Presenting on "Engineering Functional Microtissues for Modeling Development and Disease in Heart, Skeletal Muscle, and Uterus".

Megan L. McCain, PhD, Chonette Early Career Chair and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sourthern California, will speak on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 10:00 am CT in Whitaker 218.

Registration to attend virtually is required. Please register here.

Abstract: The development and function of all human tissues is dependent on the coordination of molecular components within cells, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and cellular responses to physical forces. Disruptions in one or more of these factors typically manifest as disease. Thus, a systematic understanding of tissue-level phenomena is crucial for understanding many aspects of human tissue development and the progression of many human diseases. To address this need, my research group develops integrated technologies to systematically control cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, tune the physical microenvironment with spatiotemporal control, and efficiently measure tissue function, with a focus on muscular tissues. In this talk, I will describe how we have used these approaches to: (1) model the myocardial infarct border zone with a microfluidic oxygen gradient; (2) engineer multi-lineage muscle tissues with spatial control using synthetic cell receptors; and (3) develop myometrial tissues to model uterine contractility. These engineered microtissue models enable new insights into human development and disease and can serve as medium-throughput testbeds for developing new therapies.