Camille Fulmore

Co-Advised by Sanjay Kumar

Previous Education:

M.S. in Biotechnology at New York University & B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and B.S. in Biotechnology at University of Central Florida

Project Title:

Exploring the Dynamics of Mechanotransduction on Neural Stem Cell Fate

Project:

I am interested in probing the signaling pathways and cytoskeletal components involved in neural stem cell (NSC) fate commitment that are responsive to mechanical changes in the cells’ environment. A large hurdle to studying neurodegenerative diseases is there’s not a totally suitable model that’s able to recapitulate the complexities of the brain. By using NSC’s and and hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels, we are able to manipulate properties of the cells environment which control the cell’s fate similarly to changing properties within the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo. I hope to further investigate how changes in the ECM can be mechanically transduced through the nucleus to impact downstream gene expression.

Hobbies:

Hula hooping, caring for plants, cooking and eating delicious foods, pilates, long boarding, scuba diving, roller skating, cycling, going to concerts, hiking with my dog, and painting!