Presenter Dr. Yimu Zhao
Dr. Yimu Zhao is an NSERC Post-doctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic at Columbia University. Her primary research focus is to develop vascularized functional tissues in Organ-on-a-Chip platform. She recently obtained her Ph.D. degree at University of Toronto, working on developing high fidelity cardiac tissue culture and drug testing platform.
Abstract
The advent of organ-on-chip and organoid technologies presents a promising avenue for advancing tissue engineering and disease modeling by faithfully recapitulating human biology. My research focuses on engineering cardiac microenvironments to construct high-fidelity tissue models that are suitable for drug testing and disease modeling. By incorporating topographical features and biomaterial-based sensors, the tissue models improve their functional maturation through guided cellular organization and facilitate online high-content functional monitoring. Model fidelity further improves upon the introduction of electrical stimulation and promotion of cellular circuits within the heart. More specifically, reciprocal interactions among fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, cardiomyocytes, and endothelial cells promote both endothelial and cardiac functional maturation. This complex but native-like tissue model can be used to model acute and chronic diseases more accurately compared to traditional cultures. Applying similar principles, granular living ink incorporating high-fidelity miniaturized tissues can be used to assemble larger tissues for tissue reconstructions. This interdisciplinary program holds significant potential for advancing biomedical research and therapeutic development.