Prof. Bethany Almeida Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University will present Developing a human mesenchymal stem cell-laden, nanoparticle-encapsulated hydrogel towards cartilage tissue engineeringOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease affecting more than 32 million people in the US alone resulting in the irreversible degradation of articular cartilage. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) demonstrate strong potential as a therapy for OA due to their chondrogenic differentiation potential, yet the mostly acellular and avascular structure of cartilage affects hMSC survival, and heterogeneity affects hMSC therapeutic potential. Hydrogels have been widely used as a scaffold to increase hMSC viability due to their biocompatibility. In addition, the physicocochemical properties of hydrogels can be engineered to mimic the properties of native cartilage. We propose a novel, benign crosslinking method to fabricate hMSC-laden hyaluronic acid (HA)/type I collagen hydrogels using Diels-Alder click chemistry. We investigate the effects of changing HA molecular weight on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel towards mimicking articular cartilage. In addition, we investigate the addition of kartogenin (KGN)-releasing polymeric nanoparticles within the hydrogel to further improve hMSC chondrogenic differentiation.
Bethany Almeida is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Clarkson University. Professor Almeida’s research focuses on engineering advanced, functional biomaterials to modulate stem cell behavior with applications in tissue engineering/regenerative medicine, wound healing, and immunoengineering. Professor Almeida is also passionate about science communication and K-12 outreach. Professor Almeida is the recipient of several national and university honors and awards, including a 2020 BMES Career Development Award and being named a 2020 Rising Star in Engineering in Health by Columbia University. Prior to joining Clarkson University, Professor Almeida was an American Society for Engineering Education Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Bio/molecular Science and Engineering at the US Naval Research Laboratory. She received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Brown University in 2019 and her Bachelor’s of Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2013 with majors in Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing.
Friday, Nov 3, 2023
3:30 PMBH Snell Hall 214, Potsdam Campus
Zoom Information: Link
Meeting ID: 950 1099 7564
Passcode: chemistry
