About the Hofstetter Lab team

Christoph Hofstetter, M.D., Ph.D., is a physician scientist in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington. Dr. Hofstetter earned his M.D. from University of Vienna, and Ph.D. at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. 

Dr. Hofstetter is an expert in experimental and translational spinal cord injury research. His research focuses on the development on biomarkers for prognosis and treatment guidance following acute spinal cord injury. Together with his collaborator Dr. Matt Bruce, his laboratory has developed a novel type of contrast-enhanced ultrasound which allows to visualize specific segments of the vascular tree. This innovative imaging modality allows his laboratory to assess the impact of trauma on local tissue perfusion. Dr. Hofstetter also investigates the use of stem cells and specialized polymers to improve recovery following acute spinal cord injury. His research also includes the use of transcutaneous electrical stimulation with both preclinical and clinical trials in close collaboration with Drs. Moritz and Perlmutter. Dr. Hofstetter is former chairman of the Section of Spinal cord Injury of the North American Spine Society and serves as Associate Member of the AO Spinal cord injury knowledge forum.

Lindsay received her Bachelors of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.  During and after college she spent time tutoring college-level biology and English courses. She came to the Hofstetter lab from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.  There she worked for a behavioral testing and surgical core facility. In the Hofstetter lab, she puts her experience in rodent behavior and microsurgery to work, but also keeps the lab running smoothly as the lab manager. She enjoys cooking, fishing, and movie trivia.

Ali earned his Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering, which he worked in the field of tissue engineering and mostly focused on neural regeneration. He developed conductive nanofibrous scaffold to modulate neural cell behaviour and promote regeneration in combination with in vitro electrical stimulation.

He has extensive experience with the design and fabrication of bioengineering tools such as biomaterial and bio-scaffolds for tissue engineering and controlled release targeted drug delivery. Also, he previously worked with neurosurgery groups to alleviate symptoms of patients with Neurological Disorder using Deep Brain Stimulation and Spinal Cord Stimulation. In his current role, he is expanding his knowledge and experiences to the in vivo model by developing closed-loop stimulation in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) to provide functional recovery after SCI.

Pia is a second year orthopedic, trauma and spine surgical resident from Cologne, Germany. She graduated Medical School in 2022 and was a registered Scrub Nurse specialized in spine surgeries. Pia joined the Hofstetter Lab in the end of 2023 as a postdoctoral research scholar to expand her knowledge in the research field and especially in the field of spinal cord injury and investigate neuroprotective treatments. She really enjoys working in an international team with all the different personalities and individual backgrounds. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities (which is a lot of fun in the vicinity of Seattle) and going to concerts.

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Kosuke Sugiura, MD, PhD, is a visiting scholar from Japan in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington. Dr. Sugiura graduated from Tokushima University Faculty of Medicine in Japan and subsequently trained as an orthopedic surgeon. He earned his Ph.D from the School of Medical Nutrition at the same university, where he conducted research on energy metabolism related to skeletal muscle atrophy.

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Dr. Sugiura currently specializes in spine and spinal cord disorders resulting from various conditions, including trauma, degenerative diseases, and tumors. He focuses particularly on minimally invasive spine surgeries and the treatment of non-specific low back pain.

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At the University of Washington, Dr. Sugiura is studying various endoscopic spine surgeries. He is also conducting clinical research on physical therapy for intractable limb spasticity associated with myelopathy in Japan and is interested in the basic research conducted here on electrical stimulation therapy for limb spasticity associated with spinal cord injury.

Cathryn is a clinical research coordinator that has been working with the Hofstetter Lab since 2023. She most recently graduated with her Master of Science in Epidemiology from Columbia University. Prior to this, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in community health sciences from the University of Nevada, Reno. One of her many important tasks is to recruit participants for studies as well as ensure the studies are compliant with human subject regulations.

Nguyen recently joined the Hofstetter lab as a research coordinator, transitioning from his previous role as Chief Medical Scribe at Good Samaritan Emergency Department. At Pacific Lutheran University, he earned a BS in Biology in May 2023, concurrently holding leadership positions in medical and humanities societies, specifically as president of the pre-health club and International Peer Advisor.  Nguyen finds great fulfillment in his role as a research coordinator, particularly in obtaining patient consent and performing spinal injury testing because it allows him to connect with patients on a deeper level. He hopes to become a compassionate physician specializing in procedure-based disciplines such as surgery, aiming to improve patient quality of life and satisfaction. Beyond his professional endeavors, Nguyen's interests include cycling, hiking, singing, volunteering, playing chess, bowling, and racing RC cars.

Eliana is an undergraduate in the class of 2025 at the University of Washington where she is majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Neural Computation and Engineering. She is very interested in brain-computer interface technology, especially in the realm of neurorehabilitation. Currently, she is investigating the effects of closed-loop stimulation on functional recovery following spinal cord injury in a rodent model. Outside of lab, she can often be found in the rock climbing gym.

Isabella is a UW undergraduate student in the class of 2024, majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Chemistry. Intrinsically, her thirst for knowledge about the spinal cord, and the ways in which the body is able to communicate with itself, is the driving factor for her passion in lab. Extrinsically, she wishes to gain invaluable research and laboratory experience for medical school and her interest in Neurological Surgery. She is currently working on the development of cuff electrodes for nerve implantation for paired use-dependent movement and neuromodulation therapies to relieve spasticity after SCI in rodent models. Isabella enjoys teaching STEM principles to young minds, while also instructing in the Martial Art of Taekwondo.

Erica joined the lab in March of 2024 and is an undergraduate in the class of 2025 at the University of Washington, majoring in biology on the pre-med track. She is fascinated by the intricate relationship between the brain and spinal cord and has experience shadowing rehabilitation medicine physicians who focus on spinal cord injuries. Erica aims to expand her knowledge and contribute to research that aids in the recovery of SCI patients, with aspirations to serve in the medical field one day. In her free time, she enjoys film camera photography, reading, and playing pool with friends.

Richard is a UW undergraduate student in the class of 2025, double majoring in Biochemistry and Applied and Computational Math Science on the biological and life science track. He became interested in Neuroscience when he learned about the spinal cord in physiology class. Outside of school, Richard spends his time volunteering at Seattle Children's Hospital. In his free time, he loves to hike, ski, swim, play piano, and play video games competitively.

Estelle is an undergraduate student in the class of 2025 at the University of Washington. She is majoring in Medical Anthro and Global Health with a minor in Bioethics. She is pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant after undergrad. Estelle is particularly interested in sports medicine and women’s health. Additionally, she is interested in the application of social-cultural approaches in medicine. Outside of school, Estelle works as a physical therapy aide and enjoys her time cooking, running, and watching Formula 1 racing!

Preston is an undergraduate research assistant in the class of 2026. He is a pre-dental student pursuing a career in general dentistry, but is also interested in human anatomy and biology.  Particularly, he became fascinated by the brain and the spinal cord after taking a biopsychology class, and wants to expand his knowledge on the intricacies of spinal cord injuries and the remarkable advancements in medical technology and rehabilitation techniques. Outside of school, Preston works as a dental assistant, and in his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and tennis at the IMA, playing the piano, and cooking food. 

Matthew is currently studying Bioengineering at the University of Washington with a minor in Neural Computation and Material Science Engineering. Matthew first learned of his passion for neural engineering when exploring possible treatments for nerve damage and the possibility of nerve regeneration. He hopes to work in furthering the development of these treatments and protocols. Beyond school Matthew enjoys spending time with his friends, swimming at the cut, and attempting new recipes.

Santoshi is an undergraduate in the Class of 2027 at the University of Washington. Since taking Biol 220 at UW, she has developed an interest in neuromuscular physiology and biology and is excited to be involved with practical applications of these subjects in lab. She values working in the lab for how much it has allowed her to grow both her knowledge and cultivate a more open-minded attitude towards learning. As she hopes to pursue a career in medicine in the future, Santoshi wants to better understand and be able to communicate the implications of translational research in the medical field. She enjoys listening to music, baking and watching criminal psychology videos. She is thrilled to be a part of this amazing community!

 I am a UW student majoring in General Biology, and it will be my fourth year in UW 2025. I'm interested in spinal cord injury through several courses in the UW. I'm also interested in molecular biology and had an experience before in a lab researching anthema. I want to learn more about neuroscience and molecular things, so I joined Hofstetter lab. With a focus on understanding the neural mechanisms behind human behavior and the molecular processes that regulate cellular function, I am driven to explore the intersection of brain science and molecular biology. Outside of school, I enjoy playing video games, chess and Mahjong with my friends. I also sometimes swim and play badminton on weekends. 

Nwanneka is an undergraduate student attending the University of Washington in the class of 2025. She’s majoring in physiology with plans of pursuing medical school after graduation. Nwanneka is interested in possibly specializing in dermatology or endocrinology but hopes to gain a better understanding of each existing specialty and the role they play in patient care during medical school. Outside of school, Nwanneka spends time working as a certified nursing assistant as well as doing volunteer work at her local hospital and the red cross. In her free time, Nwanneka enjoys biking, binging shows, listening to true-crime podcasts, and playing video games.

Liana is an undergraduate at the University of Washington in the class of 2027. She is a pre-med student majoring in biochemistry with a strong interest in human biology and physiology. She became fascinated with the brain and spinal cord while watching medical documentaries on tv and through her own personal experiences watching a family member’s struggle with a spinal cord injury. Liana wants to expand her knowledge in the field with the hopes that the research she contributes to will one day better the lives of so many people. In her spare time, she is a proud member of the Husky Marching Band in the saxophone section. She enjoys live music, baking, watching true crime documentaries and creative writing. 

Ryan is an undergraduate student in the class of 2027 at the University of Washington. He is majoring in Biochemistry and hopes to pursue a career in research after college. He is fascinated by the spinal cord due to its essential role in linking the brain to the body. Additionally, Ryan wishes to gain invaluable lab experience, expand his knowledge, and contribute to innovative SCI research. In his free time, Ryan enjoys reading novels, going to baseball games, running, and listening to music.

Jay is a dedicated and driven undergraduate research assistant in his third year at the University of Washington, specializing in Biology. With a strong interest in sports medicine, surgery, and the utilization of diet on autoimmune conditions, Jay combines a solid foundation in theoretical knowledge with practical lab experience.

In the lab, Jay actively contributes to stimulation research on spasticity caused by spinal cord injury. His commitment to advancing scientific understanding is matched by his desire to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for medical school, where he plans to continue his journey toward becoming an expert in the field of healthcare. Outside the lab, his interests include music, volunteering, and fitness.