Biomaterial Design for Stem Cell Induction

Helen H. Lu, Ph.D.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY NY 10027

Musculoskeletal joint motion is facilitated by synchronized interactions between multiple tissue types and the seamless integration of bone with soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons or cartilage. In the context of connective tissue (bone, ligaments, tendon) repair and regeneration, extracellular matrix composition and architecture, as well as mechanical loading, are well established parameters for guiding neo-tissue formation. A pressing challenge in orthopaedic tissue engineering is how to harness the repair potential of mesenchymal stem cells with relevant scaffold and mechanical cues, without the need for additional growth factors. To this end, using nanofiber-based scaffolds as model ECM cultured in a dynamic bioreactor, we investigated whether physiological loading and/or biomimetic nanofiber alignment are sufficient to direct mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation into ligament fibroblasts, without any concurrent stimulation with growth factor or inductive media. In addition, we explored the effects of ceramic reactivity and composition on osteoinduction of stem cells. These studies demonstrate the promise of biomimetic material design for stem cell induction, and the potential for clinical translation of these devices for musculoskeletal regeneration.

Biography

Dr. Helen H. Lu received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently the Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the Director of the Biomaterials and Interface Tissue Engineering Laboratory at Columbia. Prof. Lu’s research focuses on Orthopaedic Interface Tissue Engineering and the formation of composite tissue systems, with the goal of achieving integrative and functional repair of soft tissue injuries. Additionally, her research group is active in the design of novel biomaterials for orthopaedic and dental applications. Her research has been recognized with many awards, including the Early Faculty Career Awards in Translational Research from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and the Young Investigator Award from the Society for Biomaterials. Prof. Lu was honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) at the White House in 2010, and was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2011. Her group has published over 80 original research articles, invited reviews and book chapters in biomaterials and tissue engineering, and she is the inventor and co-inventor of more than a dozen patents and patent applications. Prof. Lu has given over 130 invited lectures at national and international conferences and institutions. She serves on the editorial board of leading journals in the field, including IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (Associate Editor), Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Engineering, Regenerative Biomaterials, Journal of Biomedical Material Research A, and Journal of Orthopaedic Research.