Welcome

The field of tissue engineering is finally making medical science-fiction a reality.  I am a biomedical engineer that specializes in cell culture and tissue engineering.  Developing living tissues has a high impact on the medical field; tissues and organs now produced can replace transplants from one patient to another.  My name is Justin R. Papreck; if, after viewing this website, you would like to know any more information about me of my work, please contact me with the contact information on the last page.  Thank you.

 

 

Salk Institute for Biological Studies   2011-2012

I spent nearly a year working in the Peptide Biology Laboratory of Dr. Wylie Vale as a Research Assistant for Dr. Elizabeth Flandreau.  This position primarily entailed in situ hybridization (ISH) of central gene-expression changes from mice exposed to social stress, with densiometric analysis of the ISH.  Gene expression analysis via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tracked the changes from mice exposed to social stress followed by high fat diet.  Other duties included tissue collection and processing including brain removal, sectioning (cryostat and microtome) for in situ hybridization or brain micro-dissection, RNA extraction, and production of cDNA for qPCR.

 

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science  2009-2010

I accepted a position as a Research Technician at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in the department of Physiology and Biophysics under the direction of Dr. Donghee Kim in the spring of 2009. During this time, I performed electrophysiological research on dual-pore potassium (K2P) channels that regulate ventilation.  The main topic of focus was an exploratory study on the effects of reactive oxygen species on different subfamilies of K2P from both exogenous and endogenous application.
 

The research involved patch-clamping of cells and molecular biology.  I conducted complex electrophysiological experiments using either primary carotid body glomus cells or transfected HeLa cells; electrophysiological assessment was characterized by patch clamp techniques and analyzed on the computer.

 

Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University   2003-2008

I earned my Master's Degree in the joint Biomedical Engineering program at Georgia Tech and Emory University.   Advised by Dr. Yadong Wang and Dr. Marie Csete, I worked on the research and design of a 3D tissue culture scaffold providing a novel implant to aid in the repair of peripheral neuropathy.  The design utilized the properties of the biomaterial poly (glycerol sebacate), also known as Biorubber, to be the backbone of the implant, while a hydrogel would hold the cells in place within this scaffold.

While 3D scaffold tissue culture was the ultimate goal, there was significant work done in 2D with neural progenitor cells, cell lines, primary cells, and stem cells.  I defended my thesis, "Novel embryonic stem cell-infused scaffold for peripheral neuropathy repair", during the summer of 2008.  

I was assigned to be a teaching assistant for the Tissue Engineering 4000 course for senior biomedical engineering majors at Georgia Tech for two semesters.  During the tissue culture portion of the lab, I was fully responsible for 12 students, including a brief lecture, instruction, criticism, writing and grading of the examinations.

 

 

Illinois Wesleyan University   1999-2003 

During my tenure as an undergraduate, I pursued a special contracted major joining physics and biology call"Biotechnology" in which I earned my Bachelor's of Science at Illinois Wesleyan University.  I further conducted research in the Department of Biology working with Dr. Loni Walker on the moss Ceratodon purpureus.  The study examined the effects of known plant hormones on the gravitropic response.  I also spent one summer as an Intern for Motorola testing a new design for an implantable glucose sensor for diabetics.

I was a teaching assistant in the Department of Physics for two years, as well as a physics tutor for the introductory physics classes both with and without calculus.