Bioreactors for biomechanical conditioning and evaluation of native and engineered tissues

我们的跨学科工程师和科学家团队处于了解生物力学力量如何调节细胞和组织功能的前沿，并应用这些知识来帮助培养广泛的工程心血管和呼吸组织。细胞和组织的生物力学调节最好在实验室中使用生物反应器进行研究，这种反应器可以精确控制施加在细胞和组织上的机械力。我们目前还没有获得我们需要测试生物力学调节或在生理条件下生长组织的生物反应器。这减缓了我们的进步，扼杀了我们的发现和发明的翻译，限制了它们的影响和价值。在本提案中，我们要求生物反应器系统来解决这一迫切需求。该定制系统将通过建立对组织和器官系统和应用广泛有用的能力来加速我们的研究项目，并且在加拿大是独一无二的。数十名学员将在该设备上接受专家技术培训，获得生物反应器、生物力学、组织工程和相关应用方面的跨学科专业知识。

Our interdisciplinary team of engineers and scientists is at the forefront of understanding how biomechanical forces regulate cell and tissue function and applying that knowledge to help grow a wide range of engineered cardiovascular and respiratory tissues. Biomechanical regulation of cells and tissues is best studied in the lab using bioreactors that allow precise control of the mechanical forces being applied to the cells and tissues. We currently do not have access to the bioreactors that we need to test biomechanical regulation or grow tissues under physiological conditions. This has slowed our progress and stifles translation of our discoveries and inventions, limiting their impact and value. In this proposal, we request a bioreactor system to address this urgent need. The customized system will accelerate our research programs by establishing capabilities that are broadly useful for a wide range of tissue and organ systems and applications and unique in Canada. Dozens of trainees will receive expert technical training on this equipment, gaining interdisciplinary expertise in bioreactors, biomechanics, tissue engineering, and related applications.