BIOMATERIALS & MECHANOTRANSDUCTION

Nanoscale Biomaterials for Stem Cell Osteogenesis and FAK Signaling
MSCs are induced to differentiate into osteogenic fate by culturing on advanced nanostructured biomaterials and the role of focal adhesion signaling (FAK) in this induction is investigated with MSCs displaying FAK-shRNA or overexpression.

Mechanical Control of Bone and Stem Cell Fate and ROCK Signaling
Osteoblastic and stem cells are molecularly manipulated to express altered cell tension signaling, e.g., ROCK, and exposed to fluid flow-induced shear and mechanical cell stretch to reveal the role of tension signaling in mechanotransduction during skeletal differentiation.

Geometric-Molecular Integrative Control of Cadherin Cell-Cell Interaction
Cell-cell interaction is co-manipulated by cell micropatterning (isolated vs. connected) and molecular engineering (RNA silencing and overexpression of cadherins) to examine the role of intercellular interaction in bone and stem cell fate decision in both static and dynamic cultures.

Adipocytic Developmental Mechanobiology for Obesity Study
MSC adipogenesis is inhibited by applying mechanical signals (stretch, fluid flow) and soluble factor (retinoic acid), and potential co-regulatory role of BMP, FAK/ROCK/cadherin, and RAR signaling is tested to reveal mechanical-biochemical crosstalk in downregulating adipogenesis for obesity study.  

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Neuronal Regenerative Medicine
An in vitro impulsive cell pressurization device is developed to investigate TBI conditions of human neuronal cells.  Neuronal regenerative medicine is pursued by utilizing micropatterned biomaterials and by applying cell stretch, fluid flow, and ultrasound to neuronal precursor cells.

Microfluidics for Bone Cell Mechanotransduction and Stem Cell Migration
A novel multichannel microfluidic device mimicking in vivo micro-flows is designed for testing fluid flow effects on bone cells.  Stem cell rescue of damaged cells is examined via assessing stem cell migration within a microfluidic channel containing healthy and damaged cells.


Lim Lab Research Gallery

  Vinculin(G) focal adhesion        Bone mineral staining            Nanopit topography              Cell on nanoislands

   Cell interaction with ECM     Fluid flow over cells (FEM)      Silencing FAK by shRNA        Cell modulus map (AFM)   

        MSC adipogenesis         Micropatterning of collagen   4-arm interconnected cells    Neuronal marker MAP2(G)

   Cell orientation in 3D gel