Shear and topography modulation of pluripotent stem cell derived endothelial cells

PSC-ECs are increasingly being explored as an alternative cell source for cardiovascular therapeutic applications. However, PSC-ECs are a heterogeneous cell population with diverse phenotypic and functional properties. This project explores the use of biophysical environmental cues such as shear stress and substrate topography to mature PSC-ECs into arterial or venous sub-types.

Functional sorting of human stem cell-derived cells

Cells derived from human stem cells are increasingly being explored as an alternative cell source to primary cells in regenerative medicine and drug testing applications. However, stem cell differentiation is inherently a highly heterogeneous process, which gives rise to the functional cell type of application interest and other supporting cells. This project aims to develop assays and technologies that can identify and sort human stem cell-derived hepatocytes and endothelial cells based on their functionalities instead of surface markers.