{"id":36981,"date":"2025-06-09T10:24:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T14:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eng.ufl.edu\/newengineer\/?p=36981"},"modified":"2025-07-23T11:58:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T15:58:57","slug":"stories-of-a-revolutionary-scientist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eng.ufl.edu\/news\/magazine\/stories-of-a-revolutionary-scientist\/","title":{"rendered":"A Legacy of Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christine Schmidt is a researcher, professor, chocolate dealer and one of UF\u2019s brightest stars<\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEB 363 tells many stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the office of Christine Schmidt, Ph.D., one of the University of Florida\u2019s most celebrated researchers and the Pruitt Family Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering. She was the highly sought-after former chair of the department who, in 2024, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are career-defining awards that elbow for room with other trophies on shelves stuffed with toy UF gators, University of Texas (UT) longhorn awards, books, and family photos. Lots and lots of family photos.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On her desk is a gumball machine, more gators, a lava lamp, a LEGO female scientist and a candy dish \u2013 with full bars \u2013 \u202ffor stressed colleagues and students.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These stories frame the rich and diverse life of a distinguished professor and researcher who \u2013 when not advancing nerve regeneration \u2013 is a beaming mother of two UF engineering students and a high schooler who knits caps for cancer patients.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is an escape room-loving mom and wife who adores cooking classes, geocaching, geckos, gadgets, and the occasional margarita. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is also a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the American Society for the Advancement of Science, the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering, and the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mom who hand-fed her son\u2019s ailing gecko also holds 37 U.S. patents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt\u2019s office hints at all of this \u2013 the science, the accolades, the candy, the wind-up toy that shoots sparks \u2013 but it barely scratches the surface. So let\u2019s dig deeper into one of UF\u2019s brightest stars and the Schmidt family\u2019s fun-loving matriarch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I ended up with a bunch of wet string\u2019<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The daughter of a concrete company manager and a bookkeeper, Schmidt grew up in Texas. She loved the outdoors, math and chemistry. In high school, she combined those worlds in a science fair project that showcased copepods she plucked out of creeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI looked at how they adapted to changes in salinity,\u201d she recalled of the tiny crustaceans. \u201cI would go out and catch these things and put them in little dishes. I had a string that would attach one dish to another dish; one would have changes in salinity, so I would see if they would migrate.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think I ended up with a bunch of wet string, but there was a certain level of tolerance,\u201d she said. \u201cThe next year, I looked at the run-off of a local dump into creeks near neighborhoods.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That project also took her to the International Science and Engineering Fair, where scientists grilled her on research that outlined real health risks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat cinched it. I really liked the process of exploring questions and answering questions,\u201d she recalled. She credits those experiences and \u201camazing teachers\u201d for setting her on a journey to the University of Texas.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I was the only woman in that group\u2019<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

She enrolled at UT as an \u201cundecided.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was talking to one of the advisers, who was a chemical engineering professor, and he said, \u2018Just take my class,\u2019\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She took it, loved it and set a path in chemical engineering research in the mid-1980s.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was the only woman in that group. The lab was filled with posters of women in small bikinis. Nobody thought anything of this. I fought back,\u201d she recalled, laughing. \u201cI had this one poster of the Soloflex guy, and I put a poster of a Monet over it. The professor finally says, \u2018Guys, it\u2019s probably not appropriate to have all these posters of women in here. Look at Christine. She\u2019s bringing some class to this place.\u2019 He pointed to the Monet.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he left, she lifted up the Monet to reveal a poster of the muscled-up Soloflex hottie.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all burst out laughing,\u201d she recalled, \u201cand I said, \u2018Guys, I can dish it out as much as you can dish it out.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After graduating from UT, Schmidt earned a doctorate from the University of Illinois and then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She returned to UT as a professor, where her research gravitated toward biological applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018<\/strong>That’s helped over 100,000 patients\u2019<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt was fascinated by cell movement and how that could help damaged nerves and wounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have cells in the body, and they actually move around,\u201d she said. \u201cYou don’t think about that, but when you have an injury, those cells are closing the wound.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt\u2019s research on neural regeneration eventually resulted in a biochemically processed nerve graft. It was licensed to AxoGen, Inc. in \u2013 pause for foreshadowing \u2013\u202fAlachua, Fla. The AVANCE nerve graft is available to treatment centers and hospitals globally.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s helped 100,000 patients now,\u201d she said.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her research also led to a start-up company, Alafair Biosciences, which continues to develop materials to help post-operative adhesions. The Alafair material her research helped develop has been used in 22,000 implants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlafair was founded to commercialize technology from Dr. Schmidt’s lab,\u201d said Sarah Mayes, Ph.D., one of Schmidt\u2019s former students at UT who is now the chief scientific officer and co-founder of Alafair.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alafair produces VersaWrap, which protects tendons and nerves, allowing tissues to glide and not tether postoperatively during the healing process, Mayes said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChristine is highly regarded as a revolutionary scientist among her peers,\u201d Mayes said. \u201cIt is an honor to have graduated from her lab, and I am a better scientist because of her input. Christine is kind, brilliant, strong, and cares not just deeply but thoughtfully. She is a great leader.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Lizards are everywhere\u2019<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt\u2019s research, patents and reputation caught the attention of Cammy Abernathy, Ph.D., then the dean of UF\u2019s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Abernathy was looking for a department chair to take UF\u2019s Biomedical Engineering program to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe needed someone who had a clear vision of what biomedical sciences can be, someone who has a real eye for talent, is a good mentor and a good recruiter. Someone who knew what excellence looks like,\u201d said former College of Engineering Dean Cammy Abernathy. \u201cWhen Christine came across our radar, she clearly stood out as someone who would be an outstanding addition.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her 10 years as chair, from 2013 to 2023, Schmidt recruited 24 faculty members to the department and tripled research expenditures per faculty member. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe really put us on the radar,\u201d Abernathy says. \u201cShe did an excellent job recruiting a diverse faculty. We were successfully competing against some of the top programs in the country for talent, which is a testament to her reputation, her eye for talent and her ability to recruit and mentor.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest challenges, Schmidt said, were building a sense of community, tending to the budget and hiring new faculty and staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverybody kept telling me, \u2018Take off your rose-colored glasses, Christine, because this is a fixer-upper,\u2019\u201d she recalled. \u201cI said, \u2018They have all the ingredients. UF has a lot to offer.\u2019 These are fixable problems.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Abernathy was recruiting Schmidt, Schmidt was trying to get a handle on Gainesville. The only thing she knew was that UF was there and AxoGen was nearby. She did not know where in Florida it was, and she certainly didn\u2019t know about the heat, humidity, and active wildlife.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt left her beloved Texas in 2013 to lead UF\u2019s Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering. She served as department chair for more than 10 years before stepping down in 2023 to teach and continue her research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe humidity our first summer \u2013 oh my gosh. With all the rain, the humidity was just overwhelming,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI think the other surprise was just how many reptiles there are here. Our kids love this. I mean, lizards are everywhere.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen,\u201d she added, \u201cthere are the snakes. I remember getting pizza delivered to our house, and I looked over and thought, \u2018We left the hose out.\u2019 The pizza delivery guy said, ‘No ma\u2019am. That\u2019s a snake.\u2019 He then stepped over it and kept going. It didn\u2019t bother him at all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They now love Florida, especially water sports, geocaching and escape rooms in Gainesville and Jacksonville.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schmidt and her husband, John, a computer science engineer who used to work for IBM, have three children; Emerson is a junior at UF majoring in electrical engineering, Adeline is a freshman at UF majoring in chemical engineering, and Ellery is a high school student who \u201cclaims she will not be an engineer,\u201d Schmidt said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She continues to head UF\u2019s Schmidt Lab for Biomimetics Materials and Neural Engineering, which focuses on materials and therapeutic systems to stimulate damaged peripheral and spinal neurons to regenerate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was awarded the 2024 Biomedical Engineering Society Athanasiou Medal of Excellence in Translational Bioengineering. This honor recognizes contributions to biomedical engineering, with a focus on translating research into practical applications, particularly treating nerve damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDr. Schmidt\u2019s novel approaches in developing biomaterials and regenerative therapies have set new standards in medical research and treatment,\u201d said Forrest Masters, interim dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. \u201cHer work not only exemplifies scientific excellence but also demonstrates a deep commitment to addressing critical health challenges.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018You are my hero\u2019<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDr. Schmidt’s incredible research has changed lives,\u201d noted UF Interim President Kent Fuchs after Schmidt was inducted in the National Academy of Medicine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed. Consider the story of Shirley Pincus, a woman who suffered from polio as a child and, as a result, endured neuromas \u2013 benign masses on nerve and scar tissue, \u201clike a ball of tissue that grows on your nerves,\u201d Schmidt said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShirley ended up having five neuromas in her leg because of polio, and she was in such pain that she was ready to undergo amputation,\u201d Schmidt recalled. \u201cShe’d gone to so many doctors trying to figure this out, and finally she found a surgeon who knew about AxoGen\u2019s advanced graft.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pincus said she awoke from the surgery pain-free and, after physical therapy, was able to resume her active lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou do not have to live with pain,\u201d Pincus said. \u201cFind the right doctor, get the right diagnosis and get the right treatment.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s rare for Schmidt to meet a patient who has benefited from her discoveries, so when she and Pincus ended up on the same panel hosted by Axogen in 2016, emotions ran high on both sides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe spoke about her fears of amputation of her leg from the painful neuromas, her long quest to find a physician and surgeon who could help and finally learning about the nerve graft,\u201d recalled Schmidt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI spoke about my struggles getting funding and facing criticism for working on this research that was not as impactful in the academic world. After the panel, Shirley came up and gave me a hug and told me, \u2018You are my hero.\u2019 It was so emotional. I teared up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The procedure was the first time the Avance graft had been used for pain applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere,\u201d Schmidt said, \u201cthey cut the nerve to take out the neuromas and replaced it with the advanced graft, and then she was able to walk pain-free.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many stories that chronicle Schmidt\u2019s success; the induction into the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering within months of each other was certainly Schmidt\u2019s biggest story of 2024. But when asked what made her most proud, Schmidt did not hesitate:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProfessionally, it\u2019s being able to impact patients. Personally, I\u2019m just proud of my kids. I\u2019m proud of who they have become. They are good people.\u201d  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christine Schmidt is a researcher, professor, chocolate dealer and one of UF\u2019s brightest stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":37127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-templates\/single-sidebar-none.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"featured_post":"off","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[433,437,55],"tags":[143],"class_list":["post-36981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2025issue","category-health-breakthroughs","category-magazine","tag-christine-schmidt"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Legacy of Innovation - News from Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eng.ufl.edu\/news\/magazine\/stories-of-a-revolutionary-scientist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Legacy of Innovation - 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