Center for Functional Nanomaterials Seminar

Bio-recognition is inherently a nano- rather than microscopic phenomenon. Moreover, cell fate (e.g. stem cell differentiation and cancer cell apoptosis) is controlled by dynamic interactions with multiple microenvironmental cues, such as soluble signals, cell-cell interactions, and insoluble/physical signals. The key question is how to investigate and manipulate the cellular interactions/responses with complicated microenvironments at the single molecule level. Motivated by this demand, two orthogonal nanotechnology methods the "top-down" patterning of extracellular matrix (ECM) and signal molecules in combinatorial ways (e.g. ECM composition, pattern geometry, pattern density, and gradient patterns), and the "bottom-up" synthesis of multifunctional nanoparticles and their modification with specific biomolecules -- are being developed and synergistically applied to stem cell biology and cancer research in our lab.

The second important question to be addressed in my presentation is how to regulate stem cell fate by using combinatorial nano assay platforms. Conventional differentiation approaches, such as spontaneous differentiation, are not sufficient for cell-based therapies, as they are inefficient and generate heterogeneous cell populations. Therefore, more efficient and selective methods to control stem cell fate are crucial for the clinical application of stem cells and for probing the molecular mechanisms critical for stem cell development. To address these challenges, we have developed and integrated aforementioned nanotechnology methodologies to control stem cell differentiation toward a specific cell lineage and investigate dynamic stem cell behaviors. In this talk, a summary of the results from these efforts will be presented.