Experienced Biomedical Engineer
Resume:
Gregory Yourek, Ph.D.
*******@*****.***
Summary
Biomedical Engineer with 8 years of experience in academia and industry. Interests are human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) regenerative medicine and cytoskeleton. Studied effects of mechanobiology on hMSCs, cytoskeleton modifications during hMSC differentiation, hMSC invasion of a biomaterial and the role of the cytoskeleton in metastasis.
Current Status 2008 – Present
Maintaining skills through regular review of recent publications during family-related sabbatical
Experience
Postdoctoral Research Associate: University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC) 2006 – 2008
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, research area: role of cytoskeleton in metastasis
• Investigated increased migration of cells infected with truncated form of myosin light chain kinase (tMK)
• Observed, in 3-D, increased migration of tMK cells using nested collagen gel model
• Studied, in 3-D, inhibition of migration via pharmacological agents directed against the cytoskeleton
• Proposed and wrote four grant and fellowship applications
• Mentored summer pre-medical undergraduate student lab volunteer and assisted in course preparation
Research Assistant: UIC
2002 – 2006
Department of Orthodontics, research area: hMSC tissue engineering
• Showed mechanobiology differentiates hMSCs to bone-type cells
• Demonstrated, using atomic force microscopy, nanoscale changes in the physical characteristics, including the cytoskeleton, of hMSCs differentiating into bone- and cartilage-type cells
• Showed, in 3-D, hMSCs actively migrate through poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate hydrogel
• Proposed and wrote two grant and fellowship applications including NSF grant chosen by UIC for NSF submission
• Mentored undergraduate student lab volunteer and assisted in course preparation
Technical Engineer: Alternative Resources Corporation/ADECCO Group 1999 – 2002
• Installed, networked and verified patient monitoring and obstetrics equipment for Philips Medical
• Provided regular follow-up services to clients including University of Chicago and Northwestern University
Education
Bioengineering (Cell and Tissue Engineering Option), Ph.D., UIC 2001 – 2006
Dissertation title: “Effects of Differentiation and Shear Stress on Stem Cell Nanomechanics and Gene Expression”
Biomedical Engineering, B.S. (Mechanical Engineering and Biology Minors), Marquette University
1994 – 1999
One year student intern experience gained as biomedical engineer at North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Awards and Grants
• NIH Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowship, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, UIC (PIs: Primal de Lanerolle, John Solaro, Mark Rasenick), 2006 – 2008
• Student Fellowship, American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO), 2005
• Whitaker Foundation Student Travel Award, Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine (SPRBM), 2005
• Best Student Presentation, SPRBM, 2004
• Whitaker Foundation Student Travel Award, SPRBM, 2004
• Member, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, Biomedical Engineering Honor Society
Technical Skills
• Cell isolation from tissue
• Human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation
• Transfection and virus infection
• Biomaterials
• Two and three dimensional cell and tissue culture
• Mechanobiology
• Cell and tissue staining
• Atomic force, confocal and bright field microscopy
• Proliferation and apoptosis assays
• Real-time and conventional PCR
• Western blot analysis
• ELISA
• Medical writing (including journal article, grants, Institutional Review Board applications)
• Personal computer hardware and software (including MS Office, ABI Prism, Image J)
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Yourek G, Feiger Z, Gardel M, de Lanerolle P. Role of myosin light chain kinase in actin mediated metastasis. In prep.
Han Y-J, Ma S-F, Yourek G, Park Y-D, de Lanerolle P, Garcia JGN. Myosin Light Chain Kinase Pseudogene (MYLKP) is Transcribed in Human Cancers and Promotes Cell Proliferation. In prep.
Yourek G, Reilly, GC, Xin X, Mao JJ. Invasion of human mesenchymal stem cells into PEG-DA hydrogel. In prep.
Yourek G, McCormick SM, Mao JJ, Reilly GC. Shear stress induces osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Reg Med. 2010 Sep;5(5):713-724.
Yourek G, Hussain MA, Mao JJ. Cytoskeletal changes of mesenchymal stem cells during differentiation. ASAIO J. 2007 Mar-Apr;53(2):219-28.
Book Chapters
Lee CH, Yourek G, Moioli E, Clark PA, Mao JJ: Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Applications in Musculoskeletal System. In K-S Leung, Y-X Qin, W-H Cheung, L. Qin (eds.), The Protocols in Musculoskeletal Research, A Practical Manual for Laboratory Techniques, pp. 75-98. Singapore, World Scientific Publishing co. Pte. Ltd, 2007.
Yourek G, Al-Hadlaq A, Patel R, McCormick SM, Reilly GC, Mao JJ: Nanophysical Properties of Living Cells The Cytoskeleton. In M. A. Stroscio, M. Dutta (eds.), Biological Nanostructures and Applications of Nanostructures in Biology, Electrical, Mechanical, and Optical Properties, pp. 69-97. New York, NY, Kluwer Academic Publishing, 2004.
Conference Proceedings * indicates presenter
Han Y-J*, Ma S-F, Yourek G, Park Y-D, de Lanerolle P, Garcia JGN. Myosin Light Chain Kinase Pseudogene (MYLKP) Is Transcribed In Human Cancers And Promotes Cell Proliferation (Poster Presentation), American Thoracic Society International Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2010.
Xin X*, Yourek G, Mao JJ. Composite Osteochondral Constructs for the Reconstruction of Phalangial Joint from MSC and Electrospun Nanofibers (Poster Presentation), Orthopedic Research Society (ORS), San Diego, CA, 2007.
Yourek G*, Hussain, MA, Mao JJ. Nanomechanics of Cytoskeletal Changes of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells During Differentiation (Podium Presentation), ASAIO, Chicago, IL, 2006.
Yourek G*, Xin X, Mao JJ. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Interaction and Infiltration in PEGDA (Poster Presentation), ORS, Chicago, IL, 2006.
Yourek G*, Xin X, Mao JJ. Interaction and Infiltration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Poly(ethylene glycol) Based Hydrogel (Podium Presentation), SPRBM, Cancun, Mexico, 2006.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Responses to Fluid Flow During Early Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Podium Presentation), International Bone Fluid Flow Workshop, New York, NY, 2005.
Yourek G*, Mao JJ. Challenges of Tissue Engineering Animal Experiments for Current Institutional Animal Care Usage Committee (Podium Presentation), Third International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering, Rochester, NY, 2005.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Cytoskeletal Changes and Responses to Fluid Flow During Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Poster Presentation), ORS Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., 2005.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. The Regulation of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and of the Cytoskeletal Changes of Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Fluid Flow (Poster Presentation), UIC College of Dentistry (COD) Clinic and Research Day (CRD), Chicago, IL, 2005.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Fluid Flow Modulates Early Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Podium Presentation), SPRBM Annual Meeting, Lake Tahoe, NV, 2005.
Yourek G, Reilly GC*, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. The Relationship Between the Actin Cytoskeleton and Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells in Response to Fluid Flow (Poster Presentation), Gordon Research Conference on Musculoskeletal Biology & Bioengineering Orthopedic Tissue Engineering: Basic Science to Clinical Application, Andover, NH, 2004.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Effects of Fluid Flow and Cytoskeleton Disruption on Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Session Keynote Podium Presentation), European Society of Biomechanics, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, 2004.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Effects of Fluid Flow and Cytoskeleton Disruption on Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (Poster Presentation), Chicago Universities Bioengineering Industry Consortium, Chicago, IL, 2004.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Effects of Fluid Flow and Cytoskeleton Disruption on Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (Podium Presentation), SPRBM Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2004.
Yourek G*, Reilly GC, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Effects of Fluid Flow and Cytoskeleton Disruption on Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (Poster Presentation), UIC COD CRD, Chicago, IL, 2004.
Yourek G*, Al-Hadlaq A, Patel R, McCormick SM, Mao JJ. Characterization of Nanomechanical Properties of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells After Exposure to Shear Stress
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