Understanding the impact of the breast cancer microenvironment on progression will help with future cancer treatments.
Faculty Mentor: Mehdi Nikkhah
The mathematical modeling of the dynamic migration of MDA-MB-231 cells within co-culture as well as in the presence of antifibrotic drug Tranilast and chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin utilizing a novel micro-engineered in vitro model.
Understanding the way cancer works at a cellular level would help make safer, more effective cancer treatments.
Diffusion of Dextran Across a Microfluidic Device Used to Model Native Myocardium
Building a better model of heart tissue damage from heart attacks can help develop better treatment methods.
Effect of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts on Breast Cancer Cell Migration Parameters
The research objective of this work is to study breast cancer cells’ migratory parameter, speed and persistence, in the presence of a stromal component, Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs). To achieve this, a 3D micropatterned in vitro model recapitulating the native tumor environment has been utilized. Two major cell lines are being studied: the minimally invasive MCF-7
Elucidation of Stromal Fibroblast and Antifibrotic Drug on Chemo Resistance Within a 3D Model
The project objective was to study the effects of antifibrotic drugs on extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness modulation and the related efficacy of various chemotherapy drugs. This was tested using a novel high-density tumor microarray model containing tumor cells and fibroblast cells in coculture. The necessary micro engineered devices for this project have been manufactured, and
Development of a Conductive Injectable Hydrogel for Cardiac Tissue Engineering.
Cardiac damage caused by myocardial infarction is irreversible due to the limited regenerative capability of cardiomyocytes. Thus, treatment is challenging. Injectable hydrogels that can accommodate cardiac cells and allow tissue formation could offer a promising strategy to repair damaged hearts. In this study, a conductive injectable hydrogel was created by incorporating gold nanowires (GNWs) into
