Rate My Professor Tyler Schwend

Tyler Schwend is an Associate Professor of Biology in the Biology Department at Illinois Wesleyan University, where he also directs the Neuroscience Program. His academic journey began with a B.S. in Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003. He then pursued a Ph.D. in Life Sciences at Northwestern University, completing it in 2010. Subsequently, Schwend served as a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow at Kansas State University from 2010 to 2012 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2012 to 2015. These postdoctoral fellowships preceded his appointment at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Schwend's research focuses on the molecular underpinnings of corneal nerve development and regeneration, employing the embryonic chick cornea as an experimental model. He investigates the roles of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and diverse extracellular matrix molecules in directing nerve pathfinding and growth decisions during embryogenesis. His studies explore how the abundance of corneal GAGs hinders neuro-regeneration after injury, aiming to develop therapies that counteract these inhibitory cues. Schwend also engages in teaching animal physiology, biology, and ethics. Notable publications include "Wiring the ocular surface: A focus on the comparative anatomy and molecular regulation of sensory innervation of the cornea" published in Differentiation in 2023; "Unique and overlapping effects of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) on sensory innervation of the chick cornea" in Experimental Eye Research in 2020; and "Investigating Scarless Tissue Regeneration in Embryonic Wounded Chick Corneas" in the Journal of Visualized Experiments in 2022. In recognition of his research and mentoring, Schwend co-led a grant application as principal investigator that secured Illinois Wesleyan University's selection for the Arnold O. Beckman Foundation's Beckman Scholars Program in 2024, awarding $156,000 to support six undergraduate scholar-mentor pairs over three years. Through his lab, he has mentored students contributing to peer-reviewed publications and presentations, enhancing the academic impact in sensory neurodevelopment and regeneration.