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Carolyn Sargent

Research

To effectively use ESCs for cell-based therapies to regenerate viable tissue, an improved understanding of mechanisms regulating differentiation is necessary.  Currently, application of exogenous factors is commonly attempted to direct stem cell differentiation; however, progression towards controlling multiple environmental factors, including biochemical and mechanical stimuli, may result in increased differentiation efficiency for clinical applications.  My work focuses on defining how the hydrodynamic mixing environment can influence embryonic stem cell differentiation.  The results from this work indicate that the hydrodynamic mixing environment created by rotary orbital suspension culture regulates EB size and subsequent differentiation, and therefore, may have potential application in numerous cell differentiation systems as well as defining design criteria for bioreactors to elicit directed stem cell differentiation.

Selective Awards

American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellow (2008-2010)

ASME – SBC 1st Place Ph.D. Paper Competition, poster award (2008)

National Science Foundation Fellow (2005 – 2008)

Hilton Head Student Travel Award (2007, 2008, 2009)

TERMIS Student Travel Award (2007, 2008)

For full list, please see CV

Publications

Sargent CY*, Berguig GY*, Kinney MA, Carpenedo RL, Hiatt LA, Berson RE, McDevitt TC. Hydrodynamic modulation of embryoid body differentiation by rotary orbital suspension culture, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, in press (2009). (*equally contributing authors)

Sargent CY, Berguig GY, McDevitt TC. Cardiomyogenic differentiation of embryoid bodies is promoted by rotary orbital suspension culture. Tissue Engineering A, 15(2): 331-342 (2009).

Carpenedo RL, Sargent CY, McDevitt TC. Rotary suspension culture enhances the efficiency, yield and homogeneity of embryoid body differentiation. Stem Cells 25(9): 2224-2234 (2007).

Finger AR*, Sargent CY*, Dulaney KO, Loboa EB. Differential effects on mRNA expression by bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells seeded in agarose constructs due to ramped and steady applications of cyclic hydrostatic pressure. Tissue Engineering 13(6): 1151-1158 (2007). (*equally contributing authors)

Selective Presentations

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Melissa A. Kinney, Todd C. McDevitt. Hydrodynamic conditioning of embryonic stem cells. Rapid Fire Presentation, Annual Hilton Head Workshop on Regenerative Medicine, SC, March 2009.

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Luke A. Hiatt, Virginia M. Chu, Todd C. McDevitt. Hydrodynamic modulation of embryonic stem cell differentiation. Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). Podium Presentation, St. Louis, MO, October 2008

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Luke A. Hiatt, Sandhya Anantharaman, R. Eric Berson, Todd C. McDevitt. Hydrodynamic mixing conditions modulate embryonic stem cell cardiomyogenic differentiation. American Society of Mechanical Engineering Summer Bioengineering Conference (ASMESBC). Poster Presentation, Marco Island, FL, June 2008. 1st Place Ph.D. Paper Competition, poster award.

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Geoffrey Y. Berguig, Luke A. Hiatt, Todd C. McDevitt. Cardiogenesis of embryonic stem cells is modulated by hydrodynamic mixing conditions. Podium Presentation, Southeastern Society of Developmental Biology, Atlanta, GA, April 2008.

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Geoffrey Y. Berguig, Todd C. McDevitt. Cardiomyogenic embryonic stem cell differentiation is modulated by hydrodynamic mixing conditions. Poster Presentation, Hilton Head Workshop, Hilton Head, SC, March 2008.

Carolyn Y. Sargent, Geoffrey Y. Berguig, Todd C. McDevitt. Hydrodynamic mixing conditions modulate embryonic stem cell differentiation. Podium Presentation, GTEC Industrial Partners Symposium, Atlanta, GA, October 2007.

For full list, please see CV

Biography

Carolyn Y. Sargent graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from North Carolina State University in 2004 after double majoring in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering.  During her time at N.C. State, Carolyn completed research in the laboratory of Dr. Elizabeth G. Loboa focusing on the response of mesenchymal stem cells to mechanical strain and hydrostatic pressure for the differentiation of bone and cartilage.  In August 2004, Carolyn joined Dr. Todd C. McDevitt’s laboratory at Georgia Institute of Technology and is currently working as a Ph.D. candidate to examine the effects of hydrodynamic conditioning on embryonic stem cell differentiation.