Home Department: Biology
Supported by: VPUE and Bio-X
Mentor: Yunzhi Peter Yang, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Lauren Sweet is a rising junior studying in the biology department. She works in Dr. Peter Yang's biomaterials lab in the orthopaedics department at the Stanford School of Medicine. Her research interest is in bone innervation with a focus on calcium phosphate scaffolds. This summer she is testing the viability of nervous system tissues on ß-tricalcium phosphate substrates. Her hope is to eventually help construct an integrated bone implant utilizing the innervating and angiogenic signaling properties of schwann cells. Lauren is considering an MD/PhD program.

Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 26, 2013:

Characterization of Schwann Cell Growth and Behavior on Variable Geometry ß-TCP Scaffolds

Lauren Sweet¹, Yunqing Kevin Kang², Chris Czisch³, Lukasz Witek⁴, Yang Shi⁴, Jim Smay⁴, Giles Plant³, Yunzhi Peter Yang²
[Departments of Biology¹, Orthopedic Surgery², and Neurosurgery³, Stanford University; Department of Chemical Engineering⁴, Oklahoma State University]