Neurosurgery & Brain Repair

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* (Neurosurgery Faculty Profile)

Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis

Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis, PhD, D.Sc

Professor, Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair

Contact Info

Education

  • PHD, Biological Sciences, Kharkiv State University, 1999
  • DSc, Biological Science, Ukraine National Academy of Science, 1999
  • PhD, Biological Science, Kharkiv State University, 1987

Academic Philosophy

"My current focus is investigation of blood-CNS barrier damage in ALS and cellular or non-cellular approaches for barrier repair. My research progress is based on finding the answers to three questions: where, how, and why."

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

  • Biomedical Engineering & Nanomedicine
  • Neurodegenerative Disease
  • Neuroscience

Research Interests

  • My laboratory previously focused on translational research examining the therapeutic effects of transplanting human umbilical cord blood in mouse models of ALS and Sanfilippo Syndrome. Currently, a focus of mine is deciphering the mechanisms of the blood-CNS barrier damage in ALS and engendering barrier repair towards eventual restoration of neurovascular unit functionality in patients with this or other neurovascular diseases. Additionally, we have been exploring effects of extracellular vesicles derived from human bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells as potential cell-free therapeutics for repair of the damaged CNS barrier in ALS. Presently, NIH-supported investigation on ApoA1, the major protein component of HDL, effects on mediating CNS barrier repair in an ALS mouse model is in progress.

Awards/Honors

  •  Certificate of appreciation for serving as an Editorial Board Member (International Journal of Molecular Science - 2021)
  •  Certificate of appreciation for serving as an Editorial Board Member (Scientific Reports - 2018)
  •  USF Excellence in Innovation Award (USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors - 2016)
  •  Certificate of Excellence for outstanding contributions as Program Director (Morsani College of Medicine, Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs - 2015)
  • Internal Award (USF - 2014)
  • Platinum Dean’s Recognition Award for achievements and leadership in education and research/ (USF - 2010)
  • Dean’s Bonus Award for excellence in teaching and research (USF - 2009)
  • SIPIN Award (USF - 2008)
  • Award for mentoring exceptional undergraduate students (Honors College, USF - 2008)

Memberships

  • Member (National Academy of Inventors, 2015 - Present)
  • Member (International Brain Barrier Society, 2012 - Present)
  • Member (American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair, 2011 - Present)
  • Member (Society for Neuroscience, 2002 - Present)

Recent Publications

  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Borlongan CV. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles as potential mechanism for repair of microvascular damage within and outside of the central nervous system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: perspective schema. Neural regeneration research. 16(4) : 680-681, 2021.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Boccio KJ, Llauget A, Shell R, Hailu S, Mustafa H, Ehrhart J, Sanberg PR, Appel SH, Borlongan CV. Beneficial Effects of Transplanted Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitors on Functional and Cellular Components of Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier in ALS Mice. eNeuro. 8(5) , 2021.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Boccio KJ, Ehrhart J, Sanberg PR, Appel SH, Borlongan CV. Detection of endothelial cell-associated human DNA reveals transplanted human bone marrow stem cell engraftment into CNS capillaries of ALS mice. Brain research bulletin. 170: 22-28, 2021.
  • Sadanandan N, Lee JY, Garbuzova-Davis S. Extracellular vesicle-based therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain circulation. 7(1) : 23-28, 2021.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Willing AE, Ehrhart J, Wang L, Sanberg PR, Borlongan CV. Cell-Free Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitor Cells as Potential Therapeutics for Microvascular Endothelium Restoration in ALS. Neuromolecular medicine. 22(4) : 503-516, 2020.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Shell R, Mustafa H, Hailu S, Willing AE, Sanberg PR, Borlongan CV. Advancing Stem Cell Therapy for Repair of Damaged Lung Microvasculature in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cell transplantation. 29: 963689720913494, 2020.
  • Saft M, Gonzales-Portillo B, Park YJ, Cozene B, Sadanandan N, Cho J, Garbuzova-Davis S, Borlongan CV. Stem Cell Repair of the Microvascular Damage in Stroke. Cells. 9(9) , 2020.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Ehrhart J, Mustafa H, Llauget A, Boccio KJ, Sanberg PR, Appel SH, Borlongan CV. Phenotypic characteristics of human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells in vitro support cell effectiveness for repair of the blood-spinal cord barrier in ALS. Brain research. 1724: 146428, 2019.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Kurien C, Haller E, Eve DJ, Navarro S, Steiner G, Mahendrasah A, Hailu S, Khatib M, Boccio KJ, Borlongan CV, Van Loveren HR, Appel SH, Sanberg PR. Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitor Cell Transplantation into Symptomatic ALS Mice Delays Disease Progression and Increases Motor Neuron Survival by Repairing Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier. Scientific reports. 9(1) : 5280, 2019.
  • Eve D, J, Steiner G, Mahendrasah A, Sanberg P, R, Kurien C, Thomson A, Borlongan C, V, Garbuzova-Davis . Reduction of microhemorrhages in the spinal cord of symptomatic ALS mice after intravenous human bone marrow stem cell transplantation accompanies repair of the blood-spinal cord barrier Oncotarget. 9(12) : 10621-10634, 2018.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Ehrhart J, Sanberg P, R, Borlongan C, V. Potential role of humoral IL-6 cytokine in mediating pro-inflammatory endothelial cell response in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Int J Mol Sci. 19(2) : e423, 2018.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Kurien C, Thomson A, Falco D, Ahmad S, Staffetti J, Steiner G, Abraham S, James G, Mahendrasah A, Sanberg PR, Borlongan CV. Endothelial and Astrocytic Support by Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Grafts into Symptomatic ALS Mice towards Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier Repair. Scientific reports. 7(1) : 884, 2017.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Ehrhart J, Sanberg PR. Cord blood as a potential therapeutic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert opinion on biological therapy. 17(7) : 837-851, 2017.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Haller E, Lin R, Borlongan CV. Intravenously Transplanted Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitor Cells Engraft Within Brain Capillaries, Preserve Mitochondrial Morphology, and Display Pinocytotic Activity Toward Blood-Brain Barrier Repair in Ischemic Stroke Rats. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio). 35(5) : 1246-1258, 2017.
  • Thomson A, Garbuzova-Davis S. Vascular endothelial cells as biomarkers of microvascular endothelium damage and repair in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease. J Cardiovascular Disorders. 3(2) : 1026, 2016.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Haller E, Tajiri N, Thomson A, Barretta J, Williams SN, Haim ED, Qin H, Frisina-Deyo A, Abraham JV, Sanberg PR, Van Loveren H, Borlongan CV. Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier Alterations in Subacute and Chronic Stages of a Rat Model of Focal Cerebral Ischemia. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 75(7) : 673-88, 2016.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Thomson A, Kurien C, Shytle RD, Sanberg PR. Potential new complication in drug therapy development for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert review of neurotherapeutics. 16(12) : 1397-1405, 2016.
  • Vlasenko A, Garbuzova-Davis S. The role of matrix metalloproteinases in neurovascular unit integrity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Neurological Research and Therapy: Open Access. 2: 112-129, 2015.
  • Ehrhart J, Smith AJ, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Zesiewicz TA, Jahan I, Shytle RD, Kim SH, Sanberg CD, Vu TH, Gooch CL, Sanberg PR, Garbuzova-Davis S. Humoral factors in ALS patients during disease progression. Journal of Neuroinflammation. 12: 127, 2015.
  • Eve DJ, Ehrhart J, Zesiewicz T, Jahan I, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sanberg CD, Gooch C, Sanberg PR, Garbuzova-Davis S. Plasma Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Blood Modulates Mitogen-Induced Proliferation Of Mononuclear Cells Isolated from the Peripheral Blood of ALS Patients. Cell Transplantation. , 2015.
  • Fang C, Garbuzova-Davis S, Tan J, Obregon D. C1q as a Regulator of Brain Development: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Brain Disord Ther. 4(1) , 2015.
  • Haim E, D, Williams S, N, Sanberg P, R, Garbuzova-Davis S, N. Recent patents in cell therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine. 5(1) : 10-15, 2015.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Sanberg PR. Blood-CNS Barrier Impairment in ALS patients versus an animal model. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 8: 21, 2014.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Haller E, Williams SN, Haim ED, Tajiri N, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Frisina-Deyo A, Boffeli SM, Sanberg PR, Borlongan CV. Compromised blood-brain barrier competence in remote brain areas in ischemic stroke rats at the chronic stage. The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 522(13) : 3120-37, 2014.
  • Willing AE, Garbuzova-Davis SN, Zayko O, Derasari HM, Rawls AE, James CR, Mervis RF, Sanberg CD, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sanberg PR. Repeated administrations of human umbilical cord blood cells improve disease outcomes in a mouse model of Sanfilippo syndrome type III B. Cell Transplantation. 23(12) : 1613-30, 2014.
  • Rodrigues MC, Sanberg PR, Cruz LE, Garbuzova-Davis S. The innate and adaptive immunological aspects in neurodegenerative diseases. Journal of Neuroimmunology. 269(1) : 1-8, 2014.
  • Valdes E, G, Garbuzova-Davis S. Brain and spinal cord trauma as a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a mini review. The Open Journal of Neuroscience. : 3-4, 2013.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Rodrigues MC, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Tajiri N, Frisina-Deyo A, Boffeli SM, Abraham JV, Pabon M, Wagner A, Ishikawa H, Shinozuka K, Haller E, Sanberg PR, Kaneko Y, Borlongan CV. Blood-brain barrier alterations provide evidence of subacute diaschisis in an ischemic stroke rat model. PloS ONE. 8(5) : e63553, 2013.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Mirtyl S, Sallot SA, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Haller E, Sanberg PR. Blood-brain barrier impairment in MPS III patients. BMC Neurology. 13: 174, 2013.
  • Willing AE, Garbuzova-Davis SN, Zayko O, Derasari HM, Rawls AE, James CR, Mervis RF, Sanberg CD, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sanberg PR. Repeated Administrations of Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Improve Disease Outcomes in a Mouse Model of Sanfilippo Syndrome Type III B. Cell Transplantation. , 2013.
  • Rodrigues MC, Voltarelli JC, Sanberg PR, Borlongan CV, Garbuzova-Davis S. Immunological aspects in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Translational Stroke Research. 3(3) : 331-40, 2012.
  • Rodrigues MC, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Louis MK, Willing AE, Borlongan CV, Sanberg PR, Voltarelli JC, Garbuzova-Davis S. Neurovascular aspects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. International Review of Neurobiology. 102: 91-106, 2012.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Rodrigues MC, Haller E, Frisina-Deyo A, Mirtyl S, Sallot S, Saporta S, Borlongan CV, Sanberg PR. Impaired blood-brain/spinal cord barrier in ALS patients. Brain Research. 1469: 114-28, 2012.
  • Rodrigues MC, Dmitriev D, Rodrigues A, Glover LE, Sanberg PR, Allickson JG, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Tajiri N, Shinozuka K, Garbuzova-Davis S, Kaneko Y, Borlongan CV. Menstrual blood transplantation for ischemic stroke: Therapeutic mechanisms and practical issues. Interventional Medicine & Applied Science. 4(2) : 59-68, 2012.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Rodrigues MC, Mirtyl S, Turner S, Mitha S, Sodhi J, Suthakaran S, Eve DJ, Sanberg CD, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sanberg PR. Multiple intravenous administrations of human umbilical cord blood cells benefit in a mouse model of ALS. PloS ONE. 7(2) : e31254, 2012.
  • Rodrigues M, C, O, Voltarelli J, Sanberg P, R, Allickson J, G, Garbuzova-Davis S, Borlongan C, V. Recent progress in cell therapy for basal ganglia disorders with emphasis on menstrual blood transplantation in stroke. Review. Neurosci Biobehav R. 36(1) : 177-190, 2012.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Louis M, K, Haller E, M, Derasari H, M, Rawls A, E, Sanberg P, R. Blood-brain barrier impairment in an animal model of MPS III B. PLoS ONE. 6(3) : e16601, 2011.
  • Rodrigues MC, Glover LE, Weinbren N, Rizzi JA, Ishikawa H, Shinozuka K, Tajiri N, Kaneko Y, Sanberg PR, Allickson JG, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Garbuzova-Davis S, Voltarelli JC, Cruz E, Borlongan CV. Toward personalized cell therapies: autologous menstrual blood cells for stroke. Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology. 2011: 194720, 2011.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Rodrigues MC, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Louis MK, Willing AE, Borlongan CV, Sanberg PR. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a neurovascular disease. Brain Research. 1398: 113-25, 2011.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Louis MK, Haller EM, Derasari HM, Rawls AE, Sanberg PR. Blood-brain barrier impairment in an animal model of MPS III B. PloS ONE. 6(3) : e16601, 2011.
  • Sanberg PR, Eve DJ, Willing AE, Garbuzova-Davis S, Tan J, Sanberg CD, Allickson JG, Cruz LE, Borlongan CV. The treatment of neurodegenerative disorders using umbilical cord blood and menstrual blood-derived stem cells. Cell Transplantation. 20(1) : 85-94, 2011.
  • Chen N, Newcomb J, Garbuzova-Davis S, Davis Sanberg C, Sanberg PR, Willing AE. Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Have Trophic Effects on Young and Aging Hippocampal Neurons in Vitro. Aging and Disease. 1(3) : 173-190, 2010.
  • Park D-H, Willing A, E, Garbuzova-Davis S, Tan J, Borlongan C, V, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Cruz L, E, Sanberg P, R. The emerging field of human umbilical cord blood cell transplantation. ALTEX 27, Special Issue. : 325-327, 2010.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Bickford P, C. Short Communication: Neuroprotective effect of spirulina in a mouse model of ALS. The Open Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine J. 3: 36-41, 2010.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Woods RL, Louis MK, Zesiewicz TA, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sullivan KL, Miller AM, Hernandez-Ontiveros DG, Sanberg PR. Reduction of circulating endothelial cells in peripheral blood of ALS patients. PloS ONE. 5(5) : e10614, 2010.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Klasko SK, Sanberg PR. Intravenous administration of human umbilical cord blood cells in an animal model of MPS III B. The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 515(1) : 93-101, 2009.
  • Saleh IA, Zesiewicz T, Xie Y, Sullivan KL, Miller AM, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Sanberg PR, Garbuzova-Davis S. Evaluation of humoral immune response in adaptive immunity in ALS patients during disease progression. Journal of Neuroimmunology. 215(1) : 96-101, 2009.
  • Gografe SI, Sanberg PR, Chamizo W, Monforte H, Garbuzova-Davis S. Novel pathologic findings associated with urinary retention in a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB. Comparative Medicine. 59(2) : 139-46, 2009.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Sanberg PR. Feasibility of cell therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Experimental Neurology. 216(1) : 3-6, 2009.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Saporta S, Sanberg PR. Implications of blood-brain barrier disruption in ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis : Official publication of the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases. 9(6) : 375-6, 2008.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Sanberg CD, Kuzmin-Nichols N, Willing AE, Gemma C, Bickford PC, Miller C, Rossi R, Sanberg PR. Human umbilical cord blood treatment in a mouse model of ALS: optimization of cell dose. PloS ONE. 3(6) : e2494, 2008.
  • Ajmo CT, Vernon DO, Collier L, Hall AA, Garbuzova-Davis S, Willing A, Pennypacker KR. The spleen contributes to stroke-induced neurodegeneration. Journal of Neuroscience Research. 86(10) : 2227-34, 2008.
  • Sanberg PR, Willing AE, Garbuzova-Davis S, Bickford PC, Van Loveren H, Klasko SK, Sanberg CD, Borlongan CV, Eve DJ. Navigating cellular repair for the central nervous system. Clinical Neurosurgery. 55: 133-7, 2008.
  • Willing AE, Garbuzova-Davis S, Sanberg PR, Saporta S. Routes of stem cell administration in the adult rodent. Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.). 438: 383-401, 2008.
  • Garbuzova-Davis S, Willing AE, Borlongan CV. Apolipoprotein A1 enhances endothelial cell survival in an in vitro model of ALS. eNeuro. 9(4) : 1-11, 2022.

Positions Held

  • Associate Professor (Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida 2012 - 2016)
  • Assistant Professor (Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida 2004 - 2012)
  • Instructor (Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, University of South Florida 2002 - 2004)