Speaker: Ali Khademhosseini, Professor

Affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering and Radiology, UCLA

Nano- and Microfabricated Hydrogels for Regenerative Engineering

Engineered materials that integrate advances in polymer chemistry, nanotechnology, and biological sciences have the potential to create powerful medical therapies. Our group aims to engineer tissue regenerative therapies using water-containing polymer networks, called hydrogels, that can regulate cell behavior. Specifically, we have developed photocrosslinkable hybrid hydrogels that combine natural biomolecules with nanoparticles to regulate the chemical, biological, mechanical and electrical properties of gels. These functional scaffolds induce the differentiation of stem cells to desired cell types and direct the formation of vascularized heart or bone tissues. Since tissue function is highly dependent on architecture, we have also used microfabrication methods, such as microfluidics, photolithography, bioprinting, and molding, to regulate the architecture of these materials. We have employed these strategies to generate miniaturized tissues. To create tissue complexity, we have also developed directed assembly techniques to compile small tissue modules into larger constructs. It is anticipated that such approaches will lead to the development of next-generation regenerative therapeutics and biomedical devices.

About the Speaker

Dr. Ali Khademhosseini received his BASc and MASc degrees in chemical engineering from University of Toronto, and his Ph.D. in bioengineering from MIT. He is currently a Professor of Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering and Radiology at UCLA. He is the Founding Director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Therapeutics, and the Associate Director of the California NanoSystems Institute. Prior to joining UCLA, he directed the Biomaterials Innovation Research Center at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Khademhosseini is recognized as a leader in combining micro- and nano-engineering approaches with advanced biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. In particular, his laboratory has pioneered numerous technologies and materials for controlling the architecture and function of engineered vascularized tissues. He has authored ~500 journal papers and 60 books/chapters. In addition, he has delivered 300+ invited/keynote lectures. He also serves on the editorial board of numerous leading journals.

Dr. Khademhosseini’s interdisciplinary research has been recognized by over 40 major national and international awards. He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers; the Pioneers of Miniaturization Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry; the Sr. Scientist Award of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society – Americas Chapter; and the Clemson Award of the Society for Biomaterials. He is also a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering; the Materials Research Society; the Biomedical Engineering Society; the Royal Society of Chemistry; Biomaterials Sciences and Engineering; and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.