NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Korea

这一行动资助伊利诺伊大学香槟分校的约书亚·M·格罗曼于2013年夏天在韩国首尔的延世大学开展了一个生物与工程研究项目。该项目的标题是“芯片上的神经：人造神经纤维作为模型生物系统”。海藻酸盐水凝胶因其生物相容性好，易于形成凝胶而被广泛用作包囊材料。然而，以所需的形式和功能生产藻酸盐水凝胶可能是不切实际的，特别是当考虑到组织工程应用所需的复杂模式时。为了解决这些局限性，这项工作展示了一种方法，使用简单的微型设备形成复杂的纤维，然后将构建的结构与P19癌细胞一起播种。然后，这些充满细胞的纤维可以安装并暴露在维甲酸中，诱导神经组织的变化，这可以作为研究白质轨迹和神经网络的生物模型。一个成功的神经纤维生物学模型的意义将是深远的，无论是在治疗应用方面，还是作为深入了解潜在生物学的工具。通常，由于缺乏对许多变量的控制，体内的此类系统非常复杂和难以研究。EAPSI奖学金的更广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；介绍各自所在地的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及了解社会、文化和语言。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，这些研究的结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，并在学术界传播，以帮助进一步的医学研究。

This action funds Joshua M. Grolman of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to conduct a research project in Biology and Engineering during the summer of 2013 at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. The project title is "Nerves on a Chip: Artificial Neuronal Fibers as Model Biological Systems." The host scientist is Professor Injae Shin.Alginate hydrogels have been widely used as encapsulant materials due to their biocompatibility and ease of forming a gel. However, producing alginate hydrogels in the desired form and function can be impractical, particularly when considering the complicated patterns required for tissue engineering applications. To address these limitations, this work demonstrates a method of forming intricate fibers using a simple micro-scale device and subsequently seeding the constructs with P19 cancer cells. These cell-laden fibers can then be mounted and exposed to retinoic acid to induce change into neural tissue, which may serve as biological models to study White Matter Tracks and neural networks. The implications of a successful biological model of neuronal fibers would be far-reaching, both in treatement applications, as well as a tool for deeper understanding of the underlying biology. Typically, such systems in vivo are very complex and difficult to study due to a lack of control over many of the variables. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the results of these studies will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated within the academic community help further medical research.