Cara Smith, PhD | Duke University - Segura Lab

Cara is interested in how tissue regeneration can be improved in aged stroke patients by targeting cellular senescence, a key feature of aging. Specifically, she is exploring how the delivery of extracellular vesicles derived from different cell types in the brain can reverse cellular aging to improve neuron growth and reduce inflammation after stroke.

<img src="https://seguralab.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cara_Smith.jpg" />

10 Apr Cara Smith, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Posted at 14:01h in by Lindsay Riley

Bringing Midwestern Vibes to the Carolinas. Cara completed her B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio (where she also grew up). Continuing her Midwestern adventures, she then earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois in Prof. Samuel Stupp’s Laboratory. During this time, she explored how supramolecular peptide amphiphiles could be used to improve central nervous system regeneration, with a focus on spinal cord injury. Wanting to continue exploring biomaterials for the nervous system, Cara joined the Segura Lab in March 2024. She is excited to explore how biomaterials can be designed to improve stroke recovery, particularly in aged populations. Outside of the laboratory, Cara is a proud flutist (having played beginning in the 2nd grade, most recently in the Northwestern Medical Orchestra), average gardener, happy poodle parent, and occasional runner.

Contact

Email: cara.s.smith@duke.edu

Publications

Smith CS, Álvarez Z, Qiu R, Clemons T, Chen F, Ortega JA, Wellman H, Kiskinis E, Stupp SI. (2023) Enhanced Neuron Growth and Electrical Activity by a Supramolecular Netrin-1 Mimetic Peptide Amphiphile. ACS Nano. 24 October 2023.

Álvarez Z, Ortega JA, Sato K, Sasselli IR, Kolberg-Edelbrock AN, Qui R, Marshall K, Nguyen TP, Smith CS, Quinlan K, Papakis V, Syrgiannis Z, Sather NA, Musumeci C, Engel E, Stupp SI, Kiskinis E. (2023) Artificial Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds of Mobile Molecules Enhance Maturation of Human Stem Cell-Derived Neurons. Cell Stem Cell. 12 January 2023.

Ereifej ES, Smith CS, Meade S, Chen K, Capadona JR. (2017) The Neuroinflammatory Response to Nanopatterning Parallel Grooves into the Surface Structure of Intracortical Microelectrodes. Advanced Functional Materials. 04 December 2017.