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

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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.