Michael N. Wosczyna
Principal Investigator/Assistant Professor
Musculoskeletal Research Center
Bioengineering Institute
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Kimmel Center For Stem Cell Biology
Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Previous Positions and Education: Instructor (2020) and Postdoctoral Fellow (2016), Stanford University School of Medicine (Rando Group); Ph.D. University of Connecticut (2011, Goldhamer Lab).
Edgar Perez Carbajal
Senior Scientist/Laboratory Coordinator
Previous Positions and Education: Research Associate, Stanford School of Medicine/VAPA (2015-21); B.S. in Cell and Developmental Biology, Cal State University Fullerton (2015); CIRM Intern (2014)
Research Interests: I am interested in characterizing how muscle resident mesenchymal stromal cells react in the context of aging, injury, and pathology and in the modulation of these stem cells to preserve their potency and abate the generation of abnormal, detrimental tissues in skeletal muscle.
About Me: When not in the lab, you can usually find me tipping performance artists or bouncing to my own beat. If somebody makes fun of you for being offbeat it’s just because they can’t hear your song.
Sally Bliss
Associate Research Scientist
Previous Positions and Education: Ph.D. Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, New Jersey (2015), M.S. in Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers SGS (2007)
Research Interests: Mesenchymal stem cell communication with, and modulation of, surrounding cells in different microenvironments. Characterizing these MSCs in models of aging and injury.
Hobbies: Spending time with my family outside, hiking and traveling. (Reality: Drinking copious amounts of coffee while chauffeuring my children to various activities, cooking for selective eaters, and doing the never-ending pile of laundry.)
Xingyu Liu
Ph.D. Student
Previous Positions and Education: M.S. in Biotechnology, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York (2023), B.S. in Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China (2021)
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms involved in tissue regeneration. The role of stem and progenitor cells in muscle repair.
Hobbies: Watching football games, guitar, reading, playing Hearthstone.
Sahil Mapkar
Ph.D. Student
Previous Positions and Education: New York College of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M. Deferred), B.S. in Exercise Science at Rutgers University (2021)
Research Interests: Compensatory cellular mechanisms that restore tissue functionality such as stem cell differentiation and angiogenesis, Pathological processes behind chronic pain after amputation in neuropathic patients.
Hobbies: Rowing crew, ecological restoration, video editing, playing guitar, urban exploration.
Garrett Ruff
MSTP Graduate Student
Previous Positions and Education: B.S. in Human Biology, Cornell University (2022)
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms underlying loss of function and cell state with aging. Role of mesenchymal stem cells in metabolic homeostasis.
Hobbies: Going to the gym, reading, video games, traveling, playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends.
Sean Murray
Research Associate
Previous Positions and Education: M.S. in Biology, NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (2023); B.A. in Biological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020)
Research Interests: Mechanisms of tissue regeneration related to stem cell signaling and fate.
Hobbies: Playing guitar, going to the gym, reading, video games, leaving the city whenever possible.
Anna Wilson
Graduate Student
Previous Positions and Education: NYU Tandon School of Engineering (pursuing an M.S. in Biotechnology), B.S. in Biology and Italian Studies, Villanova University (2022)
Research Interests: Nanoparticle synthesis for drug delivery, mesenchymal stem cell regeneration and senescence during aging and injury.
Hobbies: Baking, hiking, reading, and watching British TV shows.
Julia Li
Graduate Student
Previous Positions and Education: NYU Tandon School of Engineering (pursuing an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering), B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering (2022)
Research Interests: Mechanisms of MSCs in regeneration, aging, and tumorigenesis.
Hobbies: Cosplay, wig-styling, singing, playing video games, and watching Japanese anime.
Edward Liu
Graduate Student
Previous Positions and Education: NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (pursuing an M.S. in Biology), B.S. in Biology, The Ohio State University (2022)
Research Interests: Stem cell-dependent tissue maintenance, regeneration, and aging.
Hobbies: Playing snooker (pool game), video games, basketball & watching basketball games.
Benjamin Gilman
Computational Intern
Previous Positions and Education: B.A. in Computer Science and Data Science, NYU College of Arts and Science (2023)
Research Interests: Cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in tissue regeneration and aging.
Hobbies: Playing basketball, tennis, and video games, bike riding, and music.
Katerina Petroff
Goldwater Scholar/Undergraduate Researcher
Previous Positions and Education: NYU College of Arts and Sciences (pursuing a B.S. in Biochemistry)
Research Interests: I am interested in the mechanisms of muscle tissue maintenance, regeneration, and cellular aging.
Hobbies: My hobbies include rowing, cooking, ceramics, and making wire sculptures.
Bardan Bhatta
Shirley Schmones Wallach Research Scholar/Undergraduate Researcher
Previous Positions and Education: NYU College of Arts and Sciences (majoring in global public health and biology)
Research Interests: The application of musculoskeletal stem cells in tissue regeneration and sports medicine treatment.
Hobbies: Playing the drums, running, reading, and exploring new places in the city.
In the Wosczyna lab we strive to be inclusive, diverse, and respectful in order to cultivate an environment where our science speaks for itself. We welcome scientists of any race, religion, or gender identity and we support each other through mentorship and discussion.
