Abstract

Tissue engineering involves time- and sequence-dependent procedures where the final outcome is unknown until the restored tissue is formed and functioning. Monitoring changes in the biomechanical properties during tissue development, maturation, ageing, and the onset of disease is critical to the design of new tissue engineering techniques for tissue repair and regeneration. Non-invasive periodic monitoring of the stiffness of a tissue-engineered construct during tissue growth would enable instantaneous non-destructive means for tissue differentiation and development. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is such a technique that measures the viscoelastic properties of soft biological tissues in a non-invasive manner. MRE generates images that depict shear wave motion from which we can calculate local values of the tissue stiffness. MRE, as currently applied, cannot be used to study small biological tissues, or to image in vivo thin tissue regions, such as articular cartilage with thickness less than 2 mm and distinct structure in sub millimeter layers. Recently, we have extended MRE to the microscopic scale and have referred to it as microscopic MR elastography ( The specific aims are: 1) Optimize

Public Health Relevance

Current cancer treatments usually involve surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. These treatments play a vital role in saving patient's lives but in breast cancer and head and neck cancer, for example, leave the patient with disfiguration and loss of normal function. Tissue engineering will play a vital role in rehabilitation and full organ restoration. In this project, we are proposing to monitor the tissue engineering process to speed the translation of tissue engineering in regenerative medicine.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03EB007299-01A2
Application #
7461163
Study Section
Bioengineering, Technology and Surgical Sciences Study Section (BTSS)
Program Officer
Mclaughlin, Alan Charles
Project Start
2009-06-10
Project End
2011-05-31
Budget Start
2009-06-10
Budget End
2010-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$72,450
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
555456995
City
Lincoln
State
NE
Country
United States
Zip Code
68588

  Publications

Curtis, Evan T; Zhang, Simeng; Khalilzad-Sharghi, Vahid et al. (2012) Magnetic resonance elastography methodology for the evaluation of tissue engineered construct growth. J Vis Exp :
Othman, Shadi F; Curtis, Evan T; Plautz, Sarah A et al. (2012) MR elastography monitoring of tissue-engineered constructs. NMR Biomed 25:452-63
Boulet, Thomas; Kelso, Matthew L; Othman, Shadi F (2011) Microscopic magnetic resonance elastography of traumatic brain injury model. J Neurosci Methods 201:296-306