Micro/Nano-engineering of material surfaces for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Ketul C. Popat Dr. Popat is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering/School of Biomedical Engineering at Colorado State University. Prior to that, he was working as a Research Specialist in the Department of Physiology at University of California, San Francisco. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Langmuir, Biomaterials, Journal of Orthopedic Research, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, etc. and has and h-index of 37. He has also presented his work at numerous national and international level conferences. He received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from University of Illinois at Chicago in 2003, M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago in 2000 and B.E. in Chemical Engineering from M. S. University in India in 1998.
Ketul C. Popat
School of Advanced Materials Discovery, Walter Scott Jr College of Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
Abstract
Surfaces that contain micro- and nanoscale features in a well-controlled and “engineered” manner have been shown to significantly affect cellular and subcellular function of various biological systems. Our research is focused towards using the tools of micro- and nanotechnology for application in biomaterials and tissue engineering. The goal of current research is to design implants that induce controlled, guided, and rapid healing. In addition to acceleration of normal wound healing phenomena, these implants should result in the formation of a characteristic interfacial layer with adequate biomechanical properties. To achieve these goals, however, a better understanding of events at the tissue-material interface is needed, as well as the development of new materials and approaches that promote biointegration. Our work proposes the use of well-controlled nanostructured interfaces to enhance implant integration. We hypothesize that controlled nanoscale architectures can promote cell differentiation and matrix production, and enhance short-term and long-term integration. Moreover, the ability to create model nano-dimensional constructs that mimics physiological systems can aid in studying complex tissue interactions in terms of cell communication, response to matrix geometry, and effect of external chemical stimuli. By understanding how physical surface parameters influence cellular adhesion and differentiation, we can more effectively design biomaterial interfaces that can be used in a clinical setting.
