Pathology Graduate Training Program
Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) -
Current Graduate Students

Name: Austin Nuschke
Email: aun2@pitt.edu
Lab Phone: 412-624-9366
Mentor Name: Alan Wells, MD, DMS

Undergraduate Education:
Undergraduate Degree: B.S., Biology, magna cum laude
Undergraduate Institution: Penn State University

Research Project Information

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from bone marrow have been identified as potential therapeutic agents for wound healing due to their unique ability to form a variety of cells in the mesenchymal lineage, including bone, fat, and cartilage. However, use of these cells in therapies has been limited by poor cell survival in the challenging wound environment. We work to improve MSC survival using surface-tethered EGF constructs designed to constitutively activate survival signaling in the cells. Ultimately, we hope to allow the cells to survive long enough in vivo to differentiate into the desired cell type and form new tissue, improving wound healing in bone and other areas.

Publications:

  1. Rodrigues M, Nuschke A, Stolz D, Chu C, Van Houten B, Griffith LG, and Wells A. Multipotent stromal cells/mesenchymal stem cells remain in a state of pre-autophagy while undifferentiated. Manuscript in preparation.

Abstracts:

  1. Nuschke, Austin; Rodrigues, Melanie; Stolz, Donna; Wells, Alan. Human mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (MSC) remain in a state of "pre-autophagy" prior to differentiation. Abstract for poster presentation. University of Pittsburgh Science 2012 Conference. October, 2012.

Awards:

  • ARCS Scholar Award, Pittsburgh Chapter 2011-2013
  • CATER Training Program, 2012 Awardee
  • Phi Beta Kappa, 2010
  • Alpha Epsilon Delta National Medical Honor Society, 2009