Samuel Herberg, PhD

The research in Dr. Samuel Herberg’s ocular bioengineering laboratory is centered around understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying persistent outflow tissue dysfunction in primary open-angle glaucoma. Dr. Herberg’s interdisciplinary training in cell biology, bioengineering, and regenerative medicine informs the design of extracellular matrix biopolymer hydrogels containing primary human trabecular meshwork and Schlemm’s canal cells. The overarching goal is to model the cellular, molecular, and biomechanical properties of the native outflow tissues in 3D culture systems that more accurately simulate the complex in vivo environment than do traditional 2D models. Dr. Herberg received his BS in biotechnology engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany, and his PhD in cellular biology from Augusta University. He trained as a NIH NRSA-supported postdoctoral fellow in biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University and regenerative medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Dr. Herberg joined the faculty in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2018. He holds joint appointments in the Departments of Cell and Developmental Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as well as in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at neighboring Syracuse University.