Principal investigator
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Rutgers University
599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854
My research integrates cellular and molecular engineering, developmental biology, genomics, and animal models to decode gene regulation in stem and progenitor cells. The ultimate goal of our work is to translate these mechanistic insights into novel gene therapies for central nervous system (CNS) injuries.
This program builds on my doctoral training in neurodevelopment with Richard Nowakowski (RWJ Medical School) and postdoctoral research in retinal development with Connie Cepko (Harvard Medical School), alongside developing computational tools for genome-wide data analysis at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. At Rutgers, my laboratory bridges the gap between fundamental neural development and translational CNS repair, identifying key regulatory mechanisms with therapeutic potential. Supported by the NIH, NJ state agencies, and venture capital funds, we are dedicated to driving these advanced genetic therapies toward impactful clinical applications.
Publications
Awards & Distinctions
- 1998 Annual Dissertation Award, Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools, USA and Canada
- Busch Biomedical Research
- 2023 Training in Neurotherapeutics Discovery and Development for Academic Scientists (NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research) at UC Davis