Stem Cells and Autism: Dr. Erin Lavik's Inventive Approach | Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund

Dr. Erin Lavik, Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and her lab implement innovative techniques to study the brain and its associated neurological complications, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD refers to a broad range of conditions related to brain development, estimated by the CDC to affect 1 in 54 children.
Researchers believe that ASD involves abnormal development of the brain network, also known as neural circuits, composed of interconnected neurons that crosstalk with their environment to function properly. To better understand these disorders, it is imperative to study the differences in the brains of people with and without ASD.
Dr. Lavik’s research aims to build tissue models that mimic the environment of specific organs, such as the brain. She focuses on recreating the “neural stem cell niche” by combining neural stem cells and blood vessels. Neural stem cells give rise to neurons through an intricate developmental process involving multiplication, differentiation, and migration. Dr. Lavik combines these stem cells and a screen-printing procedure to recreate a three-dimensional (3D) model of the brain where she can better study the cells developmental process. Dr. Lavik shares that “the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund has been instrumental in our work” and hopes that this research can further elucidate the complications involved in the brains of people with ASD.
Dr. Lavik’s inventive approach can be further implemented for drug screening as it allows for investigations of multiple cell types in the context of their tissue composition. She credits MSCRF as they “provided the support to allow us to develop the materials and approaches to build these structures”. Dr. Lavik and her team’s research provides the foundation to better understand intricate systems that may uncover novel therapeutic approaches.
To learn more about the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, visit: www.mscrf.org
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More Information:
Dr. Lavik and her team developed a screen-printing technique to generate 3D in-vitro models that mimic the brain niche. The goal is to build tissue models that allows them to further investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in ASD.
Similar to traditional screen-printing methods, this process combines hydrogels and live cells that are placed on a screen and subsequently printed on the surface of a slide, ultimately creating a tissue scaffold. Notably, this technique allows researchers to overcome the limitations of two-dimensional models that do not include the unique structures of the brain. Dr. Lavik’s approach differs from previous 3D bioprinting techniques because it is affordable, fast, and does not damage the cell. By viably replicating the complex 3D architecture of the brain, they can comprehensively investigate this organ and the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorders.