Affiliation: University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

Dr. Leppik graduated in biochemistry and has a PhD in molecular biology.  She has broad research experience in the fields of human transcriptomic, tumor virology, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in Russia and Germany.  Currently she is an assistant director at Frankfurter Initiative for Regenerative medicine (Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main) and her main research focus is the role of bioelectricity in tissue regeneration and stem cell biology. In different animal and in vitro models she investigates the effects of electrical stimulation on such aspects of tissue healing/regeneration as stem cells proliferation/differentiation, extracellular matrix deposition, immune reaction, activation of specific gene pathways and others. Special focus of her present research is studying the role of adult stem cells and different bone marrow cellular fractions in bone regeneration.