Under this CAREER Award, the investigator will develop a comprehensive research program in Microscale Hepatic Tissue Engineering oriented towards elucidating the structure/function relationship of the liver. The liver architecture in vivo will be used as a guide to quantitatively investigate and optimize hepatocyte-to-hepatocycte cell interactions, hepatocycte-to-non-parenchymal cell interactions, cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions, and the role of soluble cues. Micropatterned surfaces conjugated with the adhesive peptide RGD as a model extracellular matrix will be used to ligate integrins and control cell-to-cell interactions in 2D. Photopolymerized PEG hydrogels conjugated with RGD will be used to present an adhesive peptide to aggregated hepatocytes in a 3D context. Photopatterning of cell-containing hydrogels will be used to explore 3D features of tissue structure. Collectively, the studies will provide fundamental insight into the cross-talk between integrins, cadherins, and gap junctions as well as the relative role of 2D and 3D environments in this cross-talk. Insights gained will benefit design of bioartificial liver reactors and implantable constructs and should have a major technological impact on the practice of 3D tissue engineering.
The educational plan focused on building and maintaining the involvement of women in science and engineering and the need for further integration across the fields of engineering, biology, and medicine. A pilot outreach program for 11-13 year old girls would be expanded and a study of reasons for attrition of women in engineering would be broadened. An interdisciplinary undergraduate textbook on Tissue Engineering would be completed.
