Follow Us

Menu
Log in
Log in

Silviya Zustiak

Linked to Tavis, John
 

Member profile details

Membership level
Drug Discovery Center
First name
Silviya
Last name
Zustiak
Degree(s)
  • PhD
Job Title
Professor & Associate Chair
Organization
Saint Louis University
Department
Biomedical Engineering
City
St. Louis
State / Province
Missouri
Country
United States
DDC Logo avatar
DDC Website URL
slu.edu/idbi
DDC Affliliation(s)
Saint Louis University
DDC Center / Program Name
SLU Institute for Drug and Biotherapeutic Innovation
DDC Center / Program Description
The Saint Louis University Institute for Drug and Biotherapeutic Innovation leverages the expertise of 100+ members in medicine, biology, engineering, computational and applied chemistry to discover, develop and translate new medical therapies.

As a decentralized, collaborative institute, we provide:
1. Education to our members and students on drug discovery and development,
2. Drug discovery consultations, seed grants, and other tools to members to advance translational projects
3. Facilitate intra and inter-institutional translational collaborations.

The IDBI operates physical and virtual service cores to provide access to key drug development steps such as assay development, compound screening/counter screening, ADME/PK, and medicinal chemistry drug optimization. The broader SLU research community also offers access to world class vivarium facilities, and world leaders in vaccine and therapeutic clinical trials through the Center for Vaccine Development.

As an academic-based drug discovery institute, IDBI educates students at all levels of their career. IDBI members teach classes, mentor students, and welcome both graduate and undergraduate students into their labs, expanding classroom education into real-world research experience.
DDC Director Name
John Tavis
DDC Co-Director Name
Silviya Zustiak, Marv Meyers, John Walker, Blythe Janowiak, Fran Sverdrup
Year Established
2017
Employees in Program
70+
Therapeutic Approaches
  • Antibodies
  • Biologics
  • Biomarkers
  • Drug Delivery
  • Drug Devices
  • Small Molecules
  • Vaccines
Therapeutic Areas of Focus
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Neurological Disorders
  • Oncology
  • Pain
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Virology
  • Other
Funding Source Types
  • Federal/State
  • Foundation
  • Internal
  • NIH
  • Philanthropy
Current Project Description
Zustiak’s 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.

Contact us

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software