CAREER: Understanding the Effects of Mechanical Dosing on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Identity

职业：了解机械剂量对间充质干细胞特性的影响

• 批准号: 2239922
• 负责人: Sebastian Vega
• 金额: $ 51.29万
• 依托单位: Rowan University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-04-01 至 2028-03-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2239922&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Understanding; Effects; Mechanical; Dosing

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant will study how the “identity” of stem cells can be preserved by the mechanical properties of the materials that surround them. Stem cell identity is defined by their ability to divide, adapt, and differentiate. This work will focus on mesenchymal stem cells, which are adult stem cells typically sourced from bone marrow and expanded with tissue culture techniques. Controlling mesenchymal stem cell identity is important for cell manufacturing and regenerative medicine. The research goal of this project is to overcome current limitations in the cell culture environment of mesenchymal stem cells by developing materials with independently controllable properties of stiffness, adhesion, and cell-cell signaling. The educational goal of this project is to integrate research with ongoing educational activities to increase scientific literacy and equity. The work will involve programs for underrepresented high school and undergraduate students to conduct in-person summer research and attend virtual interactive modules designed to instill a passion for cell biology and materials science.The central hypothesis of this research is that mechanical dosing strategies can be leveraged to control mesenchymal stem cell proliferation, adaptation to dynamic materials, and differentiation within 3D hydrogels. This hypothesis will be tested by: (i) determining the significance of matrix mechanosensing during in vitro expansion on mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and stemness, (ii) elucidating the role of adhesive and cell-cell mimetic peptides on mesenchymal stem cell mechanical adaptation, and (iii) identifying mechanical dosing parameters that increase the differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells in 3D injectable hydrogels. The fundamental knowledge gained from these studies is expected to lead to a paradigm shift in current mesenchymal stem cell culture environments and result in significant advances in cell manufacturing, stem cell mechanobiology, and regenerative medicine.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这项教师早期职业发展（Career）资助将研究干细胞的“身份”如何通过周围材料的机械特性来保存。干细胞的身份是由它们分裂、适应和分化的能力决定的。这项工作将集中于间充质干细胞，这是一种成体干细胞，通常来自骨髓，并通过组织培养技术进行扩增。间充质干细胞身份的控制对细胞制造和再生医学具有重要意义。该项目的研究目标是通过开发具有独立可控刚度、粘附性和细胞-细胞信号传导特性的材料，克服目前间充质干细胞细胞培养环境的局限性。该项目的教育目标是将研究与正在进行的教育活动相结合，以提高科学素养和公平。这项工作将包括为代表性不足的高中生和本科生提供的项目，让他们进行面对面的暑期研究，并参加旨在灌输对细胞生物学和材料科学的热情的虚拟互动模块。本研究的核心假设是，机械给药策略可以用来控制间充质干细胞的增殖、对动态材料的适应以及3D水凝胶内的分化。这一假设将通过以下方式得到验证：(1)确定基质机械传感在体外培养过程中对间充质干细胞增殖和干性的重要性，(2)阐明粘附肽和细胞-细胞模拟肽对间充质干细胞机械适应性的作用，以及(3)确定机械剂量参数，以增加3D可注射水凝胶中间充质干细胞的分化潜力。从这些研究中获得的基础知识有望导致当前间充质干细胞培养环境的范式转变，并导致细胞制造，干细胞机械生物学和再生医学的重大进展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。