CAREER: Exploring the Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell to Chondrocytes After Electrospraying

About This Grant

The overarching goal of this research is to find a new and effective way to turn stem cells, cells that have the potential to be transformed/differentiated into any type of cell, into chondrocytes, a specific type of cell that is important for cartilage repair. The focus of this Faculty Early Career Development project is on exploring a technique called electrospraying, where electricity and mechanical forces (rather than special/usually expensive differentiating media) are used to guide the transformation of the stem cells into chondrocytes. This innovative method involves utilizing the patient's own stem cells, obtained from their fat tissue, to minimize the risk of immune rejection. By establishing a personalized approach to create cells for repairing damaged cartilage, successful development of this process will have significant implications for regenerative medicine focused on other tissues. Beyond the scientific objectives, the initiative aims to train science teachers in West Virginia. In-person sessions will focus on seamlessly integrating a cutting-edge tissue engineering module into their existing courses. Leveraging the field of tissue engineering, the project strives to infuse core scientific concepts into high school science classes, enriching the learning experience. The overarching goal of these activities is to ignite a passion for scientific exploration and nurture the next generation of innovators and problem solvers through this educational endeavor. In the pursuit of differentiating stem cells into a homogeneous population, diverse levels of success have been achieved, revealing the intricacies and challenges of this research field. Cell electrospinning and electrospraying offer a promising avenue to effectively differentiate stem cells into mature and functional cell types, potentially advancing tissue engineering significantly. The CAREER project’s primary objective is to explore electrospinning and electrospraying techniques, aiming to revolutionize the production of chondrocytes from human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). This study seeks to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying these processes, enhancing understanding and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in regenerative medicine. Using this innovative methodology involving electrospinning and electrospraying of cells, the investigation explores cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A signaling and ATP oscillation during the chondrogenesis of hASCs. This pioneering study holds the potential to provide profound insights into two critical domains: introducing electrospraying as a novel cellular differentiation method and establishing groundwork for a new source of chondrocytes in Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI). This project is jointly funded by the Engineering of Biomedical Systems Program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.