Editing Rick Strassman (section)

==Developmental biology research==
As an undergraduate at Stanford, working in the developmental biology laboratory of Norman K. Wessells, Strassman developed a new model for growing embryonic avian dorsal root ganglion neurons, suspended in a semi-solid agar matrix, thus allowing three-dimensional assessment of growing patterns.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Strassman|first1=RJ|last2=Letourneau|first2=P|last3=Wessells|first3=NK|title=Elongation of axons in an agar matrix that does not support cell locomotion.|journal=Experimental Cell Research|volume=818|issue=2|pages=482–487, 1973|doi=10.1016/0014-4827(73)90539-9|year=1973|pmid=4796638}}</ref> Using this model, he discovered a nonrandom pattern of growth of the leading edge of these cells.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Strassman|first1=RJ|last2=Wessells|first2=NK|title=Orientational preferences shown by microspikes of growing nerve cells in vitro|journal=Tissue and Cell|volume=5|issue=3|pages=412–417, 1973|doi=10.1016/s0040-8166(73)80034-5|year=1973|pmid=4744679}}</ref>