Publications from Willits Lab

48. Chan YM*, Hu Y*, Judge NG, Willits RK, Becker ML. Directional guidance of male and female Schwann cells using immobilized YIGSR gradients on aligned fiber scaffolds. In submission, 2025.

47. Gomez-Maldonado D, Shovmer R, Inman DM, Willits RK. Brain activation following flexible stimulation paradigms of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) in a murine model of glaucoma. Experimental Eye Research. 2025;255:110326. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2025.110326.

46. Yazdani, Y., R.K. Willits. Laminin-511 Engagement of Integrin α6β1 Retains Neural Stem Cell Potency. In revision, 2024.

45. Hu, Y.*, Y.M. Chan*, N.G. Judge, M.L. Becker, R.K. Willits. Sex-based Differences in Cell Migration on Aligned Topographies. Scientific Reports. 2025. PMID: 40775422, PMCID: PMC12331958, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-13450-0

44. Chan YM, Judge NG, Hu Y, Willits RK, Li N, Becker ML. Review of Gaps in the Clinical Indications and Use of Neural Conduits and Artificial Grafts for Nerve Repair and Reconstruction. Biomacromolecules. 2025. Epub 20250625. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5c00558. PubMed PMID: 40562739.

43. Cavanaugh, M. and R.K. Willits. Mechanotransductive N-Cadherin Binding Induces Differentiation in Human Neural Stem Cells. Mechanobiology in Medicine. 2024. DOI: j.mbm.2024.100099.

42. Hu, Y., M.L. Becker, and R.K. Willits. Quantification of cell migration: metrics selection to model application. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. Volume 11, 2023. 

41. Yazdani, N., Willits, R.K. Mimicking the Neural Stem Cell Niche: An Engineer’s View of Cell: Material Interactions. Frontiers in Chemical Engineering. Volume 3, 2022.

40. Cavanaugh M, Asheghali D, Motta CM, Silantyeva E, Nikam SP, Becker ML, Willits RK. Influence of Touch-Spun Nanofiber Diameter on Contact Guidance during Peripheral Nerve Repair. Biomacromolecules. 2022 Jun 13;23(6):2635-2646. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00379.

39. Mulvany, Emily,  Sara McMahan, Jiazhu Xu, Narges Yazdani, Rebecca Willits, Jun Liao, Ge Zhang, Yi Hong. In vitro comparison of harvesting site effects on cardiac extracellular matrix hydrogels. Journal of Biomedical Materials, Part A. 2021,  https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37184

38. Koh GP, Fouad C, Lanzinger W, and Willits RK Effect of intraoperative electrical stimulation on recovery after rat sciatic nerve isograft repair, Neurotrauma Reports (2020) 1:1, 181–191, DOI:10.1089/neur.2020.0049.

37. Jassim, A.H., Cavanaugh, M., Shah, J.S. et al. Transcorneal Electrical Stimulation Reduces Neurodegenerative Process in a Mouse Model of Glaucoma. Ann Biomed Eng (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-020-02608-8 

36. Elena A. Silantyeva, Rebecca K. Willits, and Matthew L. Becker. Postfabrication Tethering of Molecular Gradients on Aligned Nanofibers of Functional Poly(ε-caprolactone)s. Biomacromolecules 2019 20 (12), 4494-4501. DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01264 

35. Cecilia M. M. Motta, Kevin J. Endres, Chrys Wesdemiotis, Rebecca K. Willits, Matthew L. Becker. Enhancing Schwann Cell Migration Using Concentration Gradients of Laminin Derived-peptides. Biomaterials, 218(2019): 119335.

34. Cavanaugh, McKay, Elena Silantyeva, Galina Pylypiv Koh, Elham Malekzadeh, William Lanzinger, Rebecca Willits, Matthew Becker. RGD-modified nanofibers enhance functional outcomes in rats after sciatic nerve injury. Biomimetic Materials for Regenerative Medicine; Journal of Functional Materials. 2019. Download Published Manuscript.

33. Philip, Diana L., Elena A. Silantyeva, Matthew L. Becker, and Rebecca K. Willits. RGD-Functionalized Nanofibers Increase Early GFAP Expression during Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Biomacromolecules 2019 20 (3), 1443-1454. 

32.Silantyeva, Elena A., Wafaa Nasir, Jacqueline Carpenter, Olivia Manahan, Matthew L. Becker, Rebecca K. Willits. Accelerated Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells on Aligned GYIGSR-functionalized Nanofibers. Acta Biomaterialia, 2018. Download Accepted Manuscript.

31.Zhou, W., J.M. Stukel, A. AlNiemi, and R.K. Willits. Novel microgel-based scaffolds to study the effect of degradability on human dermal fibroblasts. Biomedical Materials, 2018. Download Accepted Manuscript.

30.Jessica M. Stukel and Rebecca Kuntz Willits. The interplay of peptide affinity and scaffold stiffness on neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells. Biomedical Materials. 2018. Download Accepted Manuscript.

29.Synder, Sarah, Carlisle Dejuilius and Rebecca Willits. Electrical stimulation increases random migration of human dermal fibroblasts. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 2017. Download Accepted Manuscript.

28.Renna, J.M., J.M. Stukel, E.D. Engeberg and R. K. Willits. Dorsal root ganglia neurite outgrowth measured as a function of changes in microelectrode array resistance. PLoS ONE. 12(4):  e0175550.

27.Exner, A.A., and Rebecca Willits. Image-Guided Development of Biomaterials: Enabling Technologies Shaping and Expediting the Future of Materials in Medicine. 44: 619. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. April 2016. Download Accepted Manuscript.

26.Stukel, J.M., and Rebecca Willits. Mechanotransduction of Neural Cells through Cell-Substrate Interactions. Tissue Engineering, Part B. 22(3): 173-182, May 2016.

25.Zhou, W., J.M. Stukel, H.L. Cebull, and R.K. Willits. Tuning the mechanical properties of poly(ethylene glycol) microgel-based scaffold to increase 3D Schwann cell proliferation. Macromolecular Bioscience, 16(4): 535–544, April 2016.  Download Accepted Manuscript.

24.Stukel, J.M., M. Goss, H. Zhou, W. Zhou, R.K. Willits, A.A. Exner. Development of a High-Throughput Ultrasound Technique for the Analysis of Tissue Engineering Constructs. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 44(3): 793–802, March 2016.  Download Accepted Manuscript.

23.Adams, R., R.K. Willits, A.B. Harkins. Computational Modeling of Neurons: Intensity-Duration Relationship of Extracellular Electrical Stimulation for Changes in Intracellular Calcium. Journal of Neurophysiology, 115(1): 602-616, January 2016.  Download Accepted Manuscript.

22.Kumar, P.J., R.D. Adams, A.B. Harkins, E. Engeberg, and R.K. Willits. Stimulation frequency alters dorsal root ganglion neurite growth and directionality in vitro. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 63(6): 1257-1268. June 2016. Download Accepted Manuscript.

21.Zheng, J., D. Kontoveros, F. Lin, G. Hua, D.H. Reneker, M. Becker, and R.K. Willits. Enhanced Schwann Cell Attachment and Alignment using One-pot Dual Click GRGDS and YIGSR Derivitized Nanofibers. Biomacromolecules. 16(1):357–363, 2015. DOI: 10.1021/bm501552t

20.Calvey, C., W. Zhou, K.S. Stakleff, P. Sendelbach-Sloan, A.B. Harkins, W. Lanzinger, R.K. Willits. Short Term Electrical Stimulation to Promote Nerve Repair and Functional Recovery. Journal of Hand Surgery. 40(2):314-22, 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.10.002. Download Accepted Manuscript.

19.Kobelt, L.J., A.E. Wilkinson, A.M. McCormick, R.K. Willits, and N.D. Leipzig. Short Duration Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and Maturation of Adult Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 40(10): 2164-2176, 2014.

18.Stukel, Jessica, Susan Thompson, Laurent Simon, and Rebecca Kuntz Willits. Polyethlyene Glycol Microgels as Delivery Vehicles for Bioactive Release of Nerve Growth Factor. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A. 103A(2): 604-613, 2015. doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.35209 Download Accepted Manuscript.

17.Adams, Robert D., Sara R. Rendell, Lauren French, Jason B. Papke, Rebecca K. Willits, and Amy B. Harkins. Electrical and Neurotrophin Enhancement of Neurite Outgrowth within a 3D Collagen Scaffold. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 42(6):1282-91, 2014. 

16.Simon, Laurent, J. Ospina, R.K. Willits. A Note on the Dynamics of Shrinking and Expanding Drug-Loaded Microspheres. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 58:55-62, 2014.

15.Thompson, S., J. Stukel, A. Al Niemi, and R.K. Willits. Characteristics of precipitation-formed polyethylene glycol microgels are controlled by molecular weight of reactants. JoVE, 2013.

14.Swindle-Reilly, K., J.B. Papke, H.P. Kutosky, A. Throm, J.A. Hammer, A.B. Harkins, and R.K. Willits. The Impact of Laminin on 3D Neurite Extension in Collagen Gels. Journal of Neural Engineering. 9(4): 046007, 2012. Download Accepted Manuscript.

13.Zhou, W., M. Blewitt, A. Hobgood, and R.K. Willits. Comparison of neurite growth in three dimensional natural and synthetic hydrogels. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition. 24(3): 301-314, 2013. Download Accepted Manuscript.

12.Scott, R.A., D.L. Elbert and R.K.Willits. Modular poly(ethylene glycol) scaffolds provide the ability to decouple the effects of stiffness and protein concentration on PC12 cells. Acta Biomaterialia, 7(11): 3841-3849. 2011. Download Accepted Manuscript.

11.Marquardt, L. and R.K. Willits. Neurite growth in PEG gels: effect of mechanical stiffness and laminin concentration. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A. 98A: 1-6, 2011. Download Accepted Manuscript.

10.Flake, M M., P.K. Nguyen, R.A. Scott, L.R. Vandiver, R.K. Willits, and D.L. Elbert. Poly(ethylene glycol) microparticles produced by precipitation polymerization in aqueous solution. Biomacromolecules. 12(3):844-850. 2011. 

9.Scott, R.A. and R.K. Willits. “Future applications of injectable biomaterials: use of microgels as modular injectable scaffolds” in Injectable Biomaterials. Edited by Brent Vernon. 2010. Download Accepted Manuscript.

8.Scott, R.A., L. Marquardt, and R.K. Willits. Characterization of poly(ethylene glycol) gels with added collagen for neural tissue engineering. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A. 93A: 817- 823, 2010. Download Accepted Manuscript.

7.Scott, E.A., M.D. Nichols, R.K. Willits, and D.L. Elbert. Modular scaffolds assembled around living cells using poly(ethylene glycol) microspheres with macroporation via a non-cytotoxic porogen. Acta Biomaterialia. 6(1): 29-38. 2010.

6.Wood, M.D. and R.K. Willits. Applied electric field enhances DRG neurite growth: influence of stimulation media, surface coating and growth supplements. Journal of Neural Engineering. 6(4): 046003. 2009. Download Accepted Manuscript.

5.Johnson, P.J., S.E. Stabenfeldt, S.L. Skornia, and R.K. Willits. Maintaining bioactivity of NGF for controlled release from PLGA using PEG. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A. 86(2): 420-7. 2008. Download Accepted Manuscript.

4.Blewitt, M.J. and R.K. Willits. The effect of soluble peptide sequences on neurite extension on 2D collagen substrates and within 3D collagen gels. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 35(12): 2159-2167. 2007. Download Accepted Manuscript.

3.Skornia, S.L., J.G. Bledsoe, B. Kelso, and R.K. Willits. Mechanical properties of layered poly(ethylene glycol) gels. Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Biomechanics. 5(2): 176-183. 2007. Download Accepted Manuscript.

2.Wood, M. and R.K. Willits. Short duration DC electric stimulation increases DRG neurite outgrowth. Bioelectromagnetics. 27(4):328-31. May 2006. Download Accepted Manuscript.

1.Willits, R.K. and S.L. Skornia. Effect of collagen gel stiffness on neurite extension. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition. 15(12): 1521-1531. Download Accepted Manuscript.