Prof. Dr. Karin Würtz-Kozak

Tissue Regeneration & Mechanobiology Lab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA

Rochester Institute of Technology
Tissue Regeneration & Mechanobiology Lab
Spine Research Group
Contact

Background

Prof. Dr. Karin Würtz-Kozak is a pharmacist by training and holds a PhD in Human Biology as we as an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability. She currently is the Head of the Tissue Mechanobiology Group at the Institute for Biomechanics at the ETH Zurich, where she also functions as a lecturer.

Her group is interested in the molecular pathophysiology of (amongst others) musculoskeletal disorders and the advancement of their treatment, specifically by regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. For regenerative approaches, an emphasis is put onto creating biologically enhanced materials that counteract identified pathobiological processes, e.g. inflammation, catabolism or senescence. Aspects of mechanical loading and mechanotransduction in health and disease are also a topic of interest.

Development of therapies for degenerative disc disease, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis are presently of specific importance.

Competences

• Primary cell culture (disc cells, chondrocytes, endothelial cells) in 2D and 3D
• Tissue culture systems
• Gene and protein expression analysis (qPCR, Western Blot, ELISA)
• Cell signaling TLRs, NF-kB, MAP Kinases, Akt, etc.)
• Immune engineering (anti-inflammatory treatments, slow release systems, etc.)
• Electrospinning