Abstract: Stem cells are a groundbreaking field in regenerative medicine and disease modeling due to their unique properties, including indefinite self-renewal and the ability to develop into various cell types. In this talk, I will discuss the crucial role of engineering techniques in promoting the maturation of stem cell derivatives, particularly vascular cells, which are essential in tissue engineering as they supply nutrients and remove waste. We will explore strategies that enhance the functional maturation of these cells to ensure the success of tissue engineering efforts. Additionally, we will discuss using stem cell-derived liver tissues as in vitro systems to understand metabolism and improve drug testing accuracy. We aim to refine these models by leveraging engineering principles to mimic physiological conditions, offering more accurate platforms for personalized medicine. Finally, we will delve into early developmental processes, particularly the formation of the placenta, which is critical for healthy pregnancy outcomes. Overall, this talk emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of stem cell research and highlights how engineering strategies can facilitate the maturation of stem cell derivatives and provide valuable insights into disease mechanisms, drug responses, and developmental processes essential for human health and well-being.
Bio: Quinton Smith is an Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and holds joint appointments in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2011 and his Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2017. As a graduate student, he was mentored by Dr. Sharon Gerecht and used engineering approaches to investigate the role of mechanical forces on stem cell differentiation towards vascular populations. He was named a Siebel Scholar as a graduate student, and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and a National Institutes of Health F31 fellowship supported his work. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna Gray Postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Smith focused on leveraging microfluidic and organoid technology to model liver development and morphogenic processes. Dr. Smith’s primary research objective at UCI is to use stem cell-based model systems to study health disparities in the context of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.