Description | Molecular Engineering and Sciences Seminar Series Stem Cell Fate is a Touchy Subject Abstract: The success of regenerative cell therapy relies on the integration of a functional vascular system within the redeveloping tissue to mediate the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste. The advent of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has accelerated progress towards this goal, owing to their potential to generate clinically relevant scales of patient-specific cells. However, techniques to drive their specification mainly rely on chemical cues. In this seminar, I will propose engineering strategies to control the complex stem cell extracellular milieu, emphasizing the importance of mechanical stimuli during hiPSC development, specification and downstream functionality as it relates to vascular differentiation. Bio: Dr. Quinton Smith received his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2017, after completing his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2011. As a graduate student, under the guidance of Dr. Sharon Gerecht, he implemented various engineering tools to explore the role of physiochemical cues on stem cell maturation. Dr. Smith is currently a postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, where he is investigating the role of biliary epithelium in liver regeneration. Dr. Smith’s predoctoral work was supported by an NIH/NHLBI F-31 and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He is a recipient of the 2017 Siebel Scholar award and was awarded the HHMI Hanna Gray Fellowship in 2018. This weekly seminar brings together students, faculty and invited guests from various disciplines across campus to explore current trends in molecular engineering and nanotechnology. It is a forum for active interdisciplinary discussions. These talks are open to the public and attract a diverse audience of students and faculty. |
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