Break

Translation of nanoscale discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic promises new diagnostic tools, drug targeting modalities, gene therapy platforms, and tissue constructs for patients. Tissue morphogenesis during fetal development is highly dependent on spatial and temporal expression of multiple morphogens targeting different progenitor cells. During fetal development, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) are implicated in bone formation coupled by paracrine signalling between the two progenitor cells. The invading ECFCs secrete osteogenic morphogens (BMP2) to stimulate cell differentiation and mineralization whereas the differentiating MSCs release vasculogenic morphogens (VEGF) to further stimulate capillary formation for the metabolically active osteoblasts. I will present in my seminar novel self-assembled hybrid, multi-functional, self-assembled, peptide-polymer nanogels for on-demand release BMP2 and VEGF micropatterned matrices to stimulate paracrine signalling and couple osteogenesis and vasculogenesis.