Design of tissue engineering bioreactors using Magnetic resonance imaging and two photon microscopy

这里提出了一项利用大鼠肝细胞培养进行生物反应器设计的研究，这些细胞培养的目的是为了便于操作、安全以及它们在短时间内快速再生的能力。这将在两个长度范围内完成。首先，将利用双光子显微镜(TPM)在亚微米尺度上研究生物反应器设计对细胞相互作用和生长的影响。其次，将利用磁共振成像(MRI)在微米尺度上研究生物反应器的流体动力学及其对组织的影响。这两种技术都是非侵入性的，可以在现场研究生物反应器。我相信，使用这两种技术的组合将使我们第一次能够获得与反应堆设计相关的长度等级上有关这些系统的化学、物理和生物学特征的必要信息。在这个项目的过程中，我目前在核磁共振和化学工程方面的专业知识将得到我将在组织工程和双光子显微镜方面学习的新技能的补充。这些技能和技术的协同作用将是详细的流体力学研究、优化和扩大的基础。

Proposed here, is a study of bioreactor design using cultures of rat liver cells which were chosen for ease of handling, safety and their ability to regenerate quickly over short periods of time. This will be done across two length scales. Firstly, Two-Photon Microscopy (TPM) will be used to study the impact of bioreactor design on the cellular interactions and growth on a submicron length scale. Secondly, the hydrodynamics of the bioreactors and its impact on the tissue will be studied on the micron scale using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Both these techniques are non-invasive and allow for the bioreactor to be studied in-situ. I believe that using a combination of the two techniques will allow the necessary information on the chemistry, physics and biology characterising these systems, over the hierarchy of length scales relevant to reactor design, to be obtained for the first time.Throughout the course of this project, my current expertise in MRI and chemical engineering will be complemented by the new skills I will learn in tissue engineering and two photon microscopy. The synergy of these skills and techniques will be the basis for detailed hydrodynamic studies, optimisation and scale-up.