Christine Pauken, Ph.D., Harrington Department of Bioengineering, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering David Capco, Ph.D., School of Life Sciences Cell Biotechnology: Integrating Modern Cell Biology and Engineering or “Teaching bioengineers how to play with cells!”

Cell Culture Some students start work with their cells in the biosafety cabinets, While other students listen to a lecture on the finer points of microscopy and taking photos of their cells.

Students learn to make movies of cell migration and mitosis. This also requires that the cells be held at 37°C for up to 18 hours. This is done with a circulating water bath and a specially designed 60 mm dish attachment.

Checking the cells before passaging them into new dishes. Hey, Professor, aren’t my cells growing nicely!! Microscope Work

Differential centrifugation to isolate subcellular organelles. Protein isolation Spectrophotometric analysis of enzyme activity, cell proliferation, and protein concentrations Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting RT-PCR analysis Transformation Immunocytochemistry Students learn a wide variety of techniques.

Students also have access to devices such as these High Aspect Ratio Vessels (HARV) and to capillary fiber bioreactors to grow cells in a 3D structure.

FULTON s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g Student Research Projects During the second half of the semester, students carry out their own research project. Initially the student must present a short proposal that includes the following: –Background –Hypothesis –Experiments to be done –Materials required –Gantt Chart

FULTON s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g Some Student Projects Electric Field Directed Neurite Extension Growth of PC-12 Cells on an Agarose Gel Doped with the Conductive Polymer Polypyrrole Effects of Extracellular Matrix on the Growth of Neuroprogenitor Cells Evaluation of Hyaluronic Acid and Surface Roughness on Type I Collagen Formation on Titanium Implant Surfaces Development of Tissue Engineered Pericardium on PGA Scaffolds Preliminary Studies into the Response of F9 and F9 & 3T3 Co-Cultures to Microgravity Studies on Cell Communication of Cardiomyocytes when grown on the electrically conductive polymer Polypyrrole

FULTON s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g Some Student Projects A mathematical model of control of transcription The Effect of Laminin Peptide on Phenotypic Modulation in Protein Kinase Expressing Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Thin Film Hydroxyapatite on an Epithelial Cell, MDCK Cytotoxicity of N-isopropylacrlamide-co-acrylic acid Copolymers with Varied Acrylic Acid Content and Synthesized in Various Organic Solvents

FULTON s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g Student Research Projects Finally, students have to do both a PowerPoint presentation on their research and a poster for an undergraduate research symposium.