Darja Marolt, PhD
Group Leader at Ludwig Botzmann Institute, Austria
2007 NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellow Alumna
PhD, University of Ljublijana, Slovenia
Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University
Bio
Dr. Marolt made progress towards understanding the specific conditions required for stem cells to become bone cells. She found that seeding the stem cells on a defined template, such as a scaffold that resembles actual human bone, and cultivating the cells in conditions that allow nutrients to reach all cells, and using mechanical stimuli, uniform pieces of bone tissue up to 5mm large could be formed. This was as significant advancement for the field. Her work could provide the foundation for the development of customized bone grafts for individual patients. She continues her work in her current independent position. Dr. Marolt completed her postdoctoral studies at Columbia in Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic’s lab.