CAREER: Programming Mesenchymal Stem Cell Fate: An Integrated Research and Education Approach

职业：间充质干细胞命运编程：一种综合研究和教育方法

• 批准号: 0955259
• 负责人: Mariah Hahn
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-02-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0955259&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Programming; Mesenchymal; Stem; Cell

This Career award by the Biomaterials program in the Materials Research Division to Texas Engineering Experimental Station, College Station is to advance rational scaffold design for organ regeneration and to develop the next generation of tissue engineers. These studies will be carried out with a particular focus on guiding adult mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation. Growth factors have long been recognized as potent drivers of MSC growth and differentiation. However, recent studies have demonstrated that scaffold stiffness can have a similar degree of influence on MSC differentiation. These findings have opened up the possibility that MSC differentiation can be dictated by tailoring scaffold material properties alone. A complex array of scaffold properties is currently recognized to impact MSC lineage progression. The goal of the proposed studies is to determine the relative influence of these various scaffold properties on MSC differentiation using a novel biomaterial platform based on collagen-mimetic proteins with programmable cell interaction sites. Understanding the dominant scaffold properties in terms of driving specific MSC differentiation will allow focus on optimizing this narrowed scaffold property set when designing scaffolds for organ regeneration. Successful completion of the proposed work is expected to significantly advance the rapid design of tissue scaffolds, leading to improved treatments for organ damage. The proposed education activities focus on increasing the interest and confidence of minorities and young women in STEM at critical periods during which STEM confidence often decreases. These activities include exposing middle school, high school, and undergraduate students to biomaterials and to associated cutting-edge scientific techniques and will advance the next generation of tissue engineers by promoting the increased representation of traditionally underrepresented groups in high-level STEM careers.Tissue engineering holds great promise for the treatment of patients with damaged organs and generally involves combining cells with a biomaterial support. The present proposal encompasses a set of integrated research and education activities designed to dramatically advance biomaterial design for organ regeneration and to develop the next generation of tissue engineers. MSCs are a promising patient-derived cell source that can be induced to differentiate into a range of cell types. However, the ability to control MSC differentiation at a level required for organ regeneration has not yet been achieved. A complex array of biomaterial factors are known to impact MSC differentiation. The goal of the proposed studies is to identify the dominant biomaterial factors in terms of guiding specific MSC differentiation. Understanding the dominant biomaterial influences on MSC differentiation will allow focus on optimizing subset of factors, rather than a broad range of potential factors, when designing biomaterials for organ regeneration. The proposed education plan includes middle school, high school, and undergraduate outreach. The proposed outreach activities focus on increasing the interest and activities of minorities and young women in STEM related topics. The education plan was developed in close consultation with education experts and will advance the next generation of tissue engineers by promoting the increased representation of traditionally underrepresented groups in high-level STEM careers.

该职业奖由材料研究部的生物材料项目授予德克萨斯工程实验站，学院站，旨在推进器官再生的合理支架设计，并培养下一代组织工程师。这些研究将特别关注引导成人间充质干细胞（MSC）分化。生长因子长期以来被认为是MSC生长和分化的有力驱动因素。然而，最近的研究表明，支架刚度可以对MSC分化具有类似程度的影响。这些发现开辟了MSC分化可以通过单独定制支架材料特性来决定的可能性。目前公认一系列复杂的支架特性影响MSC谱系进展。提出的研究的目标是确定这些不同的支架性能对MSC分化的相对影响，使用一种新的生物材料平台，基于胶原蛋白模拟蛋白与可编程的细胞相互作用位点。了解驱动特定MSC分化方面的主导支架特性将允许在设计用于器官再生的支架时专注于优化这种狭窄的支架特性集。这项工作的成功完成有望大大推进组织支架的快速设计，从而改善器官损伤的治疗方法。拟议的教育活动侧重于在STEM信心往往下降的关键时期提高少数群体和年轻妇女对STEM的兴趣和信心。这些活动包括让初中、高中和大学生接触生物材料和相关的尖端科学技术，并通过促进传统上代表性不足的群体在高级STEM职业中的代表性，推动下一代组织工程师的发展。组织工程为器官受损患者的治疗带来了巨大的希望，通常涉及将细胞与生物材料支持相结合。目前的建议包括一套综合的研究和教育活动，旨在大大推进生物材料设计的器官再生和发展下一代的组织工程师。MSC是一种有前途的患者来源的细胞来源，可以诱导分化成一系列细胞类型。然而，尚未实现将MSC分化控制在器官再生所需水平的能力。已知一系列复杂的生物材料因素影响MSC分化。拟议研究的目标是确定指导特定MSC分化的主要生物材料因素。在设计用于器官再生的生物材料时，了解生物材料对MSC分化的主要影响将允许关注优化因素子集，而不是广泛的潜在因素。拟议的教育计划包括初中、高中和本科拓展。拟议的外展活动重点关注提高少数族裔和年轻女性对STEM相关主题的兴趣和活动。该教育计划是与教育专家密切协商制定的，将通过促进传统上代表性不足的群体在高级STEM职业中的代表性来推动下一代组织工程师的发展。