Dena Shahriari

Title: Dena Shahriari: Innovator in Neural Tissue Engineering

Introduction

Dena Shahriari is a prominent inventor based in Woodland Hills, California. She has made significant contributions to the field of neural tissue engineering, particularly through her innovative patents. With a total of 3 patents, her work focuses on developing advanced tissue scaffolds for nerve repair.

Latest Patents

One of her latest patents is titled "Nerve repair scaffolds having high microchannel volume and methods for making the same." This invention involves tissue scaffolds designed for neural tissue growth, featuring a plurality of microchannels within a sheath. Each microchannel has a porous wall with a thickness of ≤about 100 μm, made from biocompatible and biodegradable materials, including polyester polymers such as polycaprolactone and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid). These scaffolds are engineered to have a high open volume percentage, which promotes superior neural tissue growth while minimizing inflammation at the implantation site. The methods for creating these scaffolds include mixing a reduced particle size porogen with a polymeric precursor solution, casting the material onto a template, and processing it to form the final tissue scaffold.

Career Highlights

Dena has worked at prestigious institutions, including the University of Michigan and the University of California. Her experience in these research environments has allowed her to advance her work in neural tissue engineering significantly.

Collaborations

Throughout her career, Dena has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Jeffrey S. Sakamoto and Mark Henry Tuszynski. These partnerships have contributed to her innovative research and development in the field.

Conclusion

Dena Shahriari is a trailblazer in the realm of neural tissue engineering, with her patents paving the way for advancements in nerve repair technologies. Her contributions are vital for the future of medical science and tissue regeneration.