Associate Professor
School of Medical Diagnostic & Translational Sciences

Patrick Sachs

757-683-7090
ODU Stem Cell Lab

2130 HEALTH SCIENCES BLDG
NORFOLK, 23529

Dr. Sachs received his Ph.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, where he studied adult and pluripotent stem cell biology specifically related to the regulation of the enzyme telomerase. In his post-doctoral work, he studied the heterotypic interactions of breast cancer cells with adult stem cells in a mouse model. As a scientist for LifeNet Health, Patrick led efforts to generate induced pluripotent stem cells from normal and diseased donor cells and expanded LifeNet’s tissue engineering capabilities to include cell-centric grafts and therapies. At ODU Dr. Sachs studies the biology of stem cells, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cancer biology and neurobiology

Ph.D. in Human and Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Virginia, (2010)

B.S. in Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, (2002)

Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research

Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. ""A three dimensional bioprinting approach to mapping critical determinants of stem cell asymmetric divisions"" $451,210. Federal. January 2019 - December 2022
Sachs, P., Bruno, R., Mollica, P. and Xiao, S. " "Investigating the effects of sub-nanosecond pulsed electric fields as a potential protein disaggregation agent in Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease neurons" " $45,000. State. July 2018 - September 2019
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Three-dimensional bioprinting for high-throughput in-vitro of modeling of asymmetric stem cell divisions" $100,000. Other. June 30, 2017 - March 30, 2019
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Chimeric mammary tissues as models for tumor suppression and promotion" $306,000. State. July 2015 - August 2017
Sachs, P. and Riethman, H. C. "Cis-regulation of human telomere length and stability" $1,250,000. Federal. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "High-throughput 3D bioprinting to decipher epigenetic regulatory elements of asymmetric divisions." $600,000. Federal. -
Bruno, R., Sachs, P. and Stacey, M. W. "Regulation of Acid Sensing Ion Channels in Chondrogenesis of Cartilage Disorders" $399,398. Federal. -
Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. "Role of DNA repair gene regulation in trinucleotide repeat expansion during neuronal differentiation in Huntington’s disease" $414,418. Federal. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Chimeric mammary models for elucidating microenvironment contributions to tumor suppression and promotion" $533,486. Federal. -
Wu, V. "Interrogating stem cell activity and tumorigenic potential of tonsillar crypt epithelium: a comparison of normal vs. carcinoma" $200,000. State. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Mapping critical determinants of human stem cell asymmetric divisions using three- dimensional bioprinting" $481,580. Federal. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Stem cell derived regenerative signaling for prevention of tumor recurrence" $250,000. Private. -
Sachs, P. "Three- dimensional bioprinting for high-throughput in-vitro spatial and temporal transcriptional modeling of human endodermal development." $100,000. State. -
Sachs, P. "Three-dimensional bioprinting for high-throughput in-vitro modeling of human development" $150,000. Private. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "High-Throughput, Quantitative Assessment of a Novel Biomimetic Laminin/Synthetic Nanofiber Coating for the Generation and Maintenance of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells" $100,000. Private. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Mammary gland regeneration as a model to study the role of extracellular matrix in organ development and cell fate determination" $300,000. Private. -
Sachs, P., Bruno, R., Osgood, C. J. and Joshi, S. "Multiplex Genome Editing to Cure Sickle Cell Disease" $100,000. Private. -
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. "Development of a Three-Dimensional Human Breast Model for the Advancement of the in vitro Study of Breast Cancer" $50,000. Old Dominion University. December 2013 - December 2014
Sachs, P. "Cell specific targeted viral infections for the improvement of in vitro and in vivo viral response" $7,000. Old Dominion University. June 2014 - August 2014
Sachs, P., Bruno, R. and Ogle, R. "Induced pluripotent stem cells: a window into human aging" $1,000,000. Private. -

Expertise

Biotechnology
Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, Neurobiology, Stem Cell Biology, Cancer Biology

Research Interests

The Sachs lab focuses on the study of regenerative medicine/tissue engineering, the induction of pluripotency in normal somatic cells (iPSC), cancer biology and the stem cell niche.

Articles

Sachs, P., Francis, M. P., Elmore, L. W. and Holt, S. E. (2010). Isolating adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells from lipoaspirate blood and saline fraction.. Organogenesis 6 (1) , pp. 11-4.
Francis, M. P., Sachs, P., Madurantakam, P. A., Sell, S. A., Elmore, L. W., Bowlin, G. L. and Holt, S. E. (2012). Electrospinning adipose tissue-derived extracellular matrix for adipose stem cell culture.. Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A 100 (7) , pp. 1716-24.
Sachs, P., Francis, M. P., Zhao, M., Brumelle, J., Rao, R. R., Elmore, L. W. and Holt, S. E. (2012). Defining essential stem cell characteristics in adipose-derived stromal cells extracted from distinct anatomical sites.. Cell and tissue research 349 (2) , pp. 505-15.
Poynter, K. R., Sachs, P., Bright, A. T., Breed, M. S., Nguyen, B. N., Elmore, L. W. and Holt, S. E. (2009). Genetic inhibition of telomerase results in sensitization and recovery of breast tumor cells.. Molecular cancer therapeutics 8 (5) , pp. 1319-27.
Francis, M. P., Moghaddam-White, Y. M., Sachs, P., Beckman, M. J., Chen, S. M., Bowlin, G. L., Elmore, L. W. and Holt, S. E. (2016). Modeling early stage bone regeneration with biomimetic electrospun brinogen nano bers and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Electrospinning.
Zhao, M., Sachs, P., Wang, X., Dumur, C. I., Idowu, M. O., Robila, V., Francis, M. P., Ware, J., Beckman, M., Rizki, A., Holt, S. E. and Elmore, L. W. (2012). Mesenchymal stem cells in mammary adipose tissue stimulate progression of breast cancer resembling the basal-type.. Cancer biology & therapy 13 (9) , pp. 782-92.
Mollica, P., Booth-Creech, E. N., Reid, J. A., Zamponi, M., Sullivan, S. M., Palmer, X. L., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (2019). 3D bioprinted mammary organoids and tumoroids in human mammary derived ECM hydrogels.. Acta biomaterialia 95 , pp. 201-213.
Reid, J. A., Palmer, X. L., Mollica, P., Northam, N., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (2019). A 3D bioprinter platform for mechanistic analysis of tumoroids and chimeric mammary organoids.. Scientific reports 9 (1) , pp. 7466.
Reid, J. A., Mollica, P., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (2018). Consistent and reproducible cultures of large-scale 3D mammary epithelial structures using an accessible bioprinting platform.. Breast cancer research : BCR 20 (1) , pp. 122.
Mollica, P., Zamponi, M., Reid, J. A., Sharma, D. K., White, A. E., Ogle, R., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (2018). Epigenetic alterations mediate iPSC-induced normalization of DNA repair gene expression and TNR stability in Huntington's disease cells.. Journal of cell science 131 (13).
Mollica, P. A., Zamponi, M., Reid, J. A., Sharma, D. K., White, A. E., Ogle, R., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (2018). Epigenetic alterations mediate iPSC normalization of DNA-repair expression and TNR stability in Huntington's disease.. Journal of cell science.
Wu, V., Auchman, M., Mollica, P. A., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (2018). ALDH1A1 positive cells are a unique component of the tonsillar crypt niche and are lost along with NGFR positive stem cells during tumourigenesis.. Pathology.
Petrella, R. A., Mollica, P. A., Zamponi, M., Reid, J. A., Xiao, S., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (2018). 3D bioprinter applied picosecond pulsed electric fields for targeted manipulation of proliferation and lineage specific gene expression in neural stem cells.. Journal of neural engineering.
Sachs, P., Mollica, P. A. and Bruno, R. (2017). Tissue specific microenvironments: a key tool for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.. Journal of biological engineering 11 , pp. 34.
Roberts, C. L., Chen, S. S., Murchison, A. C., Ogle, R., Francis, M. P., Ogle, R. C. and Sachs, P. (2017). Preferential Lineage-Specific Differentiation of Osteoblast-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Osteoprogenitors.. Stem cells international 2017 , pp. 1513281.
Mollica, P. A., Reid, J. A., Ogle, R., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (2016). DNA Methylation Leads to DNA Repair Gene Down-Regulation and Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion in Patient-Derived Huntington Disease Cells.. The American journal of pathology 186 (7) , pp. 1967-76.
Reid, J. A., Mollica, P. A., Johnson, G. D., Ogle, R., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (2016). Accessible bioprinting: adaptation of a low-cost 3D-printer for precise cell placement and stem cell differentiation.. Biofabrication 8 (2) , pp. 025017.

Book Chapters

Deprynski, A. N., Sachs, P. and Holt, S. E. (2009). Regulation of Telomerase Through Transcriptional and Post-translational Mechanisms Telomeres and telomerase in cancer (pp. 47-85).

Presentations

Reid, J., Mollica, P., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (June 11, 2017). 3D bioprinted human breast cancer and mammary epithelial cell chimeric organoids for the study of microenvironmental control of breast cancer Poster Gordon Research Mammary Biology Conference Stowe, VT.
Reid, J., Mollica, P., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (June 11, 2017). 3D bioprinting of mammary structures into biomimetic human breast tissue derived hydrogels Poster Gordon Research Mammary Biology Conference Stowe, VT.
Reid, J., Mollica, P., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (May 2, 2017). Microextrusion based bioprinting apparatus provides valuable method for exploring the 'self - organization' of mammary epithelial branching morphogenesis Poster 3D Bioprinting: Physical and Chemical Processes Winstom Salem.
Reid, J., Mollica, P., Ogle, R., Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. (December 13, 2016). Directed Mammary Epithelial Structure Formation Using 3D Bioprinting Poster Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Meeting San Diego, CA.
Mollica, P., Reid, J., Ogle, R., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. (December 11, 2016). Huntington’s Disease Induced-Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Stem Cells Show Minimal Trinucleotide Repeat Instability Poster Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Meeting San Diego, CA.
Sachs, P. and Bruno, R. ( 2015). Luminal and basal breast cancer tumors retain identical differentiation repertoire upon redirection in a normal mammary microenvironment Poster Gordon Research Mammary Biology Conference West Dover, VT.
Treadwell, M., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2014). iPSC Reprogramming and Viral Targeting Poster Biotech Seminar .
Roberts, C., Ogle, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2014). Reprogramming Donor Cells and Differentiation to Definitive Endodermal Cells Poster CNU seminar .
Roberts, C., Ogle, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2014). Generation of iPSCs from Human Primary Osteoblasts Poster International Society for Stem Cell Research 12th Annual Meeting Boston, MA.
Reid, J., Mollica, P., Ogle, R., Bruno, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2014). Cost effective bioprinting apparatus for 3D study of developmental biomimetic microenvironments Poster NeuroConnections .
Roberts, C., Ogle, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2014). Reprogramming, and Differentiation of Human Donor Cells Oral Presentation Regenerative Medicine Seminar .
Roberts, C., Ogle, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2013). Novel Methods of Inducing Differentiation of Definitive Endodermal Cells from Human iPSC: Growth and Phenotypic Maintenance of Definitive Endoderm Oral Presentation Graduate Student Symposium .
Roberts, C., Ogle, R. and Sachs, P. ( 2013). Derivation, differentiation, and growth of definitive endodermal cells from reprogrammed donor fibroblasts Poster International Society for Stem Cell Research 11th Annual Meeting Boston, MA.
Bristol, M., Elmore, L. and Sachs, P. ( 2012). Breast adipose mesenchymal stem cells and mammary fibrosis Poster AACR 103rd Annual Meeting Chicago, IL.
Sachs, P. and Elmore, L. ( 2010). Resident Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Breast Cancer Vascularity: Are they Linked? Poster Massey Cancer Center Symposium .
Sachs, P., Francis, M. and Holt, S. ( 2009). Recapitulating Osteogenisis with Electrospun Fibrinogen Nanofibers and Adipose Stem Cells Poster 31st Annual Conference American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Baltimore, MD.
Sachs, P. and Holt, S. ( 2009). Comprehensive Characterization and Comparison of Adipose Stem Cells, Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Fibroblasts Poster The 37th Annual Forbes Day Colloquim .
Sachs, P. and Francis, M. ( 2008). Autologous Adipose Stem Cells and Electrospun Biomimetic Scaffolds for Individualized Regenerative Medicine Poster Daniel T. Watts Graduate Research Poster Symposium .
Sachs, P., Francis, M. and Holt, S. ( 2008). Differentiation and viability of Adipose stem cells isolated from sonicated lipoaspirate Poster Daniel T. Watts Graduate Research Poster Symposium .
Sachs, P., Francis, M. and Bowlin, G. ( 2008). Breast Reconstruction using Patient-Derived Adipose Stem Cells Autologous Electrospun Fat Poster TERMIS Annual Meeting Hilton Head, NC.
Ma, P., Sachs, P. and Elmore, L. ( 2007). Signaling Pathways in Cancer and Development Poster Keystone Symposium Steamboat Springs, CO.
Sachs, P. and Holt, S. ( 2007). Advancement of the differentiation and viability of mesenchymal stem cells: An embryonic stem cell alternative? Poster The Stem Cell Summit Boston, MA.
Sachs, P. and Francis, M. ( 2007). Electrospun Autologous Fat ECM and Fibrinogen with Adipose Stem Cells: Individualized Regenerative Medicine Approaches Poster The Stem Cell Summit Boston, MA.
Sachs, P. and Holt, S. ( 2002). Telomerase expression in a prostate model system Oral Presentation 80th Annual meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science .
  • 2015: ODU teaching Excellence Award, Old Dominion University

Organizational Chart