Nanofabulous Seminar: micro and nanotechnologies to direct mesenchymal stromal cell fate for tissue regeneration
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) show great promise for a wide range of applications including treating graft-vs-host disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as in tissue-engineering. This can be attributed to the direct differentiation of MSCs into the cells that form tissues such as bone or cartilage, or the activity of the factors that MSCs secrete which can have powerful regenerative properties.
MSC properties are tightly regulated by cues from their surrounding microenvironment, including physical cues such as substrate mechanical properties, ligand presentation and architecture. Bioengineered systems therefore gave a huge role to play in building essential understanding of how the cells respond to different physical cues, as well as in developing new technologies that harness these effects to promote tissue repair. Our research investigates the effects of physical stimuli on the properties and function of MSCs, including effects of substrate mechanical properties, surface micro and nano-topography and changes from 2D to 3D. We then apply this knowledge to improve the design of systems for MSC differentiation and tissue formation, for example, by delivering microRNA:nanoparticle complexes to modulate mechanosensitive signalling pathways in MSCs encapsulated in hydrogels and promote osteogenesis for bone tissue engineering.
A/Prof Jess Frith
Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University
ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies,
Monash University
11:00am, 16/03/2023
At the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Boardroom
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: click here
Meeting ID: 843 6652 4045 and passcode: 870817
