Stem Cell Engineering

Stem cells have the potential to induce repair and participate in regenerating injured tissues. However, during the course of chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases and diabetes) and aging, resident and circulating stem cells are subject to stress-induced premature dysfunction that limits their therapeutic use. Our lab is interested to utilize engineering approaches to understand the mechanisms governing stem cell fate and to control stem cell differentiation, in particular for their therapeutic application in cardiovascular and lymphatic disorders.

Currently, there are no reliable biosensors available for non-invasive monitoring of cellular metabolites, soluble proteins, and signaling lipids for quality control of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) products. The current gold standard is still the enzyme linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) test and other conventional manual methods such as immunostaining and western blot. However, these traditional approaches are too slow and labor intensive for in-line monitoring of culture medium, partly due to the multiple blocking and individual-sample calibration procedures. To address these unmet needs, we have developed a portable, robust, non-invasive, multiplexed, and easily mountable diagnostic device for in-line automated monitoring of protein biomarkers released by TERM products in bioreactors and medical devices. We were able to validate our platform technology using TERM products from our industrial partners, Vascugen and EpiBone, who are interested to grow blood vessels and bone graft. 

Selected Publications:

1. A Multiplexed Immuno-Sensor for On-Line and Automated Monitoring of Tissue Culture Protein Biomarkers. 
   Zeinab Ramshani, Fei Fan, Alicia Wei, Miguel Romanello-Giroud-Joaquim, Chang-Hyun Gil, Matt George, Mervin C. Yoder, Donny Hanjaya-Putra, Satyajyoti Senapati, Hsueh-Chia Chang; Talanta, 2020 Dec. PDF

2. Self-Organized Vascular Networks from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Synthetic Matrix
   Sravanti Kusuma, Yu-I Shen, Donny Hanjaya-Putra, Prashant Mali, Linzhao Cheng, Sharon Gerecht; Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2013 Jul 30; 110(31): 12601-6. PDF

3. The Differential Formation of the LINC-mediated Perinuclear Actin Cap in Pluripotent and Somatic Cells
   Shyam B. Khatau, Sravanti Kusuma, Donny Hanjaya-Putra, Prashant Mali, Linzhao Cheng, Jerry S.H. Lee, Sharon Gerecht, Denis Wirtz; PLoS ONE, 2012, 7(5):e36689. PDF