Photoreversible hydrogels to study stem cell memory and fate

该项目将开发刚度可以通过简单的光的应用可逆地增加或减少的材料，并利用这些材料来建立干细胞命运是如何调节的知识。机械线索对细胞核结构和组织的影响将被确定。预期的结果是新的合成和光可逆的培养材料，以及对力量如何改变细胞核以改变干细胞衰老和命运的基本见解。这些发现将为未来发展检测细胞效力和指导生物材料以驱动干细胞扩增和组织再生提供关键信息，并将通过支持干细胞技术的未来发展产生影响。

This project will develop materials whose stiffness can be reversibly increased and decreased by the simple application of light, and use these to build knowledge of how stem cell fate is regulated. The influence of mechanical cues on the structure and organisation of the nucleus will be determined. Expected outcomes are new synthetic and light-reversible culture materials, and fundamental insights into how forces change the nucleus to alter stem cell aging and fate. The findings will provide critical information required for the future development of assays to measure cell potency and instructive biomaterials to drive stem cell expansion and tissue-regeneration and will have impact by underpinning future advances in stem cell technologies.