1. RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
The University of Washington, Seattle, WA May 2014-Present
Research Scientist I
Project 1
Philip J. Horner – Principal Investigator, Neurosurgery
• Directed Craig H. Neilsen Foundation collaborative grant project ‘Nerve Directed Tissue Regeneration’
• Developing a semi high-throughput optogenetic approach to manipulating nerve activity and growth
Project 2
Suzie H. Punn – Principal Investigator, Bioengineering and Philip J. Horner, Neurosurgery
• Collaborative grant project ‘Astrocyte Phage Display’
• Defining new astrocytic markers utilizing phage display libraries
Project 3
Robert C. Rostomily – Principal Investigator, Neurosurgery
• Breeding and maintenance of transgenic mouse colony for syngeneic transplant model of gliomas
• Investigation of the role of TWIST1 protein in tumorigenicity
• Drug sensitivity assays on mouse and human tumor cell lines
Project 4
Vincenzino Cirulli and Laura Crisa, Principal Investigators, Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence and Institute for Stem
Cell and Regenerative Medicine
• Mechanisms of islet cell function in co-culture with sympathetic cervical ganglia
Project 5
Zin Z. Zhaing, Neurosurgery
• Development and characterization of 3D anisotropic collagen hydrogels for spinal cord injury
The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
Research Assistant January 2013-May 2013
Brian L. Davis - Principal Investigator and Chair, Biomedical Engineering
• Application of new motion analysis software for use in future clinical studies
• Preparation and writing of proposals/grant research
• Clinical research coordination for shear stress of the diabetic foot in prevention of ulcers
Research Assistant January 2011-January 2013
Nic D. Leipzig - Principal Investigator, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Incorporation of existing bioreactor into re-engineered polymer design
• Characterization of neuronal differentiation through immunohistochemistry and fluorescent microscopy
Starbucks, Student Manager August 2008-January 2011
PUBLICATIONS
1.
Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and Maturation of Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Liza J. Kobelt,
Ashley E. Wilkinson, Aleesha M. McCormick, Rebecca Kuntz Willits, Nic D. Leipzig. Annals of Biomedical Engineering.
40(10): 2164-2176. 2014. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH.
2.
The effects of ECM ligand type and concentration on neural stem cell differentiation. Ashley E. Wilkinson, Liza J. Kobelt,
Nic D. Leipzig. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. 102(10): 3419-3428. 2014. Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH.
Manuscripts in preparation
3.
Biomimetic Injectable 3D Hydrogels with Aligned Topography for Neural Tissue Engineering. Liza J. Kobelt, Lindsay N.
Cates, Philip J. Horner, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Zin Z. Khaing.
Liza Severs
1920 Queen Anne Ave. N. #339 Seattle, WA 98109
330-904-4118
lkobelt@uw.edu

2. ABSTRACTS
1.
A Semi-High Throughput Optogenetic Approach for Modeling Nerve Directed Tissue Regeneration. Liza J. Kobelt, Suzie
H. Punn, Jane M. Sullivan, Steve I. Perlmutter, Philip J. Horner. To be presented at The International Symposium on Neural
Regeneration. Annual meeting on November 30th
- December 4th
, 2015. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA.
Poster Presentation.
2.
Biomimetic Injectable 3D Hydrogels with Aligned Topography for Neural Tissue Engineering. Liza J. Kobelt, Lindsay N.
Cates, Philip J. Horner, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Zin Z. Khaing. To be presented at International Symposium on Neural
Regeneration. Annual Meeting on November 30th
-December 4th
, 2015. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA.
Poster presentation.
3.
Biomimetic Injectable 3D Hydrogels with Aligned Topography for Neural Tissue Engineering. Liza J. Kobelt, Lindsay N.
Cates, Philip J. Horner, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Zin Z. Khaing. To be presented at Society for Neuroscience. Annual
Meeting on October 19-23, 2015. Chicago, IL. Poster presentation.
4.
Biomimetic Injectable 3D Hydrogels with Aligned Topography for Neural Tissue Engineering. Liza J. Kobelt, Lindsay N.
Cates, Philip J. Horner, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Zin Z. Khaing. To be presented at Biomedical Engineering Society. Annual
Meeting on October 7-10, 2015. Tampa, Fl. Poster presentation.
5.
Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and Differentiation in Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Liza J. Kobelt,
Ashley E. Wilkinson, Aleesha M. McCormick, Rebecca Kuntz Willits, Nic D. Leipzig. Biomedical Engineering Society
National Meeting, Oral platform presentation. October 27, 2012. Atlanta, GA.
6.
Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Neurite Outgrowth In Neural Stem Cells. Liza J. Kobelt, Ashley E. Wilkinson, Aleesha
M. McCormick, Rebecca Kuntz Willits, Nic D. Leipzig. Ohio Academy of Science poster presentation April 14, 2012.
Ashland University, Ashland, OH.
7.
Differentiation and Tensile Elongation of Neural Stem Cells for Neural Tissue Engineering. Ashley E. Wilkinson, Liza J.
Kobelt, Nic D. Leipzig. Biomedical Engineering Society 2011 Annual Meeting. October 15, 2011. Hartford, CT. Poster
presentation.
EDUCATION
The University of Washington, Seattle, WA Spring 2015
• Relevant Graduate Coursework: Genetics, Genomics, and Evolution; Biophysics of Calcium Signaling
Bachelor of Science, Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH Dec. 14, 2012
• Relevant Undergraduate Coursework: Immunology, Neurobiology, Renal Physiology, Cardiovascular
Physiology, Cancer Biology, Tissue Engineering, Calculus, Physics
• The University of Akron Honors Program
• Ritchie Hall Program Board, Emerging Leaders
MENTORING
• Jeanette Schwenson, Summer 2015
• Regan Wortley, Summer 2014
• Lee Williams, Summer 2014
MEMBERSHIP/SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES
• Neurobiology and Behavior Community Outreach, The University of Washington

3. • Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), Vice President 2012 at The University of Akron
• Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Recipient of 2012 Travel award National Conference
VOLUNTEER WORK
• Department of Neurological Surgery, Volunteer March-May 2014
• Local outreach at Elementary School science fairs
• BEST Medicine Engineering Fair, National Inventors Hall of Fame School March 9,
2013
• Science Olympiad March
2012
CORE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Completion of all animal and safety training required for The University of Washington
Cell isolation and culture
Live animal surgeries
Optogenetics
Assay Development
Fluorescent, Confocal, Live Imaging, Stereology, and 2-photon Microscopy
Immunocytochemistry/Immunohistochemistry techniques
Vibratome Sectioning
qPCR/PCR
Drug Assaying
AAV/MULV production
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
CITI Certified
Auto Cad Design Software
Adobe Illustrator
Microsoft Office Suite