Eric Shusta
· Howard Curler Distinguished ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison · Biomedical Engineering
Active 1998–2026
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About
Eric Shusta is the Howard Curler Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on overcoming the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to facilitate non-invasive delivery of pharmaceuticals to the brain for the treatment of neurological diseases. He investigates the properties of brain endothelial cells that form the BBB, as well as the neurovascular unit, which includes various cell types such as pericytes, astrocytes, and nerve terminals that contribute to BBB function. Shusta employs molecular engineering techniques to utilize endogenous transport mechanisms at the BBB, aiming to develop targeted drug delivery systems using antibodies linked to therapeutic cargo. His work also involves optimizing the production of therapeutic antibodies and proteins, as well as developing in vitro models of the BBB that mimic in vivo characteristics. These models are used for screening drug candidates and understanding BBB permeability, leveraging genomics, proteomics, and pluripotent stem cell technologies, including patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, to study BBB function in health and disease.
Research topics
- Neuroscience
- Biology
- Cell biology
- Medicine
- Pathology
- Biochemistry
- Computer Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computational biology
- Cancer research
Selected publications
Neuronal Activity Regulates Blood-Brain Barrier Efflux Transport through Endothelial Circadian Genes
Neuron · 2020 · 166 citations
Transcriptomic comparison of human and mouse brain microvessels
Scientific Reports · 2020 · 159 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingThe brain vasculature maintains brain homeostasis by tightly regulating ionic, molecular, and cellular transport between the blood and the brain parenchyma. These blood-brain barrier (BBB) properties are impediments to brain drug delivery, and brain vascular dysfunction accompanies many neurological disorders. The molecular constituents of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) and pericytes, which share a basement membrane and comprise the microvessel structure, remain incompletely chara…
Nature Medicine · 2021 · 145 citations
Commentary on human pluripotent stem cell-based blood–brain barrier models
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS · 2020 · 121 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingIn 2012, we provided the first published evidence that human pluripotent stem cells could be differentiated to cells exhibiting markers and phenotypes characteristic of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In the ensuing years, the initial protocols have been refined, and the research community has identified both positive and negative attributes of this stem cell-based BBB model system. Here, we give our perspective on the current status of these models and their use in the BBB community, as well as…
Small Science · 2023-11-08 · 27 citations
articleOpen accessYeast surface display (YSD) is a powerful tool in biotechnology that links genotype to phenotype. In this review, the latest advancements in protein engineering and high-throughput screening based on YSD are covered. The focus is on innovative methods for overcoming challenges in YSD in the context of biotherapeutic drug discovery and diagnostics. Topics ranging from titrating avidity in YSD using transcriptional control to the development of serological diagnostic assays relying on serum biopan…
Recent grants
NIH · $1.3M · 2011
Ligand-Actuated Fluorescent Protein Biosensors
NSF · $316k · 2010–2015
NIH · $1.8M · 2013
Frequent coauthors
- 70 shared
Sean P. Palecek
University of Wisconsin–Madison
- 54 shared
Elena Strekalova
- 54 shared
Carey K. Anders
- 54 shared
Karen Fritchie
Cleveland Clinic
- 54 shared
Bárbara Adamo
Hospital Clínic de Barcelona
- 54 shared
Vincent L. Cryns
University of Wisconsin–Madison
- 54 shared
Lisa A. Carey
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- 54 shared
Chad Livasy
Levine Cancer Institute
Awards & honors
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College o…
- Barriers of the CNS Gordon Conference, Keynote Lecture (2018…
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vilas Distinguished Achieve…
- American Chemical Society National Meeting BIOT Division, Ke…
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University…
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