BME Seminar

 

Abstract:

Electrospun polymer nanofibers have gained increasing popularity in cellular and tissue engineering due to their fibrous morphology, superior mechanical performance, biocompatibility, and flexibility in surface functionalities. In order to achieve tissue-like structures with tailored morphology and functions, the understanding of the interaction between three-dimensional nanofibers network and the subject cellular objects is critical. The cells in culture are subject to a highly complex and dynamic environment involving not only nanofibers, but also larger scale structures. These larger structures can equally affect cell behavior, especially at multi-cellular and tissue levels. The precise control of multiscale structures in the immediate extracellular environment is thus important for appropriate cellular response. In this study, several technologies developed in our lab are introduced, which help to control the morphology of electrospun nanofibers and integrate the nanofibers with microfluidic systems. In particular, micropatterned collector chip will be introduced, which modulates the local electric field around the collecting surface and leads to nanofibrous matrix with spatially controllable porosity. Programmable micropatterning of polymer nanofibers will be presented for co-culture purposes. Nanoporous substrates with concave and convex microstructures that provide a starting point for 3D culturing and on-chip cell loading will also be described. In addition, combined micro/nanofluidic systems enabled by sacrificial nanofibers will also be introduced.

Biographical Information: Yi Zhao, Ph.D.