Ribotyping Staphylococcus epidermidis Using Probabilistic Sequence Analysis and Levenshtein Distance Algorithm.

Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) live in different human locations and natural environments. For ribotyping S.

Electrogenic Staphylococcus warneri in lactate-rich skin.

The electrogenicity of environmental bacteria has been thoroughly explored and has been known to have the unique capability of decomposing hazardous chemicals for environmental remediation. However, electrogenic bacteria in human skin in regards to their electrical properties and locations have not yet been determined. Here, electrodermal activities and metabolite compositions at different locations of arm skin were assessed.

Chemotaxis-driven assembly of endothelial barrier in a tumor-on-a-chip platform.

The integration of three-dimensional micropatterning with microfluidics provides a unique opportunity to create perfusable tissue constructs in vitro. Herein, we have used this approach to create a tumor-on-a-chip with an endothelial barrier. Specifically, we photopatterned a mixture of endothelial cells and cancer spheroids within a gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel inside a microfluidic device.

3D cardiac μtissues within a microfluidic device with real-time contractile stress readout.

We present the development of three-dimensional (3D) cardiac microtissues within a microfluidic device with the ability to quantify real-time contractile stress measurements in situ. Using a 3D patterning technology that allows for the precise spatial distribution of cells within the device, we created an array of 3D cardiac microtissues from neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. We integrated the 3D micropatterning technology with microfluidics to achieve perfused cell-laden structures.

Biomimetic Material-Assisted Delivery of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derivatives for Enhanced In Vivo Survival and Engraftment.

The ability of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and their derivatives to differentiate and contribute to tissue repair has enormous potential to treat various debilitating diseases. However, improving the in vivo viability and function of the transplanted cells, a key determinant of translating cell-based therapies to the clinic, remains a daunting task. Here, we develop a hybrid biomaterial consisting of hyaluronic acid (HA) grafted with 6-aminocaproic acid moieties (HA-6ACA) to improve cell delivery and their subsequent in vivo function using skeletal muscle as a model system.

Embedded 3D Photopatterning of Hydrogels with Diverse and Complex Architectures for Tissue Engineering and Disease Models.

Techniques that can create three-dimensional (3D) structures to provide architectural support for cells have a significant impact in generating complex and hierarchically organized tissues/organs. In recent times, a number of technologies, including photopatterning, have been developed to create such intricate 3D structures. In this study, we describe an easy-to-implement photopatterning approach, involving a conventional fluorescent microscope and a simple photomask, to encapsulate cells within spatially defined 3D structures.