Project Overview

Cellular differentiation and tissue development is regulated by spatiotemporally defined gradients of soluble and insoluble factors that direct cell fate during early development. The goal of this project is to develop a cell culture-compatible platform that can afford spatial resolution (tens to hundreds of microns) over the localization of paramagnetic iron oxide microparticles. The eventual application is to deliver soluble factors or morphogens from the microparticles in a spatially regulated fashion, with the end goal of direction stem cell differentiation and tissue morphogenesis. As the microparticle system is already developed, this project is focused on the design of a platform to spatially localize these soluble factor-releasing "depots." Depending on the progress of this work, future initiatives may include computationally modeling the release of factors to microtissues in culture.

We have created a platform that uses nickel wire to manipulate the magnetic field to achieve our aims. Nickel has a higher permeability to magnetism than either air or the culture medium thus creating an increase in the magnetic flux at that point, which attracts the paramagnetic microparticles to that point.

Team Picture

Contact Information

Team Members

• Russell Little - Team Leader
• Jolene Enge - Communicator
• Michelle Chiang - BSAC
• Kelsey Veserat - BWIG & BPAG

Advisor and Client

• Prof. John Puccinelli - Advisor
• Ms. Angela Xie - Client