Center for Cellular Biointerfaces in Science and Engineering (CCBSE)
The creation of optimal interfaces (biointerfaces) between biological and engineered materials is of critical interest for many bio-based applications. ND-ACES builds research capacity to better understand design rules that govern in vitro biointerfaces and influence in vivo decisions surrounding the understanding of biochemistry and the cell biology of cancer cells and tumors.
To address the clinical need for more robust in vivo-like biointerfaces, CCBSE relies on a coordinated effort across two pillars of scientific inquiry: 1) Materials design at biointerfaces and 2) Cellular systems at materials interface.
Computationally created design rules can enhance predictability of cellular responses to material surface characteristics and provide fundamental information to address many bioscience challenges. Thus, the integration of computational modeling as a prominent research partner allows for more extensive testing than possible with trial-and error methods.
This acceleration of the design, manufacture, and validation stages not only provides quicker materials authentication for use in biologic applications to produce more in vivo-like behaviors but also offers a more streamlined laboratory method of predicting cellular responses while creating a directed workflow that expedites progress.
Materials Design at Biointerfaces
The Materials Design at Biointerfaces Pillar objective is to progressively increase CCBSE researcher knowledge and application in the area of biomaterial scaffolds relevant to tissue engineering, particularly in the area of design methodologies of biologically inspired materials for diverse 3D tissue architectures. This pillar is co-led by Sanku Mallik (NDSU) and Julia Xiaojun Zhao (UND).
Cellular Systems at Materials Interface
The Cellular Systems at Materials Interface Pillar objective is to increase the capacity and expertise of the CCBSE researchers in basic and translational use of in vivo-like 3D cell cultures, which will ultimately (long-term outcome) allow the team to partner with regional health care providers to serve as a resource for personalized medicine approaches to cancer. This pillar is co-led by Archana Dhasarathy (UND) and John C. Wilkinson (NDSU).
Publications
A list of reported peer-reviewed scholarly journals and papers in juried conference proceedings can be viewed at the NSF Public Access Repository (NSF-PAR)
The Center for Cellular Biointerfaces in Science and Engineering (CCBSE) is supported by ND-ACES: New Discoveries in the Advanced Interface of Computation, Engineering, and Science, ND EPSCoR’s most recent NSF cooperative agreement (award number 1946202), and is a five-year cooperative agreement that carries an 80/20% federal/state cost sharing.
The ND-ACES Principal Investigator (PI) and Project Director (PD) is Colleen Fitzgerald, Ph.D.; NDSU. The Co-PI is Scott Snyder, Ph.D.; UND.