CAREER: Integrated Research and Educational Program in Cellular Mechanics in Biomedical Engineering

这个职业项目涉及细胞力学综合研究和教育项目的发展。这项研究的中心假设是，细胞拥有一种特定的机制来感知其环境的顺应性。为了验证这一假设，将开发具有明确化学和机械性能的基质，并将使用光学显微镜、图像处理和数据分析来评估各种细胞系的反应。这项工作将有助于促进我们对底物的化学和物理性质在调控细胞-底物相互作用中的相对重要性的理解。该教育计划的目标是在本科生和研究生水平上发展生物材料科学和工程方面的教育重点。学生将获得与生物医学应用相关的聚合物材料的各种特性的动手实验室经验。具体的教育创新包括采用来自同行教学的互动教学方法；对文献的批判性审查；以及与来自生物医学工程各个方面的外部代表的互动。外展将通过波士顿大学的路径计划实现，该计划鼓励当地高中女性在科学和工程领域追求职业生涯。

9985338WongThis career project involves the development of an integrated research and educational program in cellular mechanics. The central hypothesis of the research is that cells possess a specific mechanism to sense the compliance of their environment. To test this hypothesis, substrata with defined chemical and mechanical properties will be developed, and the responses of a variety of cell lines will be evaluated using optical microscopy, image processing and data analysis. This work will help advance our understanding of the relative importance of chemical and physical properties of the substrata in governing cell-substrate interactions. The goal of the education plan is to develop an educational thrust in biomaterials science and engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Students will gain hands-on laboratory experience with the various properties of polymeric materials relevant for biomedical applications. Specific education innovations include incorporation of interactive teaching methods adapted from Peer Instruction; critical review of the literature; and interactions with outside representatives from the various aspects of biomedical engineering. Outreach will be achieved via Boston University's Pathways Program, which encourages local high school women to pursue careers in science and engineering.