Ehsan Jabbarzadeh, Ph.D.
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
California Institute of Technology,
1200 E. California Blvd., MC 210- 41
Pasadena, CA 91125
Office: (626) 395-8814
Cell: (267) 235-5951
Email: ej79@caltech.edu
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~ej79
“Towards Programming Mammalian Cell Behaviors for Engineering Tissues”
Abstract
The field of tissue engineering has evolved to develop functional substitutes for damaged
tissues using combinations of cells, scaffolding materials and signaling molecules.
Despite great promise, there exist important challenges to creating off-the-shelf
engineered tissues. One important hurdle is our insufficient understanding of the
molecular mechanisms associated with cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Another
challenge lies in the development of biomaterials that not only mimic the structure of
natural tissues but also allow for the formation and infiltration of blood vessels.
To address these challenges, we have taken an integrated experimental and modeling
approach with three components. The first component of our work included the design
and fabrication of polymeric scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. In addition, we
established a new approach to control blood vessel formation in these engineered
matrices by the use of ex vivo gene therapy and adipose derived stem cells. The second
component involved the development of a probabilistic mathematical model of
angiogenesis. Using this model, we explored the various roles of growth factor transport
and cell-cell signaling in regulation of cell migration and blood vessel formation in
porous biomaterials. The third component of our research dealt with understanding the
underlying mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to microenvironmental cues. In
this context, we established a quantitative approach to parse out the role of cell-matrix
adhesions in regulation of cell spreading and motility. I will discuss how our findings
advance the current understanding of the complex mechanisms behind tissue formation in
biomaterials and cell-material interactions and provide potential design strategies for
regenerative medicine.
1