Jason Tchao

Faculty Mentor: Kimimasa Tobita

Research: Mr. Tchao is currently studying cardiomyocyte differentiation from rat and human origin skeletal muscle derived stem cells (MDSCs) by exogenous expression of cardiac transcription factors and the effects of deacetylase inhibition on functioning cardiomyocyte differentiation from MDSC within a 3D collagen gel bioreactor. 

Currently, Mr. Tchao has completed all required training of biochemical assays and is currently running the experiments solo. For exogenous cardiac transcription factor induction of MDSCs. He has succeeded in gene transfection using retroviral vectors. He found that single gene transduction (Tbx5 or GATA4 cardiac transcription factor) has not significantly improved functioning cardiomyocyte differentiation. Therefore, he will pursue transfection of multiple genes. Deacetylation by trichostatin A increases cardiac protein expression and improves force generation in MDSC-derived engineered cardiac tissue. 

Publications: 

• Gillette BM, Jensen JA, Wang M, Tchao J, Sia SK.. "Dynamic hydrogels: switching of 3D microenvironments using two-component naturally derived extracellular matrices". Advanced Materials22(6): 686-91, 2010 

 
Conferences:
 

• McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine Annual Retreat, Farmington, PA. United States, 3/1/2013.

Rangos Research, Pittsburgh, PA. United States, 6/1/2013.

• Tchao J, Han L, Lin B, Lo CW, Yang L, Tobita K, "Preconditioning of Human Muscle Derived Stem Cells for Cardiac Repair."