Neural Tissue Engineering

Neural tissue engineering employs an engineering framework to foster the repair and regeneration of neural tissue. Within this realm, our research encompasses two main themes.

The first theme focuses on leveraging smart materials and devices to guide, regulate, and steer the growth, differentiation, and integration of stem cells within the host tissue for neural tissue regeneration. We posit that the fate of stem cells can be modulated by engineered substrates, particularly through surface characteristics, controlled release of soluble factors, and electrical stimulation. By combining these stimuli, we aim to prompt neural stem cells to differentiate into functional neurons at specific locations and orientations, crucial for achieving functional repair. 

The second theme centers on establishing connections between regenerating nerves and electrodes to both monitor and enhance functional recovery. To repair traumatically damaged nerve or even reconnect the severed nerves with gaps, stem cells like dental pulp cells can be integrated into the nerve regenerating scaffold and promote axonal regrowth and functional reconnections by excreting neurotrophic factors. The nerve functional recovery can be evaluated by examining the evoked signal propagation through the nerve in repair and nerve innervated muscle activities.

Relevant publications

• Meer N. Ahmed, Delin Shi, Matthew T. Dailey, Kristi Rothermund, Michelle D. Drewry, Tia C. Calabrese, Xinyan T. Cui, and Fatima N. Syed-Picard, Dental Pulp Cell Sheets Enhance Facial Nerve Regeneration via Local Neurotrophic Factor Delivery, Tissue Engineering Part A, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1089/ten.tea.2020.0265
• Michelle D. Drewry, Delin Shi, Matthew T. Dailey, Kristi Rothermund, Sara Trbojevic, Alejandro J Almarza, Xinyan T. Cui, Fatima N. Syed-Picar, Enhancing facial nerve regeneration with scaffold-free conduits engineered using dental pulp stem cells and their endogenous, aligned extracellular matrix, Journal of Neural Engineering, 2024