Confocal Microscopy for Engineering Stem Cell Microenvironment in Lymphatic Regeneration

项目摘要 根据PA-18-591和NOT-GM-20-013要求提供补充资金，用于购买共聚焦显微镜 系统，将支持NIGMS MIRA奖R35 GM 143055 -01。该研究项目所支持的 该奖项位于工程和医学之间的界面，其动机是制造干细胞， 分子疗法作为一种有效的方法来模拟和治疗淋巴疾病。为了实现这一目标，研究 该计划是在开发跨学科的方法，结合干细胞和 生物工程，生物材料和微流体，以及淋巴和系统生物学技术，以开发 治疗性淋巴管生成的必要成分。项目中的大部分工作现在依赖于 在健康和健康的淋巴管的体外和体内模型的工程干细胞和水凝胶， 疾病工作流程依赖于快速可靠的共聚焦显微镜系统，能够成像厚， 大样本。实验室目前可用的技术老化，不适合成像生物材料， 需要提前调度，并且必须支付昂贵的用户费用。最先进的流线型 这里所要求的一个实验室共聚焦显微镜系统将使项目的进展更快 目标.要求NIGMS提供补充资金，以支付系统费用的65%。剩下的35%将 由圣母大学作为机构支助提供捐助。

PROJECT SUMMARY The supplement fund is requested under PA-18-591 and NOT-GM-20-013 to purchase a confocal microscopy system, which will support NIGMS MIRA award R35GM143055-01. The research program supported by this award lies at the interface between engineering and medicine, with a motivation on making stem cells and molecular therapies as an effective method to model and treat lymphatic diseases. Toward this goal, the research program is working at the forefront of developing transdisciplinary approaches by combining stem cell and bioengineering, biomaterials, and microfluidics, as well as lymphatic and systems biology techniques to develop the necessary component in therapeutic lymphangiogenesis. Major amount of the work in the project now relies on engineering stem cells and hydrogels for in vitro and in vivo models of lymphatic vasculatures in health and diseases. The workflow relies on a rapid and reliable confocal microscope system, capable of imaging thick and large samples. Technology currently available to the laboratory is aging, incompatible for imaging biomaterials, requires advance scheduling, and necessitates paying costly user fees. The state-of-the-art, streamlined, and single laboratory confocal microscopy system requested here will permit a more rapid advance toward the project goals. The supplement fund is requested from NIGMS to cover 65% of the system cost. The remaining 35% will be contributed by the University of Notre Dame as institutional support.