In this talk, I will discuss our recent efforts in engineering the bio-material interface to achieve unique biological functions and medical applications. First, I will talk about design of hydrogel matrices to control stem cell fate in vitro and in vivo and the use of such engineered matrices to understand the molecular mechanism underlying stem cell differentiation. I will talk next about developing biomaterial interfaces to support xenogeneic transplantation of cells, where the transplanted cells act as a “drug store” for biomolecules.
Finally, I will talk about how interfacial engineering can be exploited to create materials with “living” functions such as self-healing along with their applications in cartilage tissue repair and soft robotics.
Shyni Varghese, Ph.D., is the Laszlo Ormandy Distinguished Professor and inaugural MEDx Investigator at Duke University. She is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, and Orthopaedics Surgery. She is also the founder of Osteocure Therapeutics Inc. and a Fellow of the AIMBE and the Royal Society of Chemistry. She is currently serving as an Associate Editor of Biomaterials Science (an RSC journal). Dr. Varghese’s research covers a broad range of topics including stem cells, biomaterials, microphysiological systems, and regenerative medicine. Her research activities have resulted in over 120 publications and over a dozen patent disclosures. Examples of ongoing research activities in her laboratory involve developing technologies to improve cell-based therapies, activating endogenous stem cells to combat age associated changes, and organ-on-a-chip platforms.