Silviya Petrova Zustiak, Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Chair; Co-Director, Institute of Drug and Biotherapeutic Innovation at SLU
Biomedical Engineering
Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biophysics at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County
(UMBC)
B.S./M.S. in Bioelectrical Engineering, Technical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Research Interests
Zustiak鈥檚 primary research interests are in hydrogel biomaterials and tissue engineering, with emphasis on developing novel biomaterials as cell scaffolds and drug screening platforms, and elucidating matrix structure-property relationships as well as cell-matrix interactions. Biomaterial-based models are crucial for bridging the gap between traditional tissue culture and animal models by providing a cell environment that closely mimics real tissue. Dr. Zustiak also develops bioresorbable and injectable hydrogel and nanocomposite formulations as sustained release drug delivery devices. Her research is highly multidisciplinary, merging the fields of engineering, materials science, and biology.
Labs and Facilities
Publications and Media Placements
1. D. Shakiba, *G. Genin, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淢echanobiology of cancer cell responsiveness to drug and immunotherapy: mechanistic insights and biomaterial platforms鈥�, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 2023, 196, 114771 (IF: 17.873)
2. #J. Bruns, T. Egan, P. Mercier, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淕lioblastoma spheroid growth and chemotherapeutic responses in single and dual-stiffness hydrogels鈥�, Acta Biomaterialia, 2023, 163, 400-414 (IF: 10.633)
3. #M. Khachani, #S, Stealey, #E. Dharmesh, M. S. Kader, S. Buckner, P. Jelliss, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淪ilicate Clay-Hydrogel Nanoscale Composites for Sustained Delivery of Small Molecules鈥�, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2022, 5 (12) 18940鈥�18954 (IF: 6.140)
4. #A. Clancy, D. Chen, #J. Bruns, #J. Nadella, #S. Stealey, Y. Zhang, *A. Timperman, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淗ydrogel-based microfluidic device with multiplexed 3D in vitro cell culture鈥�, Scientific Reports, 2022, 12(1), 1-13 (IF: 4.379)
5. #S. Sheth, #S. Stealey, *N. Y. Morgan, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淢icrofluidic Chip Device for in situ Mixing and Fabrication of Hydrogel Microspheres via Michael-Type Addition鈥�, Langmuir, 2021, 37(40), 11793鈥�11803 (IF: 3.882)
6. Z. Ghassemi, #S. Ruesing (co-first), *J. B. Leach, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淪tability and Structure of Lysozyme Encapsulated in Michael-Type Addition Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels鈥�, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2021, 118(12), 4840-4853 (IF: 4.530)
7. #S. Stealey, A. Gaharwar, N. Pozzi, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淒evelopment of Nanosilicate-Hydrogel Composites for Sustained Delivery of Charged Biopharmaceutics鈥�, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2021, 13(24), 27880鈥�27894 (IF: 10.383)
8. #L. Hill, #J. Bruns, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淗ydrogel matrix presence and composition influences drug responses of encapsulated glioblastoma spheroids鈥�, Acta Biomaterialia, 2021, 132, 437-447 (IF: 10.633)
9. #E. Jain, #A. Blanco, N. Chinzei, L.J. Sandell, N. Case, S.A. Sell, *M.F. Rai, *S.P. Zustiak, 鈥淪ustained-released platelet-rich plasma from polyethylene glycol hydrogels exerts beneficial effects on chondrocytes鈥�, Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2019, 37 (11), 2401-2410 (IF: 3.102)
10. #M. Imaninezhad, #L. Hill, G. Kolar, #K. Vogt, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淭emplated hydrogels for spheroid and aggregate cell culture鈥�, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2019, 30, 34-46 (IF: 6.069)
11. #M. Imaninezhad, K Pemberton, F. Xu, #K. Kalinowski, #R. Berra, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淒irected and enhanced neurite outgrowth following exogenous electrical stimulation on carbon nanotube-hydrogel composites鈥�, Journal of Neural Engineering, 2018, 15(5), 056034 (IF: 5.043)
12. #S. Syed, J. Schober, #A. Blanco, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淢orphological adaptations in breast cancer cells as a function of prolonged passaging on compliant substrates鈥�, Plos One, 2017, 12(11), e0187853 (IF: 3.752)
13. #A. S. Qayyum, #E. Jain, G. Kolar, Y. Kim, S. Sell, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淒esign of electrohydrodynamic sprayed polyethylene glycol hydrogel microspheres for cell encapsulation鈥�, Biofabrication, 2017, 9(2), 025019 (IF: 11.061)
14. #E. Jain, #L. Hill, #E. Canning, *S. Sell, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淐ontrol of gelation, degradation and physical properties of polyethylene glycol hydrogels through the chemical and physical identity of the crosslinker鈥�, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2017, 5, 2679-2691 (IF: 7.571)
15. P. Donovan, #Y. Chehreghanianzabi, *M. Rathinam, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淗omogenization theory for the prediction of obstructed solute diffusivity in polymer solutions鈥�, PlosOne, 2016, 11(1), e0146093 (IF: 3.752)
16. #K. Shah, #D. Vasileva, #A. Karadaghy, *S. P. Zustiak, 鈥淒evelopment and characterization of polyethylene glycol-carbon nanotube hydrogel composite鈥�, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2015, 3, 7950-7962 (IF: 7.571)
17. S. P. Zustiak, R. Nossal, *D. Sackett, 鈥淗indered Diffusion in Polymeric Solutions Studied by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy鈥�, Biophysical Journal, 2011, 101, 255-264 (IF: 4.033)
18. S. P. Zustiak, *J. B. Leach, 鈥淗ydrolytically Degradable Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel Scaffolds with Tunable Degradation and Mechanical Properties鈥�, Biomacromolecules, 2010, 11, 1348-1357 (IF: 6.978)
19. S. P. Zustiak, H. Boukari, *J. B. Leach, 鈥淪olute Diffusion and Interactions in Cross-linked Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels Studied by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy鈥�, Soft Matter, 2010, 6, 3609-3618 (IF: 4.046)
20. S. P. Zustiak, R. Durbal, *J. B. Leach, 鈥淚nfluence of Cell-adhesive Peptide Ligands on Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel Physical, Mechanical and Transport Properties鈥�, Acta Biomaterialia, 2010, 6, 3404-3414 (IF: 10.633)
Honors and Awards
2019 Keynote speaker, Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Engineering Science,
St Louis, MO
2018 Saint Louis University Scholarly Works Award for a junior faculty member (1 awarded
per year)
2015 Outstanding Parks Graduate Faculty Award, 天美传媒制片厂, St Louis, MO
2011 Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE), NIH