This study compares sutureless Nerve Tape with microsuturing for peripheral nerve repair in pigs, finding improved distal motor recovery with Nerve Tape.

bioRxiv · Aug 4, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience

Boldine inhibits SARM1 NADase Activity and Preserves Axonal Integrity After Nerve Injury

Justin C. Burrell, Tomisin T. Latona, Henry A. Garcia, David R. Clizbe, Mykhailo M. Tatarchuk, Liwen Zhou, Carlos A. Toro, Alexa N. Olivarez, Phuong Vy Nguyen, Cathy Z. Yang, George D. Bittner, Christopher P. Cardozo, D. Kacy Cullen

bioRxiv · Jul 30, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience

Increased CD3 Immunoreactive Cells Persist Chronically in the Brain Parenchyma in Association with Focal Cortical Contusion following Experimental TBI

Kristen D Esannason Munroe, Alexandra V. Ulyanova, Rebecca Donahue, John D. Arena, D. Kacy Cullen, Douglas H. Smith, William Stewart, Victoria E. Johnson, John A. Wolf

This study shows that T-cell infiltration persists chronically in the brain after focal cortical contusion in swine, but not with inertial injury, suggesting an adaptive immune response to TBI.

bioRxiv · Feb 15, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience

Astrocyte Transcriptomics in a Three-Dimensional Tissue-Engineered Rostral Migratory Stream

Michael R. Grovola, Erin M. Purvis, Andrés D. Garcia-Epelboim, Elizabeth N. Krizman, John C. O’Donnell, D. Kacy Cullen

This study compares transcriptomes of tissue-engineered RMS astrocytes with planar astrocytes, identifying 4008 differentially expressed genes and cytoskeleton-related enrichment.

Cells · Oct 22, 2025Peer-reviewedBioengineering

Hippocampal Interneuronal Dysfunction and Hyperexcitability in a Porcine Model of Concussion

Alexandra V. Ulyanova, Christopher D. Adam, Carlo Cottone, Nikhil Maheshwari, Michael R. Grovola, Oceane Fruchet, Jami Alamar, Paul F. Koch, Victoria E. Johnson, D. Kacy Cullen, John A. Wolf

This study examines electrophysiological changes in hippocampal neurons and their subtypes in a porcine model of concussion, finding altered properties in interneurons and hyperexcitability in pyramidal neurons.

Communications Biology · Nov 9, 2023Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Relationships between biomechanical parameters, neurological recovery, and neuropathology following concussion in swine

Kathryn L. Wofford, Michael R. Grovola, Dayo O. Adewole, Kevin D. Browne, Mary E. Putt, John C. O’Donnell, D. Kacy Cullen

This study examines the relationship between biomechanical parameters, neurological recovery, and neuropathology in swine following concussion, finding correlations between injury kinematics and recovery outcomes.

bioRxiv · Feb 9, 2021 · PreprintNeuroscience

A Porcine Model of Peripheral Nerve Injury Enabling Ultra-Long Regenerative Distances: Surgical Approach, Recovery Kinetics, and Clinical Relevance

Justin C. Burrell, Kevin D. Browne, John L Dutton, Franco A. Laimo, Suradip Das, Daniel P. Brown, Sanford E. Roberts, Dmitriy Petrov, Zarina Sultana Ali, Harry C. Ledebur, Joseph M. Rosen, Hilton M. Kaplan, John A. Wolf, Douglas H. Smith, H Isaac Chen, D. Kacy Cullen

This paper describes a porcine model for studying long-distance peripheral nerve regeneration, focusing on surgical techniques and outcomes for ultra-long regenerative distances.

Neurosurgery · Mar 10, 2020Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Multichannel Silicon Probes for Awake Hippocampal Recordings in Large Animals

Alexandra V. Ulyanova, Carlo Cottone, Christopher D. Adam, Kimberly G. Gagnon, D. Kacy Cullen, Tahl Holtzman, Brian G. Jamieson, Paul F. Koch, Huimin Chen, Victoria E. Johnson, John A. Wolf

This study evaluates multichannel silicon probes for chronic electrophysiological recordings in large animals, finding that probe cross-sectional area and design affect single-unit performance and long-term viability.

Frontiers in Neuroscience · Apr 26, 2019Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Electrophysiological Signature Reveals Laminar Structure of the Porcine Hippocampus

Alexandra V. Ulyanova, Paul F. Koch, Carlo Cottone, Michael R. Grovola, Christopher D. Adam, Kevin D. Browne, Maura T. Weber, Robin J. Russo, Kimberly G. Gagnon, Douglas H. Smith, Han-Chiao Isaac Chen, Victoria E. Johnson, D. Kacy Cullen, John A. Wolf

The paper characterizes the laminar structure of the porcine hippocampus using histology and electrophysiology, finding features similar to both rodents and primates.

eNeuro · Sep 1, 2018Peer-reviewedNeuroscience

Cardiac myocyte microtissue aggregates broadcast local field potentials

Mijail D. Serruya, Suradip Das, Kritika S. Katiyar, Laura A. Struzyna, Justin C. Burrell, D. Kacy Cullen

This study shows that cardiac myocyte aggregates can broadcast detectable field potentials to distant electrodes, acting as amplifiers and low-pass filters.

bioRxiv · Jul 25, 2018 · PreprintBioengineering