Contact: Prof. L.J. Bonassar lb244@cornell.edu

Phone: 255-9381

Office: 218 Upson Hall

Tissue Injection Molding Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells

One of the major obstacles in developing therapeutically viable approach to cartilage regeneration is the availability of cells that can produce new cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells derived from bone marrow that have the potential to become cartilage cells. This project seeks to use MSCs to produce shaped cartilage implants using established methods for tissue injection molding.

In prior work we have demonstrated that cartilage cells can be seeded into hydrogel implants and shaped into desired geometries to generate new tissue. The current project involves the application of these same methods to generate cartilage with MSCs. Key questions involve the ability of MSCs to produce cartilage tissue that is similar in composition and mechanically properties to native cartilage.

Students interested in this project should have some working laboratory knowledge of biology and chemistry as well as familiarity with methods of mechanical testing. Tasks for this project include isolation and culture of MSCs, processing of MSCs and polymers into molded implants, biochemical analysis of cultured implants, and mechanical testing of seeded and cultured polymer implants.