Neuroengineering · Clinical research · Scientific communication

Curiosity.
Precision.
Human impact.

I’m Eric, a Penn neuroscience honors graduate working at the intersection of experimental research, medical devices, and clinical operations.

Explore my work Get in touch

I enjoy breaking difficult problems into manageable pieces, questioning assumptions, and helping teams move good ideas forward.

University of Pennsylvania
B.A. Neuroscience · Chemistry minor · Honors
Pennsylvania · Open to opportunities
8Concurrent cardiovascular device and pharmaceutical trials supported
$54KApproximately recovered in outstanding sponsor payments through reconciliation
First authorReview manuscript submitted to Biomaterials · August 2026
01 / Selected work

Science, with follow-through.

Experience across laboratory investigation, clinical trial execution, and the communication that makes complex research useful.

01

Engineering an innervated cardiac tissue model

Cullen Laboratory · Penn / VA Neurosurgery & CHOP
Honors thesis · 2025
Experimental research

Helped conceptualize and develop a tissue model integrating engineered sympathetic neural networks with aligned cardiomyocytes to study neurocardiac function and approaches to post-infarction repair.

My contribution

Combined scaffold fabrication, sterile cell culture, immunocytochemistry, confocal and scanning electron microscopy, and quantitative image analysis. Trained junior researchers and supported experimental quality as head undergraduate researcher.

Honors thesis: “Innervated Tissue-Engineered Cardiac Patch for Post-Myocardial Infarction Repair.” This is a research-stage construct; functional validation remains ongoing.

Eric handling a collector beside laboratory fabrication equipment.
Scaffold fabrication
Eric using a pipette at the laboratory bench.
At the bench
02

Keeping cardiovascular trials moving

Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
Main Line Health · June–November 2025
Clinical operations

Supported eight concurrent medical-device and pharmaceutical trials, including Boston Scientific’s ACURATE IDE TAVR study and structural-heart programs sponsored by Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences.

My contribution

Maintained source documentation, EDC/eCRF data, adverse-event records, study files, patient scheduling, and sponsor correspondence. Reconciled study activity against payment records and worked with a sponsor to recover approximately $54,000 in outstanding payments.

03

Connecting innervation and human disease models

First-author review manuscript
Submitted to Biomaterials · August 2026
Scientific writing

Led a review integrating neuroscience, biomaterials, and tissue engineering to examine how engineered disease models reproduce interactions between nerves and peripheral tissues.

Scope & contribution

Synthesized literature across soluble signaling, physical integration, and neuroimmune interactions; developed scientific figures and a mechanistic framework; and incorporated coauthor feedback into the manuscript.

The manuscript has been submitted and is not yet accepted or published.

02 / Experience

Across the research continuum.

My background connects hands-on neuroengineering with human research, data organization, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
June–November 2025 · Main Line Health

Clinical Research Assistant · Contract

Coordinated documentation, data entry, study tracking, and sponsor communication across competing clinical trial priorities.

Cullen Laboratory
March 2022–May 2025 · Penn / VA / CHOP

Research Assistant & Head Undergraduate Researcher

Developed tissue-engineered constructs, executed and refined experimental protocols, analyzed imaging data, and trained junior researchers.

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
2021–2024 · Neurosurgery · John Yoon, MD

Clinical Research Assistant

Supported postoperative outcomes tracking and data analysis for neurosurgical and spinal procedures, and contributed to a wearable-based application for monitoring recovery.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2021–2024 · Elizabeth Lowenthal, MD

Research Assistant · Pediatric HIV Neurocognitive Research

Analyzed research data and contributed to assessment tools for low-resource clinical settings. Supported data organization and web development for an international research program.

03 / Methods & tools

Clinical research

Medidata Rave · REDCap · Epic · Clario
Source documentation, eCRFs, adverse-event tracking, study records, patient scheduling, and sponsor communication.

Experimental research

Cell culture · Immunocytochemistry · Confocal microscopy · SEM
Electrospinning, 3D printing, scaffold fabrication, cryosectioning, and tissue harvesting.

Scientific communication

Literature synthesis · Quantitative image analysis · Scientific figures
Protocol development, manuscript preparation, presentations, and researcher training.

Eric Muthersbaugh in graduation attire.
04 / Perspective

A little about me

Persistent about the goal.
Flexible about the approach.

Research has taught me to distinguish persistence from attachment to a particular method. When something isn’t working, I look at the assumptions, break the problem down, and ask what can change.

I’m interested in teams that bring scientific rigor, practical problem-solving, and a commitment to improving people’s lives to the same table.

Education & recognition

University of Pennsylvania

B.A. in Neuroscience, minor in Chemistry
Graduated with honors · May 2025

  • Oral presentation, Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting, 2024
  • Penn Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Symposium presentations, 2022–2025
  • Santirocco College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant, 2022

Leadership includes the Penn Neuroscience Society, Penn Dance Marathon, and Camp Kesem fundraising, contributing to a $70,000+ campaign.

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