabAlumni  

Stan Parker

Consultant, Accenture

B.S/M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2008

2006-2008

 LabAlumni  

Allison Rader

JD Saint Louis University

B.S/M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2008

2005-2008

 LabAlumni  

Tracey Faxel

Staff Perfusionist, Rush University

B.S/M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2007

2005-2007

 LabAlumni  

Maria Doukas

PhD Candidate Northwestern University

B.S/M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2005

2003-2005

 LabAlumni  

Brandon Hicks

M.D. Candidate, University of Arkansas

B.S/M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2004

2003-2004

 LabAlumni  

Edgar Scott

M.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 2001

2000-2001

Group Alumni

 Mary  

Mary Alice Salazar

Lab manager, Staff Scientist, 2017-2022
University of Texas at Austin

M.S. Chemistry

COMSET Graduate Fellow

Clemson University

B.S. Biochemistry, B.A. Biology
University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Scaffold for nerve regeneration, growth factor delivery, spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury, microspheres

Contact

 Vanessa  

Vanessa Page Barth

Ph.D Candidate, 2017-2020

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Texas A & M University 2017

Abbott Electrophysiology, Salt Lake City, UT

Contact

 SaraOswald  

Sara Oswald

M.S. Mechanical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 1999

B.S. Mechanical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis, 1997

Contact

 UndergradAlum  

Michael Saunders

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Class of 2016
Johns Hopkins University

AMGEN Scholar

Summer 2015

Undergraduate Student Alumni

 Alaynah  

Alaynah Murphy

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2022

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Biomaterials, growth factor delivery, drug delivery, spinal cord regeneration, hydrogels

Contact

 Miriam  

Miriam Gonzalez

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2022

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering, differentiation, V1 interneurons

Contact

 Carlos  

Carlos Ruffo

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2021

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Microfluidics device, interneurons

Contact

 Shawn  

Shawn Huang

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2020

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Microfluidics device, interneurons

Contact

 Nikita  

Nikita Ghosh

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2020

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Investigating astrocyte ECM/HA-based hydrogels and their role in spinal cord regeneration

Contact

 Manwal  

Manwal Harb

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2019

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell induction, differentiation, characterization of induced V0 interneurons

Contact

 OliverZhao  

Oliver Zhao

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2020

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering and differentiation

Contact

 JamesChoi  

James Choi

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2020

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Peripheral nerve regeneration using Schwann cells and growth factors

Contact

 PeterKenny  

Peter Kenny

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2018

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Investigating the roles of astrocyte in spinal cord regeneration

Contact

 ZachHartman  

Zach Hartman

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2018

University of Texas at Austin

Research Areas: Charaterizing interneuron V0

Contact

 LoganGroneck  

Logan Groneck

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2019

Washington University in St. Louis

Research Areas: Growth factors, interneurons

Contact

 DivyaJoshi  

Divya Joshi

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2018

Washington University in St. Louis

Research Areas: Stem cell engineering

Contact

 ImaniPaul  

Imani Paul

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2017

uSTAR Scholars Program
McKelvey Research Scholarship

Washington University in St. Louis

2014-2015

 UndergradAlum  

Mary Munsell

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2018
University of Michigan

Summer 2015

 UndergradAlum  

Clark Ingram

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2015

2013-2014

 UndergradAlum  

Kathryn Moore

PhD Candidate, University of North Carolina

AMGEN Scholar

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
University of Georgia, Athens 2015

Summer 2014

 UndergradAlum  

Robin Harland

B.S. Chemistry,
Washington University in St. Louis 2015

2013

 UndergradAlum  

Cara Gonzalez Welker

PhD Candidate, Stanford University

Amgen Scholar, URM

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Vanderbilt University 2013

Summer 2012, Winter 2013

 JessicaButts  

Jessica Butts

PhD Candidate, Gladstone Institutes
NSF Graduate Research Fellow

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2013

2011-2013

 ChelseaBrown  

Chelsea Brown

MD Candidate, University of Ohio

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2012

2009-2013

 UndergradAlum  

Nicole Applebaum

McKelvey Scholar

B.S. Chemical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2014

2011-2012

 UndergradAlum  

Tyger Howell

PhD Candidate, Northwestern University

USTAR, URM

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2012

2010-2012

 UndergradAlum  

Jasmine Kwasa

PhD Candidate, Boston University
Ford Foundation Graduate Fellow

uSTAR Scholars Program

B.S. Biomedical Engineering,
Washington University in St. Louis 2013

2009-2013

Research

Cell and Tissue Engineering

   

The need for new materials for the treatment of human disease presents many exciting research opportunities. The field of biomaterials and tissue engineering has recently experienced a paradigm shift due to a rapid increase in the understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying many diseases. My research interests focus on cellular and molecular aspects of biomaterials and tissue engineering. This research is highly interdisciplinary, combining an understand of biology, chemistry, and biomedical engineering to develop new bioactive materials, which can enhance tissue regeneration and cell survival after transplantation. The bioactive signals that will be provided by integrated tissue engineering scaffolds include signals for cell-type specific adhesion and migration, as well as growth factors to promote cell proliferation and differentiation.

Spinal Cord Regeneration

 
ShellySakiyamaElbert
NPC transplanted 2 weeks after spinal cord injury survival (green cells)and form rosette-like structures at 1 week. Cells near the outside of the rosettes express beta-tubulin III, a marker of neuronal differentiation (red).
 

The overall goal of this project is to use novel biomaterials to allow controlled release of growth factors from scaffolds that facilitates regeneration in the adult mammalian spinal cord after injury. These “tissue engineering” scaffolds will provide two critical mechanisms for enhancing spinal cord regeneration: 1) they will provide a permissive scaffold for cellular migration and axonal outgrowth of host and/or transplanted cells into and across the lesion site (thus reducing the inhibitory environment normally found in spinal cord lesions), and 2) they will serve as a drug delivery vehicle for the controlled release of one or more neurotrophic factors to promote axonal regrowth, cellsurvival, and differentiation of transplanted neural progenitor cells after spinal cord injury. The scaffolds are drug-delivery systems consisting of fibrin matrices containing growth factors that are released in a sustained manner during tissue regeneration. By providing both a permissive matrix to serve as a substrate for axonal regeneration and soluble stimuli, in the form of neurotrophic factors, to enhance fiber sprouting, both the extracellular and the cellular environment within the spinal cord will be dramatically altered thereby enhancing the potential for regeneration within the central nervous system (CNS). These scaffolds can be further modified through the addition of embryonic stem (ES) cell derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) during polymerization. The NPCs can serve as a source of neurotrophic factors and/or a source of cells to replace those lost due to injury.

Stem Cell Transplantation

 
ShellySakiyamaElbert
Embryonic stem cells induced to form progenitor motor neurons. The resulting population is heterogeneous and includes A) neural progenitor cells (red), B) motor neuron progenitor (red) , C) undifferentiated stem cells (red), and D) neurons (green). All cell nuclei are labeled with Hoechst (blue)
 

Embryonic stem cells provide a potential source for cell replacement following injury. In the case of spinal cord injury, stem cells can be utilized to repopulate the injured cord with neurons and glial cells that otherwise have limited self-renewal. To obtain neural cells (neurons and glial cells), stem cells are first induced to form neural progenitor cells that can differentiate following transplantation into the injured cord. The induction and subsequent differentiation, however, leads to a heterogeneous population of cells that can be detrimental to repair. Recent studies in my lab have shown that undifferentiated stem cells remaining after the induction can form tumors following transplantation and present significant safety concerns. Furthermore, stem cells that were successfully induced into neural progenitor cells may differentiate into neurons, oligodendrocytes, or astrocytes, each with varying effects on spinal cord regeneration. To account for this variability, our lab is investigating methods for isolating purified cell populations for transplantation including: 1) adding additional developmental signals during the induction process to further restrict the population of progenitor cells obtained, 2) removing undifferentiated stem cells after the induction, 3) using the fibrin matrices with incorporated growth factors to improve the survival of transplanted progenitor cells and promote differentiation into desired cell types. By transplanting select populations of cells, we hope to understand the role of each cell type in regeneration and reduce the risks often associated with embryonic stem cells.

Drug Delivery

 

Growth factors are potent protein drugs that are powerful regulators of biological function. Their presence in tissues is highly regulated in both time and space. The ability to tightly regulate the release of growth factors is essential in the development of tissue engineering scaffolds. My laboratory is using combinatorial methods to design novel materials for affinity-based protein delivery. The release of proteins from affinity-base delivery systems can be optimized by changing the number of protein-binding sites in the material or by changing the affinity of the interaction between the protein and the material. The libraries of compounds developed in this project can provide a new method for the regulation of drug release profiles - regulation of the affinity of the delivery vehicle for the drug. Based on an understanding of the time course of key events required for tissue regeneration, these affinity-based protein delivery vehicles can be incorporated into tissue engineering scaffolds to provide the signals necessary to stimulate tissue regeneration on a relevant time scale.

 

Peripheral Nerve Injury

   

Our lab also develops scaffolds for drug delivery and cell transplantation for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. We have examined the effect of growth factor delivery from biomaterial scaffolds that serve as filler for nerve guidance conduits, as a potential alternative to nerve autografts for long gap injuries. We have demonstrated that delivery of glial dervied neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) from fibrin scaffolds enhance functional regeneration compared to empty conduits in a 13 mm sciatic nerve injury model. Currently we are assessing whether these delivery systems can also be used in combination with acellular nerve allografts that have recently come on the market for clinical use.

We are also studying the role of Schwann cell (SC) phenotype on motor (nerve) specific regeneration. We hypothesis that SC provide cues that help to direct motor specific regeneration, but that they may lose expression of key signals duing expansion in cell culture (typically performed prior to transplantation. We are evaluating environmental cues that are important for maintianing/restoring SC phenotype and the effect of phenotype of nerve regeneration through acellular allografts.

Publications

Researcher ID
Google Scholar

2021

McCreedy DA, Jalufka FL, Platt ME, Min SW, Kirchhoff MA, Pritchard AL, Reid SK, Manlapaz R, Mihaly E, Butts JC, Iyer NR, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Crone SA, McDevitt TC. Passive Clearing and 3D Lightsheet Imaging of the Intact and Injured Spinal Cord in Mice. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 15: 684792. PMID 34408627 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.684792

Pardieck J, Harb M, Sakiyama-Elbert S. Induction of Ventral Spinal V0 Interneurons from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Stem Cells and Development. PMID 34139881 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2021.0003

Stevens KR, Masters KS, Imoukhuede PI, Haynes KA, Setton LA, Cosgriff-Hernandez E, Lediju Bell MA, Rangamani P, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Finley SD, Willits RK, Koppes AN, Chesler NC, Christman KL, Allen JB, et al. Fund Black scientists. Cell. PMID 33503447 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.011

Shen H, Yoneda S, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Zhang Q, Thomopoulos S, Gelberman RH. Flexor Tendon Injury and Repair: The Influence of Synovial Environment on the Early Healing Response in a Canine Mode. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume. PMID 33475308 DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.20.01253

2019

Butts JC, Iyer N, White N, Thompson R, Sakiyama-Elbert S, McDevitt TC. Author Correction: V2a interneuron differentiation from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells. Nature Protocols. PMID 31705126 DOI: 10.1038/S41596-019-0266-Z

Butts JC, Iyer N, White N, Thompson R, Sakiyama-Elbert S, McDevitt TC. V2a interneuron differentiation from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells. Nature Protocols. PMID 31628445 DOI: 10.1038/S41596-019-0203-1

Wilems T, Vardhan S, Wu S, Sakiyama-Elbert S. The influence of microenvironment and extracellular matrix molecules in driving neural stem cell fate within biomaterials. Brain Research Bulletin. PMID 30898579 DOI: 10.1016/J.Brainresbull.2019.03.004

2018

Thompson RE, Pardieck J, Smith L, Kenny P, Crawford L, Shoichet, M, Sakiyama-Elbert S. Effect of Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels Containing Astrocyte-Derived Extracellular Matrix and/or V2a Interneurons on Histologic Outcomes following Spinal Cord Injury. Biomaterials 162, 208-223, 2018.

Pardieck J and Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Genome Engineering for Central Nervous System Injury and Disease. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 52, 89-94, 2018.

Thompson RE, Sakiyama-Elbert S. Using Biomaterials to Promote Pro-Regenerative Glial Phenotypes After Nervous System Injuries. Biomed Mater. 13(2) 024104, 2018.

Zholudeva LV, Iyer NR, Qiang L, Spruance VM, Randelman ML, White NW, Bezdudnaya T, Fischer I, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Lane MA. Transplantation of Neural Progenitors and V2a Interneurons after Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurotrauma (in press), 2018.

Zholudeva LV, Qiang L, Marchenko V, Dougherty KJ, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Lane MA. The Neuroplastic and Therapeutic Potential of Spinal Interneurons in the Injured Spinal Cord. Trends Neurosci. 2018.

Shen H, Jayaram R, Yoneda S, Linderman SW, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Xia Y, Gelberman RH, Thomopoulos S. The effect of adipose-derived stem cell sheets and CTGF on early flexor tendon healing in a canine model. Scientific Reports, In press, 2018.

Linderman SW, Shen H, Yoneda S, Jayaram R, Tanes, ML, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Xia Y, Thomopoulos S, Gelberman RH. Effect of connective tissue growth factor delivered via porous sutures on the proliferative stage of intrasynovial tendon repair. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 36(7): 2052-2063, 2018.

2017

Thompson RE, Lake A, Kenny P, Saunders M, Sakers K, Iyer N, Dougherty JD, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Different Mixed Astrocyte Populations Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells have Variable Neuronal Growth Support Capacities. Stem Cells Dev. 26(22): 1597-1611, 2017.

Iyer NR, Wilems TS, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Stem cells for spinal cord injury: Strategies to inform differentiation and transplantation. Biotechnol Bioeng. 114(2):245-259, 2017.

Walter C, Crawford L, Lai M, Toonen JA, Pan Y, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Gutmann DH, Pathak A. Increased Tissue Stiffness in Tumors from Mice with Neurofibromatosis-1 Optic Glioma. Biophysical Journal 112(8):1535-1538, 2017.

Gelberman RH, Linderman SW, Jayarm R, Dikina A, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Alsberg E, Thomopoulos S, Shen H. The effect of stem cells and BMP12 on the proliferative stage of tendon repair. Clinical Orto Rel Res 475(9):2318-2331, 2017.

Ee X, Yan Y, Hunter DA, Schellhardt L, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Mackinnon SE, Wood MD. Transgenic SCs expressing GDNF-IRES-DsRed impair nerve regeneration within acellular nerve allografts. Biotechnol Bioeng 114(9):2121-2130, 2017.

2016

Iyer N, Huettner JE, Butts JC, Brown CR and Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Generation of Highly Enriched V2a Interneurons from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Experimental Neurology, 277:305-16, 2016.

Shen H, Kormpakis I, Havlioglu N, Linderman SW, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Erickson IE, Zarembinsk T, Silva MJ, Gelberman RH, Thomopoulos S. The effect of mesenchymal stromal cell sheets on the inflammatory stage of flexor tendon healing. Stem Cell Res Therapy, 7:144, 2016.

Sand JP, Park AM, Bhatt N, Desai SC, Marquardt L, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Paniello RC. A Comparison of Conventional, Revascularized and Bioengineered Methods of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Reconstruction. JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, 142(6):526-532, 2016.

Gelberman RH, Shen H, Kormpakis I, Rothrauff B, Yang G, Tuan RS, Xia Y, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Silva MJ, Thomopoulos S. The effect of adipose-derived stromal cells and BMP12 on intrasynovial tendon repair: A biomechanical, biochemical, and proteomics study. J Orthop Res, 34(4):630-40, 2016.

2015

Xu H, Iyer N, Huettner JE, and Sakiyama-Elbert SE . A puromycin selectable cell line for the enrichment of mouse embryonic stem cell derived V3 interneurons. Stem Cell Research & Therapy , 6:220, 2015. (Open Access)

Marquardt LM, Ee X, Iyer N, Hunter D, Mackinnon SE, Wood M, and Sakiyama-Elbert SE . Finely Tuned Temporal and Spatial Delivery of GDNF Promotes Enhanced Nerve Regeneration in a Long Nerve Defect Model. Tissue Engineering Part A , 21:2852-2864, 2015.

Wilems TS, Pardieck J, Iyer N, Sakiyama-Elbert SE . Combination Therapy of Stem Cell Derived Neural Progenitors and Drug Delivery of Anti-Inhibitory Molecules for Spinal Cord Injury. Acta Biomaterialia , 28:23-32, 2015.

Xu H, Sakiyama-Elbert SE . Directed Differentiation of V3 Interneurons from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Stem Cells and Development , 24:2723-2732, 2015.

Wilems TS, Sakiyama-Elbert SE . Sustained dual drug delivery of anti-inhibitory molecules for treatment of spinal cord injury. J Controlled Release, 213:103-111, 2015.

Hoben G, Yan Y, Iyer N, Newton P, Hunter DA, Moore AM, Sakiyama-Elbert SE., Wood, MD and Mackinnon SE. Comparison of acceular nerve allograft modification with Schwann cells or VEGF. Hand, 10(3):396-402, 2015.

Marquardt LM, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. GDNF preconditioning can overcome Schwann cell phenotypic memory. Experimental Neurology, 265:1-7, 2015.

Manning CN, Martel C, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Silva MJ, Shah S, Gelberman RH Thomopoulos. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells modulate tendon fibroblast responses to macrophage-induced inflammation in vitro. Stem Cell Research and Therapy., 6(74), 2015.

2014

McCreedy D, Wilems T, Xu H, Butts J, Brown C, Smith A, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Survival, Differentiation, and Migration of High-Purity Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Progenitor Motor Neurons in Fibrin Scaffolds after Sub-Acute Spinal Cord Injury. Biomaterials Science, 2: 1672-1682, 2014.[Pubmed Central]

McCreedy DA, Brown CR, Butts JC, Xu H, Huettner J, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. A New Method for Generating High Purity Motoneurons From Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 111:2041-2055, 2014.[Pubmed Central]

Brown CR, Butts JC, McCreedy DA, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Generation of V2a interneurons from mouse embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells and Development, 23:1765-1776, 2014.[Pubmed Central]

Jesuraj NJ, Marquardt LM, Kwasa J,Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor promotes increased phenotypic marker expression in femoral sensory and motor-derived Schwann cell cultures. Experimental Neurology, 257:10-18, 2014.[Pubmed Central]

Wu-Fienberg Y, Marquardt L,Newton P, Johnson PJ, Mackinnon SE, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Moore AM, Wood MD. Viral transduction of primary Schwann cells using a Cre-lox system to regulate GDNF expression. Biotechnology and Bioengineering , 111(9):1886-94, 2014.

Marquardt LM, Day D, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, and Harkins AB. Effect of Borate Based Bioactive Glass on Neuron viability and Neurite Extension. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 102(8):2767-75, 2014.

Jesuraj NJ, Santosa KB, MacEwan MR, Moore AM, Ksukurthi R, Ray WZ Flagg ER, Hunter DA, Borshcel GH, Johnson PJ, Mackinnon SE, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Schwann cells seeded in acellular nerve grafts improve functional recovery. Muscle and Nerve, 49(2):267-76, 2014.[Pubmed Central]

Lu X, Kim-Han JS,Harmon, S,Sakiyama-Elbert SE, O'Malley KL,The Parkinsonian mimetic, 6-OHDA, impairs axonal transport in dopaminergic axons. Molecular Neurodegeneration , 9:17,2014.

Manning CN, Havlioglu N, Knutsen E,Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Silva MJ, Thomopoulos S, Gelberman RH.The early inflammatory response after flexor tendon healing: A gene expression and histological analysis. J Orthop Res., 32(5):645-52, 2014.

Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Incorporation of Heparin into Biomaterials. Acta Biomaterialia, 10(4):1581-1587, 2014.

2013

Shen H, Gelberman RH, Silva MJ, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Thomopoulos S. BMP 12 induces tenogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells. PLoS ONE,, 8(10):e77613,2013.

Manning CN, Schwartz AG, Liu W, Xie J, Havlioglu N, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Silva MJ, Xia Y, Gelberman RH, Thomopoulos S. Controlled delivery of mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors using a nanofiber scaffold for tendon repair. Acta Biomaterialia, 9: 6905-14,2013.

Marquardt LM, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Engineering Peripheral Nerve Repair. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 24: 887-892, 2013.

2012

McCreedy,DA, Silverman C, Gottleib DI, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Combination Therapies in the CNS: Engineering the Environment. Neuroscience Letters , 519: 115-121 2012. [Pubmed Central]

McCreedy,DA, Silverman C, Gottleib DI, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Transgenic Enrichment of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Progenitor Motor Neurons. Stem Cell Research , 8: 368-378, 2012. [Pubmed Central]

Jesuraj NJ, Nguyen P, Wood MD, Moore AM, Mackinnon SE, Borschel GH, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Differential Gene Expression in Motor and Sensory Schwann Cells in the Rat Femoral Nerve. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 90(1):96-104, 2012. [Pubmed Central]

Lu X, Kim-Han JS, O';Malley KL, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. A Microdevice Platform for Visualizing Mitochondrial Tansport in Aligned Dopaminergic Axons. J Neuroscience Methods, 209(1):35-39, 2012.

Moore NM and Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Analysis of Cell Binding and Internalization of Multivalent PEG-Based Gene Delivery Vehicles. IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience, 11(1): 54-61, 2012.

Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Johnson PJ, Hodgetts SI, Plant GW, Harvey AR. Scaffolds to promote spinal cord regeneration. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 109:575-94, 2012.

2011

Jesuraj NJ, Santosa KB, Newton P, Liu Z, Hunter DA, Mackinnon SE, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Johnson PJ. Systematic Evaluation of Schwann Cell Injection into Acellular Cold-Preserved Nerve Grafts. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 197(2):209-215, 2011. [Pubmed Central]

Wolfe, C, Kim, HM, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Galatz LM, Havlioglu N, Thomopoulos S. Sustained delivery of transforming growth factor beta three enhnaces tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model. Journal of Orthopaedic Research,29(7):1099-105, 2011.

2010

Johnson, PJ, Tatara, A, McCreedy, DA, Shiu A, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Tissue-engineered fibrin scaffolds containing neural progenitors enhance functional recovery in a subacute model of SCI. Soft Matter , 6: 5127-5137, 2010. [Pubmed Central]

Johnson PJ, Tatara A, Shiu A, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Controlled release of neurotrophin-3 and platelet-derived growth factor from fibrin scaffolds containing neural progenitor cells enhances survival and differentiation into neurons in a subacute model of SCI. Cell Transplantation , 19: 89-101, 2010. [Pubmed Central]

Johnson, PJ, Parker, SR, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Fibrin-based tissue engineering scaffolds enhance neural fiber sprouting and delays the accumulation of reactive astrocytes at the lesion in a subacute model of spinal cord injury. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research , 92(1):152-63, 2010. [Pubmed Central]

Moore AM, Wood MD, Chenard K, Hunter DA, Mackinnon SE, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Borschel GH. Controlled Delivery of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Enhances Motor Nerve Regeneration. Journal of Hand Surgery, 35(12):2008-17,2010.

Wood, MD, MacEwan MR, French AR, Moore, AM, Hunter, Mackinnon, SE, Moran DW, Borschel, GH, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Fibrin Matrices with Affinity-based Delivery Systems and Neurotrophic Factors Promote Functional Nerve Regeneration. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 106:970-9, 2010.

Wood, MD, Moore, AM, Hunter, Mackinnon, SE, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Heparin-Binding-Affinity-Based Delivery Systems Releasing Nerve Growth Factor Enhance Sciatic Nerve Regeneration. Journal of Biomaterials Science Polymer Edition, 21:771-87, 2010.

Thomopoulos S, Kim HM, Das R, Silva MJ, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Amiel D, Gelberman RH. The effects of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor on intrasynovial flexor tendon healing in a canine model. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American, 92:2285-93, 2010. [Pubmed Central]

Thomopoulos S, Das R, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Silva MJ, Charlton N, Gelberman RH. bFGF and PDGF-BB for tendon repair: controlled release and biologic activity by tendon fibroblasts in vitro. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 38:225-34, 2010. [Pubmed Central]

2009

Johnson, PJ, Parker, SR, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Controlled release of neurotrophin-3 from fibrin-based tissue engineering scaffolds enhances neural fiber sprouting following subacute spinal cord injury. Biotechnology and Bioengineering , 104(6):1207-14, 2009. [Pubmed Central]

Willerth, SM, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Kinetic Analysis of Neurotrophin-3 Mediated Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Neurons. Tissue Engineering , 15:307-18, 2009. [Pubmed Central]

Wood, MD, Moore, AM, Hunter, DA, Tuffaha, S, Borschel, GH, Mackinnon, SE, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Affinity-based Release of Glial-Derived Neurotrophic Factor from Fibrin Matrices Enhances Sciatic Nerve Regeneration. Acta Biomaterialia, 5:959-68, 2009.[Pubmed Central]

Moore, NM, Sheppard, CL, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Characterization of a Multifunctional PEG-Based Gene Delivery System Containing Nuclear Localization Signals and Endosomal Escape Peptides. Acta Biomaterialia 5:854-64., 2009.

Thomopoulos S, Das R, Silva MJ, Sakiyama-Elbert S, Harwood FL, Zampiakis E, Kim HM, Amiel D, Gelberman RH. Enhanced flexor tendon healing through sustained delivery of PDGF-BB. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 27:1209-15, 2009. [Pubmed Central]

Xie J, Macewan MR, Willerth SM, Li X, Moran DW, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Xia Y. Conductive Core-Sheath Nanofibers and Their Potential Application in Neural Tissue Engineering. Advanced Functional Materials, 19:2312-2318, 2009.

Xie J, MacEwan MR, Li X, Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Xia Y. Neurite Outgrowth on Nanofiber Scaffolds with Different Orders, Structures, and Surface Properties. ACS Nano, 3 (5), 1151–1159, 2009.[Pubmed Central]

Xie, J, Willerth, SM, LI, X Rader, A, MacEwan, MR, Gottlieb, DI, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE, and Xia, Y. The Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells Seeded on Electrospun Nanofibers into Neural Lineages. Biomaterials, 30: 354-62, 2009.[Pubmed Central]

2008

Willerth, SM, Rader; A, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. The Effect of Controlled Growth Factor Delivery on Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Inside of Fibrin Scaffolds. Stem Cell Research , 1: 205-218, 2008. [Pubmed Central]

Wood MD, Borschel GH, and Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Controlled release of glial-derived neurotrophic factor from fibrin matrices containing an affinity-based delivery system. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 89:909-918, 2008.

Wood, MD and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Release Rate Controls Biological Activity of Nerve Growth Factor Released from Fibrin Matrices Containing Affinity-Based Delivery Systems. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 84:300-312, 2008.

Moore, NM, Sheppard, CL, Barbour, TR, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. The Effect of Endosomal Escape Peptides on In Vitro Gene Delivery of Polyethylene Glycol - Based Vehicles. Journal of Gene Medicine,10: 1134-1149, 2008.

Moore, NM, Barbour, TR, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Synthesis and Characterization of Four-Arm Poly (ethylene glycol) Based Gene Delivery Vehicles Coupled to Integrin and DNA Binding Peptides. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 5:140-150, 2008.

Sakiyama-Elbert S, Das R, Gelberman RH, Harwood F, Amiel D, Thomopoulos S. Controlled release kinetics and biologic activity of PDGF-BB for use in flexor tendon repair. Journal of Hand Surgery[American], 33:1548-57, 2008.[Pubmed Central]

Willerth, SM, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE, Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Regeneration. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 60:263-276, 2008.

Willerth SM, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Combining stem cells and biomaterial scaffold for constructing tissues and cell delivery. StemBook, Cambridge (MA): Harvard Stem Cell Institute: 2008.

2007

Willerth, SM, Faxel, TE, Gottlieb, D, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. The Effects of Soluble Growth Factors on Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Inside of Fibrin Scaffolds. Stem Cells , 25(9):2235-2244, 2007. [Pubmed Central]

Willerth, SJ, Johnson, PJ, Maxwell, DJ, Parsons, SP, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Rationally Designed Peptides for Controlled Release of Nerve Growth Factor from Fibrin Matrices Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A , 80A(1):13-23, 2007.

Schmieder, AH, Grabski, LE, Moore, NM, Dempsey, LA, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Development of Novel Poly(ethylene glycol) Based Vehicles for Gene Delivery. Biotechnology and Bioengineering , 96: 967-976, 2007.

Thomopoulos, S, Zaegel, M, Das, R, Harwood FL, Silva, MJ, Amiel, D, Sakiyama-Elbert,S , Gelberman, RH. A novel method for growth factor delivery in tendon repair: Enhanced healing through sustained delivery of PDGF-BB. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 25(10): 1358-1368, 2007.

Gelberman, RH, Thomopoulos, S, Sakiyama-Elbert, S, Das, R, Silva, M. The Early Effects of Sustained Platelet Derived Growth Factor Administration on the Functional and Structural Properties of Repaired Intrasynovial Flexor Tendons The Journal of Hand Surgery, 32(3): 373-379, 2007.

Willerth, SM, and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE, Approaches to neural tissue engineering using scaffolds for drug delivery. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews,., 59:325-338, 2007[Pubmed Central]

2006

Taylor, SJ and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Effect of Controlled Delivery of Neurotrophin-3 from Fibrin on Spinal Cord Injury in a Long Term Model. Journal of Controlled Release , 116:204-210, 2006. [Pubmed Central]

Willerth, SM, Arendas KJ, Gottlieb, DI, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Optimization of Fibrin Scaffolds for Differentiation of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells into Neural Lineage Cells. Biomaterials , 27(36):5990-6003, 2006. [Pubmed Central]

Taylor, SJ Rosenzweig, ES, McDonald, JW, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Controlled Delivery of Neurotrophin-3 from Fibrin Scaffolds Enhances Neural Fiber Sprouting After Spinal Cord Injury Model. Journal of Controlled Release, 113:225-235, 2006 . [Pubmed Central]

1999-2005

Maxwell, DJ, Hicks, BC, Parson, S, Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Development of Rationally Designed Affinity-based Drug Delivery Systems, Acta Biomaterialia , 1:101-113, 2005.

Taylor, S.J., McDonald, J.W., and Sakiyama-Elbert, SE. Controlled release of neurotrophin-3 from fibrin gels for spinal cord injury. J Controlled Release, 98, 281-294, 2004.

Lee AC, Yu VM, Lowe JB, Brenner MJ, Hunter DA Mackinnon SE, Sakiyama-Elbert SE.Controlled release of nerve growth factor enhances sciatic nerve regeneration. Experimental Neurology, 84: 295-303, 2003.

Sakiyama-Elbert, S.E., Panitch, A and Hubbell, J.A., Development of growth factor fusion proteins for cell-triggered drug delivery, FASEB Journal, 15: 1300-1302, 2001.

Zisch, A.H., Schenk, U., Schense, J.C., Sakiyama-Elbert, S.E., and Hubbell, J.A., Covalently conjugated VEGF-fibrin matrices for endothelialization, J. Controlled Release,, 72: 101-113, 2001.

Sakiyama, S.E. and Hubbell, J.A., FUNCTIONAL BIOMATERIALS: Design of Novel Biomaterials, Annual Review of Materials Research, 31: 183-201, 2001.

Sakiyama-Elbert, S.E. and Hubbell, J.A., Controlled release of nerve growth factor from a heparin-containing fibrin-based cell ingrowth matrix, J. Controlled Release,, 69: 149-158, 2000.

Sakiyama-Elbert, S.E. and Hubbell, J.A., Development of Fibrin Derivatives for Controlled Release of Heparin-Binding Growth Factors J. Controlled Release, 65: 389-402, 2000.

Sakiyama, S.E. and Hubbell, J.A., Heparin-binding Peptides Enhance Neurite Extension in Three Dimensional Fibrin Gels, FASEB Journal, 13: 2214-2224, 1999.

Selected Book Chapters

Sakiyama-Elbert SE, Johnson PJ, Hodgetts SI, Plant GW, Harvey AR. Scaffolds to promote spinal cord regeneration. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 109:575-94, 2012.

Willerth SM, Sakiyama-Elbert SE. Combining stem cells and biomaterial scaffold for constructing tissues and cell delivery. StemBook, Cambridge (MA): Harvard Stem Cell Institute: 2008.

Teaching

Courses Developed

Course Resources

Contact

The University of Texas at Austin
Biomedical Engineering Building Room 4.110
107 West Dean Keeton St.
Austin, TX 78712

Office Phone: (512)471-3604
Lab Phone: (512)232-6901
Fax:
Email: sakiyama@utexas.edu