Manipulating Immune Cells for Tissue (Re)Generation

What role can immune cells play in tissue regeneration? My work seeks to answer this question by developing in vitro models of immune cells in blood vessel development as well as studying these immune cells in vivo within injury models. The first part of my talk will focus on the roles of macrophages, cells of the innate immune system, in blood vessel development for tissue generation. We found that M2 macrophages can promote blood vessel development in an in vitro poly(ethyelene glycol) hydrogel. The second part of my talk will introduce the roles of B cells in injury. We found that B cell phenotypes vary based on the biomaterial implant. Pro-regenerative biomaterials are capable of B cell phenotype stimulation.