Home Department: Physics
Supported by: Pitch and Catherine Johnson
Mentor: Renee Reijo Pera, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Sunil Pai is a rising junior planning to major in physics and minor in computer science. His research this summer under Dr. Reijo Pera will focus primarily on understanding the influence of electric fields on neural stem cell movement and modeling cell migration patterns with and without electric fields using advanced imaging and software tools. He hopes that this research could lead to treatment aids during stem cell treatment for neurological disorders in which temporary implanted electrodes help to guide cell migration. In his free time, Sunil enjoys playing basketball, squash, and tennis.
Poster presented at the Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives Symposium on August 26, 2013:
"Using the Force": Modeling the Effect of Electric Fields on Neural Stem Cell Migration
Sunil Pai1, Smruti M. Phadnis1, Pengbo Zhang1, Thomas M. Baer2, Renee Reijo Pera1
[Institute for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine1 and Department of Applied Physics2 , Stanford University]