Peter is a fifth-year graduate student at UVa, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He was born in Allentown, PA and grew up in Moorestown, NJ just twenty minutes from Philadelphia. After graduating from Rutgers University School of Engineering in Piscataway, NJ, Peter spent over a year working in a GLP contract chemistry lab nearby Princeton, NJ using LC/MS/MS mass spectrometry to detect pharmaceutical agents in biological materials. Directly after gaining this industry experience, Peter returned to academia in 2004 to pursue a PhD in Charlottesville, VA. In addition to his research, Peter enjoys creative writing, drawing, and cinematography as well as staying active with softball and other athletics.
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, present
Bachelor of Science "Magna Cum Laude", Biomedical Engineering, May 2003
Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) are a promising new source of progenitor cells capable of aiding tissue regeneration in vivo, however; they are largely uncharacterized and modes of action are poorly understood. Recent research has shown that the cell type is capable of differentiation toward an array of specialized tissues including bone, muscle, cartilage, and vasculature. ASCs are also known to secrete a variety of growth factors which may help to effect therapeutic changes in a variety of tissues. My research is currently aimed at determining mechanisms by which regenerative benefits are brought about. Another major focus of my research is the determination of the identity and source of the cellular fraction of isolated ASCs most responsible for the observed regenerative benefits.
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