Engineering Stem Cells: From In Vitro to In Situ
Stem cells are a valuable cell source for tissue engineering, disease modeling and drug screening. A recent discovery in stem cell biology is that differentiated cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and desired cell types. Although the effects of transcriptional factors and chemical compounds have been widely studied, the role of biophysical factors on cell reprogramming is not clear. Dr. Li will present his findings on how biophysical factors can regulate the epigenetic state and thus the cell memory and reprogramming process, which has important implications in cell conversion into iPSCs and specific cell types. To illustrate the important role played by stem cells in tissue regeneration and remodeling in vivo, Dr. Li will use blood vessel regeneration as an example to demonstrate an evolution from in vitro tissue engineering to in situ tissue engineering approach. In this approach, endogenous stem cells are recruited by the use of bioactive scaffolds to promote tissue regeneration. In addition, endogenous stem cells are also involved in the regeneration of microvessels and the development of vascular diseases, suggesting a general role of stem cells in vascular remodeling.
Dr. Song Li had his Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at UC San Diego, and is currently a Professor of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley. His research is focused on stem cell engineering, mechanobiology and tissue regeneration. In the past few years, he sought to understand how biophysical factors regulate the cell reprogramming and to elucidate the mechanism of how stem cells participate in the remodeling of blood vessels. Dr. Li has authored more than 100 papers and has co-founded two companies to translate the research findings into biomedical applications. Dr. Li is a Fellow of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering and a Fellow of Biomedical Engineering Society.
Sponsoring department: Mechanical Engineering
http://me.engin.umich.edu/