| Biomaterials
and Scaffolds
Research
Group |
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Principal Investigator |
Linda Griffith |
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PhD Students |
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Ada Au
PhD Student,
BE
Collaborator: Dr.
George F. Muschler (Cleveland
Clinic Foundation)
My work on optimization of bone
marrow as the cell source for bone
grafting entails the enrichment of
connective tissue progenitors from
marrow aspirates by surface design
of bone grafts. The enrichment was
achieved by receptor-mediated interactions
of cells with peptides presented
by an otherwise cell inert polymer.
Strategies in improving the efficiency
of CTP adhesion and function by pre-plating
processing are also being developed.
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Vivian
Fan
PhD Student, BE
Collaborator:
Prof. Prof. Alan
Wells (Pathology, Univ Pittsburgh Med Ctr)
Characterization of mesenchymal
stem cells responses to polymeric
surfaces modified with tethered epidermal
growth factor (EGF). Investigation
of cellular signaling pathways controlling
mesenchymal stem cell morphology
on EGF-modified surfaces. |
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Will Kuhlman
PhD Student, DMSE |
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Nick Marcantonio
PhD Student, BE
Analysis of the effect of different
adhesive peptides on focal adhesion
formation
and cell adhesion, as well as the
collaboration of adhesive
peptides
and growth factors in cell signaling.
Comb biopolymers are
employed
to prevent unwanted cell interactions
and to provide spatial
control of
ligands at cell-substrate interface. |
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Ley Richardson [cv]
PhD Student, ChemE
Collaborators: Prof. Douglas Lauffenburger (BE/ChemE/Biology,
MIT); Prof. Anne Mayes (DMSE, MIT); Prof.
Alan Wells (Pathology,
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)
Ley studies the synergy between
EGF receptor and integrins in fibroblast
adhesion and motility as well as
the significance of the mode of ligand
presentation to the cell. He has
developed biocompatible 2D polymer
substrates that present to cells
a combination of tethered growth
factors and adhesion peptide sequences
in a nanoscale controlled manner.
With these substrates, he performs
quantitative assays of cell adhesion,
migration, and proliferation in addition
to intracellular signal transduction
and trafficking studies. |
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John Wright
PhD Student, BE |
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Postdoctoral Associates |
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Eileen Dimalanta
Postdoctoral Associate, BE |
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Maria Ufret
Postdoctoral Associate, BE |
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Staff Scientists |
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Jim Serdy
Staff Scientist, BE
Collaborators: Prof. Linda Griffith (ME/ChemE/Biology, MIT); Prof. Ely Sachs
(ME/Lab for Mfg. & Productivity, MIT)
Syntheses and characterizations
of graft copolymers for biomedical
applications. Surface modification
of biomaterials to regulate protein
and cell recognition. Current study:
Synthesis of biodegradable comb-like
copolymer having PEO side chain and
polymethylmethacrylate having polydimethylsiloxane
side chain. |
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Ikuo Taniguchi
Research Staff, BE
Collaborators: Prof. Anne Mayes (DMSE, MIT)
Syntheses and
characterizations
of graft copolymers
for biomedical
applications. Surface
modification of
biomaterials to
regulate protein
and cell recognition.
Current study:
Synthesis of biodegradable
comb-like copolymer
having PEO side
chain and polymethylmethacrylate
having polydimethylsiloxane
side chain. |
