BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Department of Chemical Engineering - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Department of Chemical Engineering
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://che.northeastern.edu
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Department of Chemical Engineering
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T130000
DTSTAMP:20260511T045052
CREATED:20240806T211609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241101T185914Z
UID:5130-1733313600-1733317200@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:Chemical Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Omokolade Adebowale
DESCRIPTION:Multiscale Mechanoimmunology: From Molecular Mechanisms to Precision Therapies \nLocation: 305 Shillman Hall \nAbstract: Multiscale Mechanoimmunology: From Molecular Mechanisms to Precision Therapies Therapeutic immune cells have the potential to treat complex diseases. Some therapies\, such as CAR T cells\, are effective against blood cancers but are not effective against solid cancers\, which comprise about 90% of adult cancers. A key requirement of the role of therapeutic cells in tumor eradication is their ability to migrate to and infiltrate the tumor. To accomplish this\, cells navigate various mechanoimmunological factors\, such as tissue viscoelasticity. One consequence of viscoelasticity is time-dependent stress relaxation – a decrease in stress in response to applied deformation. However\, the mechanisms by which viscoelasticity regulates migration are not fully understood. In addition\, limited studies have quantitatively compared the transport of cell therapies in tissue-like environments. My research aims to address these research gaps. To address the potential role of viscoelasticity on 3D cell migration\, I developed hydrogels that mimic the stress relaxation behavior of native tissues. I found that enhanced stress relaxation potentiates monocyte migration. Mechanistically\, our data support a model whereby WASP-mediated actin polymerization generates physical force at the leading edge of the cell to generate micron-sized channels for cells to migrate through. In a separate project\, I integrated macrophage phenotype and morphometric transitions. Together\, our studies establish a platform to determine the role of mechanical cues in shaping the immune response and to leverage fundamental mechanisms to enable the rational design of “living drugs.” \n\nKolade Adebowale will join the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering as an assistant professor in Spring 2025. Dr. Adebowale received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 2021 under the guidance of Professor Ovijit Chaudhuri. Dr. Adebowale is a postdoctoral fellow with Professor Samir Mitragotri at Harvard University. While at Stanford\, Dr. Adebowale received the NSF GRFP\, a Stanford Graduate Fellowship\, and an NIH F31 grant. At Harvard\, Dr. Adebowale was awarded an NSF Ascend – MPS postdoctoral fellowship and was an NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 scholar. Dr. Adebowale’s main research areas are biomaterials\, mechanobiology\, and immunology. He seeks to integrate engineering design principles in cancer immunology to enable rational engineering and prediction of effective\, next-generation immune cell therapies. Furthermore\, Dr. Adebowale strives to understand how the complex functionality of the immune system arises from mechanical cues and simple biophysical principles. Dr. Adebowale is excited to teach and mentor the next generation of scientists and engineers.
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/chemical-engineering-fall-seminar-series-omokolade-adebowale/
LOCATION:305 Shillman\, 360 Huntington Ave\, 305 Shillman\, Boston\, MA\, 02115\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T160000
DTSTAMP:20260511T045052
CREATED:20241202T194836Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241202T194836Z
UID:5310-1733839200-1733846400@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:ChE PhD Dissertation Defense: Peng Zhao
DESCRIPTION:Name:\nPeng Zhao \nTitle:\nImpact of ECM-Based Hydrogel Delivery Vehicle Properties on Cell Survival in a 3D In Vitro Injection Model for Retinal Progenitor Cell Transplantation \nDate:\n12/10/2024 \nTime:\n2:00:00 PM \nCommittee Members:\nProf. Rebecca Carrier (Advisor)\nProf. Abigail Koppes\nProf. Sidi Bencherif\nProf. Michael Young \nLocation:\nEXP 610-A \nAbstract:\nAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss globally and a form of retinal degenerative (RD) disease. Current treatments\, such as gene therapy\, drugs\, laser procedures\, and neuroprotective approaches\, cannot restore the photoreceptors lost in RD diseases. Cell transplantation into the subretinal space shows potential to enhance visual function\, but low cell survival and efflux from the injection site present major obstacles. Mechanical forces during injection can severely damage cells\, and the host microenvironment may further contribute to cell death. Following high-density subretinal injection\, a compact cell bolus may form\, resulting in nutrient depletion\, low oxygen levels\, pH imbalances\, and waste accumulation—factors that exacerbate cell death. \nBiomaterial scaffolds have been employed to improve cell survival and differentiation\, though the ideal scaffold cues for supporting transplanted cell survival and integration remain undetermined. In this study\, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) in vitro injection model to simulate subretinal bolus injection. Using this model\, we found that the injection process and bolus microenvironment negatively impact human retinal progenitor cell (hRPC) viability\, promoting apoptosis. Alginate-based hydrogels of varying stiffness and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule compositions were created using factorial design. hRPC viability\, apoptosis\, and migration within the formed hydrogels were investigated through the 3D in vitro injection model and a 3D invasion assay. Factorial design analysis revealed that higher stiffness and the inclusion of laminin and hyaluronic acid enhance hRPC survival and 3D migration. \nOne challenge with studying cell responses in the context of cell transplantation is the inability to easily visualize cells at the transplantation site over time. Compared to traditional in vitro cultures\, retinal explant models that retain native tissue structure and neuronal connections could provide physiologically relevant insights. Here\, we developed a novel explant model for hRPC transplantation\, wherein alginate-based hydrogels containing hRPCs were injected adjacent to cross-sectional retinal tissue slices. This setup allows visualization of the cells’ position relative to retinal tissue layers over time. Key cell behaviors\, including migration\, attachment\, invasion\, viability\, and apoptosis\, were tracked in real-time using confocal microscopy.
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/che-phd-dissertation-defense-peng-zhao/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241213T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241213T160000
DTSTAMP:20260511T045052
CREATED:20241202T194950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241202T194950Z
UID:5314-1734098400-1734105600@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:ChE PhD Dissertation Defense: Yuan Li
DESCRIPTION:Name:\nYuan Li \nTitle:\nEstablishing a Physiologically Relevant Upper Gastrointestinal In Vitro Model Incorporating Bile Salts and Simplified Commensal Microbial Consortium \nDate:\n12/13/2024 \nTime:\n2:00:00 PM \nCommittee Members:\nProf. Rebecca Carrier (Advisor)\nProf. Abigail Koppes\nProf. Erel Levine\nProf. Jiahe Li \nLocation:\nEXP 610-A \nAbstract:\nBacteria-epithelial-immune crosstalk plays crucial roles in intestinal physiology. Bile salts (BS) act as critical modulators of these interactions\, influencing health and disease. Tools for studying interactions between BS\, microbes\, and host cells within the human intestinal mucosa are lacking. \nIn this project\, we developed in vitro intestinal models for studying bacteria-epithelial-immune crosstalk. First\, the impacts of individual BS (sodium taurocholate\, NaTC; sodium glycochenodeoxycholate\, NaGCDC; and sodium tauroursodeoxycholate\, NaTUDC) on human primary intestinal epithelial monolayer co-cultures with Escherichia coli were studied. We observed that high BS concentrations disrupted barrier function\, as evidenced by reduced transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER)\, with NaGCDC causing the most significant damage. Interestingly\, the addition of phyosphatidylcholine (PC) and E. coli were observed to mitigate the BS-induced monolayer TEER reductions. \nTo enhance the model’s physiological relevance\, we next incorporated a simplified model bile (including NaTC\, NaGCDC\, NaTUDC\, and PC)\, an apical hypoxic environment\, dendritic cells\, and a simplified commensal microbial consortium (Streptococcus mitis\, Clostridium bifermentans\, Prevotella melaninogenica\, and Bifidobacterium longum). 4/1 mM concentrations of BS/PC micelles were observed to damage the epithelial barrier under hypoxic but not normoxic conditions. However\, incorporation of the bacterial consortium protected the epithelium from BS/PC – associated damage. Furthermore\, the presence of BS/PC alleviated barrier damage and inflammatory response induced by co-culture with the bacterial consortium\, potentially in part through modulation of bacterial growth. In addition\, we observed thicker mucus layers not only impacted the growth of consortium strains\, resulting in enhanced growth of the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum\, but also reduced inflammatory responses to bacteria and BS/PC-induced epithelial damage. In general\, our in vitro model revealed that commensal microbes mitigate BS and BS/PC toxicity to the epithelial monolayer\, while BS helps alleviate monolayer damage and inflammatory response caused by commensal microbes. \nIn preparation for transferring the developed model from static cell culture inserts to microfluidic devices for mimicking intestinal fluidic stimuli and enabling facile visualization of the mucosal interface\, we designed a gut-on-chip platform with a vertical hydrogel-cultured epithelial monolayer. Three hydrogels (crosslinked collagen type I\, PEG-VS\, and PEG-SG-PLL) were evaluated for compatibility with human primary intestinal epithelial stem cells (HPIESCs). Collagen type I and PEG-SG-PLL were found to support HPIESC adhesion and monolayer formation\, but collagen lost structural integrity under flow. PEG-VS\, though functionalized with cell-binding peptides\, only enabled partial monolayer formation. Notably\, encapsulating organoids in PEG-VS near the gel-medium interface enabled crypt-like monolayer formation through organoid-driven gel re-structuring. Furthermore\, we found that flow enhanced epithelial differentiation on PEG-SG-PLL and PEG-VS (encapsulation method)\, leading to thicker monolayers with taller columnar cells compared to static culture. These findings show PEG-SG-PLL and PEG-VS are good candidates for enabling transition of the bile-intestinal model to microfluidic chip platforms.
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/che-phd-dissertation-defense-yuan-li/
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR