BME Seminar: Alexandar McGhee
Monday, April 1, 2024 - 12:00 p.m.
Alexander McGhee
Assistant Professor
Biomedical Engineering
University of Arizona
"Microscope-Enabled 3D Bioprinting for Next-Generation In Vitro Model Development"
Keating 103
Zoom link | Password: BearDown
Hosts: Dr. Mario Romero-Ortega and Dr. Shang Song
(Instructor permission required for enrolled students to attend via Zoom)
Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting the Disability Resource Center at 621-3268 (V/TTY).
Abstract: The advent of 3D bioprinting has ushered in a new era in the field of tissue engineering and precision medicine, enabling the fabrication of complex, cell-laden structures that mimic the native architecture of biological tissues. This seminar talk will delve into the development of Microscope-Enabled 3D Bioprinting technology, a cutting-edge approach that far exceeds the capabilities of traditional microfluidic or 3D Matrigel based models. By utilizing the recently developed free-form 3D bioprinting method with the capabilities of on-microscope perfusion-based bioreactors, this technology facilitates the generation of customized microenvironments tailored to specific research needs. We will explore how this innovative platform not only allows for the accurate deposition of cells to construct intricate three-dimensional structures but also enables the long-term visualization of cell migration, differentiation, and interaction within these fabricated environments. Furthermore, we will demonstrate the ability to sense spatiotemporal gradients of cytokines offering a novel lens through which we examine the interplay between cellular behaviors and physical stimuli. Finally, a key feature of this technology is its ability to perform non-invasive single-cell extraction. This capability allows for the correlation between cell migration patterns and external signals with the genetic profiles acquired through omic analysis of individual cells, all without compromising the integrityof the model.
Bio: Dr. Alexander McGhee is an assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on the development of novel in-vitro models to study the fundamental mechanisms involved in immune mediated cancer treatments. Dr. McGhee earned his PhD at the University of Florida under the guidance of Dr. Peter Ifju and Dr. Greg Sawyer studying the 3D bioprinting, mechanics of soft materials, and in-situ immunoassay development for 3D cell culture platforms. His post-doc experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under Dr. Christian Franck allowed for the development of microfluidic platforms to preform injury of brain-like organoids with real-time readouts of the biochemical injury signature. These research interests have culminated in 14 peer-reviewed publications and three U.S. patents.