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SUMMARY:Soft but Tough! Engineering Protein Assemblies and Interfacial Mec
 hanics for Stem Cell Technologies and the Design of Biomimetic Niches - Pr
 ofessor Julien Gautrot\, Queen Mary University of London
DTSTART:20241122T140000Z
DTEND:20241122T150000Z
UID:TALK221209@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:46601
DESCRIPTION:The ability of cells to sense the mechanical properties of the
 ir environment has been extensively reported and studied. The mechanisms v
 ia which cells are able to do so\, and how in turn this enables to regulat
 e a range of cell phenotypes have received significant attention in the la
 st two decades. However\, materials chemistry and mechanical properties in
  the bulk and at interfaces may significantly differ. We have recently unc
 overed mechanisms via which adherent cells can not only spread but also ad
 here at liquid-liquid interfaces\, hence demonstrating that interface chem
 istry and mechanics can completely override bulk mechanical properties to 
 not only direct cell adhesion and spreading\, but also regulate stem cell 
 phenotype. We identified some of the design parameters allowing polymer an
 d protein assembly to control the mechanical properties of corresponding i
 nterfaces. In turn\, this enables the design of bioactive microdroplets\, 
 or bioemulsions\, supporting cell adhesion and proliferation\, for the sca
 le up of adherent cell culture and processing. We propose that bioemulsion
 s will allow transforming the cell manufacturing and delivery pipeline. In
  addition\, we show that microdroplet technologies can be used to recreate
  some of the structural\, mechanical and biochemical properties of ultra-s
 oft stem cell niches\, for example in the bone marrow\, for regenerative m
 edicine and advanced in vitro models.\n\nJulien Gautrot is Professor of Bi
 omaterials and Biointerfaces in the School of Engineering and Materials Sc
 ience at Queen Mary\, University of London. After a PhD at Manchester Univ
 ersity and postdoctoral research\, first at the Universite de Montreal\, t
 hen at the University of Cambridge\, he joined QMUL as a lecturer in 2011.
  His research focuses on the development of biointerfaces and engineered b
 iomaterials for stem cell technologies and regenerative medicine. In parti
 cular\, his group has been exploring cross-talks between the physico-chemi
 stry and biochemistry of soft biointerfaces (polymer brushes\, hydrogels a
 nd protein assemblies) and the mechanical properties and microstructure of
  the cell microenvironment\, and their impact on the regulation of cell ad
 hesion and stem cell phenotype.
LOCATION:Oatley 1 Meeting Room\, Department of Engineering
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