Randolph S. Ashton, PhD
Position title: Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering & Wisconsin Institute of Discovery; Associate Director, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center
Email: rashton2@wisc.edu
Phone: 608-316-4312
News Releases:
- Ashton Group continues research into causes of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, 25 October 2017
- $20 Million NSF Award will fund creation of Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies, 12 September 2017
- Spinal tissue in a dish grant WKOW Wake Up Wisconsin (Video) 15 May 2017
- Ashton Lab Funded to Engineer a Human Spinal Cord, 10 March 2017
- Researchers aim to broaden understanding of how toxins affect the body, 25 March 2015
- A shift in stem cell research, 10 January 2014
- The language of stem cells, decoded; 26 September 2012
More information:
Other affiliations:
- Investigator, Waisman Center
- Faculty, Material Science Program
- Faculty, Neuroscience Training Program
Research Description:
In the Stem Cell Bioprocessing and Regenerative Biomaterials Laboratory, we endeavor to engineer novel materials and methodologies that optimally instruct lineage-specific differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in a reproducible and scalable manner. Our lab employs a range of techniques including microfabrication, molecular biology, recombinant protein engineering, synthetic chemistry, and automated live-cell imaging to develop high-throughput screening methods for investigating the quantitative, temporal, and nano-scale qualitative characteristics of cellular microenvironmental factors that regulate stem cell fate in vivo. Our goal is to understand, model, and recapitulate in vitro the instructive signals utilized by human embryos to pattern tissue-specific differentiation of embryonic stem cells, and apply this knowledge towards the rational design of tissue engineer scaffolds and other regenerative therapeutic strategies.
Our research is highly interdisciplinary with topics ranging from novel biomaterials to stem cell biology. We currently specialize in developing regenerative therapies for the central and peripheral nervous systems. However, we actively seek collaborations and look to expand into other systems, including vascular and muscular tissues.
Featured Researcher in Fall 2011 SCRMC Newsletter
Selected References:
- GT Knight, BF Lundin, N Iyer, LMT Ashton, WA Sethares, RM Willett, Engineering induction of singular neural rosette emergence within hPSC-derived tissues … Elife 7, e37549
- K Lemke, A Aghayee, RS Ashton (2017), Deriving, Regenerating, And Engineering Cns Tissues Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells, Current Opinion In Biotechnology, [Doi:10.1016/J.Copbio.2017.05.010].
- CR Marti-Figueroa, RS Ashton (2017), The Case For Applying Tissue Engineering Methodologies To .nstruct Human Organoid Morphogenesis, Acta Biomaterialia, [Doi:10.1016/J.Actbio.2017.03.023].
- ES Lippmann, CE Williams, DA Ruhl, MC Estevez-Silva, ER Chapman, JJ Coon, RS Ashton (2015), Deterministic Hox Patterning In Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neuroectoderm, Stem Cell Reports, 4(4): 632-44.