Barker Lab
The Barker Laboratory within the Center for Regenerative Medicine is the primary research laboratory for the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The focus of the lab is wound healing and disorders of abnormal wound healing. These include projects related to excess scar formation (keloid disease), host interaction with biomaterials and basic biologic processes necessary for normal wound healing with a focus on endolysosomal biology. Projects span from those with predominantly basic-science focus to translational science and clinical research. There is an emphasis on technology commercialization in our lab and collaboration with industry where applicable. We work closely with other surgeon-scientist laboratories that include pediatric surgery and ENT surgeon-scientists within the Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Meet Our Team
Jenny Barker, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Barker’s dual appointment as a principal investigator within the Center for Regenerative Medicine and as a clinical physician in the Department of Plastic Surgery gives our lab the advantage of ready access to the bench-to-bedside continuum. Additionally, Dr. Barker is the director of the Nationwide Children’s Comprehensive Wound Care Center. Through this role, Dr. Barker facilitates innovative and collaborative translational science to benefit the unmet needs of wound care and plastic surgery patients.
Alex Vasko
Lab Manager
Alex.Vasko@NationwideChildrens.org
Alex joined the lab in August 2023 as the lab manager and a senior lab associate. He brings prior experience in medical device design and development, regulatory affairs and operations management. In addition to overseeing the lab's operations, he spearheads the translational science effort investigating local drug delivery mechanisms.
Catherine Kennedy
Research Assistant
Catherine.Kennedy@NationwideChildrens.org
Catherine joined the lab in September 2023 between her 3rd and 4th year of medical school. With broad interests from basic science to clinical research, Catherine leads the lab's quality improvement initiatives with the clinical Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department while facilitating cell culture experiments and in vitro testing of local drug delivery mechanisms.
Ayesha A. Qureshi, MD
Research Assistant
Ayesha.Qureshi@NationwideChildrens.org
Ayesha joined the lab in September 2023 between graduating medical school and starting residency. With interests in epidemiology and general surgery, Ayesha leads the lab's projects to identify the gaps in pediatric wound care and find where we can make the most significant impact.
Seraph Lin
Research Student
Seraphhanyin.Lin@NationwideChildrens.org
Seraph joined the lab in March of 2024 as a graduate student pursuing an MD/PhD at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on characterizing the Lysosomal Trafficking (LYST) protein, which has previously been shown to play a role in wound healing.
