BME Seminar: Michael J. Moore
Monday, January 29, 2024 - 12:00 p.m.
Michael J. Moore, PhD
Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering
Tulane University
“Development and Commercialization of Microphysiological Models of Peripheral Nerve”
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:
Microphysiological systems, also called organs-on-chips, are rapidly being adopted as advanced in vitro tools for modeling disease, development, and injury, and as high-throughput preclinical drug screening devices. Modeling the peripheral nervous system using such devices presents unique challenges owing to its complex structure and organization, and its unique physiological role in information transmission and processing. Past designs of neural microphysiological systems based on microfabricated chip-based platforms and 3D neural organoids have limitations in their abilities to recapitulate appropriate cell-cell interactions, morphology, and functionality seen in vivo. We have developed and commercialized a 3D peripheral nerve-on-a-chip that enables physiological evaluation in manners analogous to clinical evaluation that is useful forscientific discovery and drug screening. We have expanded on this approach by assembling neural populations from peripheral nerve and dorsal spinal cord for modeling the synaptic transmission of physiological signals associated with pain.
Bio:
Prof. Moore was born and raised in Nebraska and received his BS in biological systems engineering from the University of Nebraska. He received his PhD in biomedical engineering from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science where he pursued research in the development of a biodegradable spinal cord implant. He then went on to do postdoctoral research in bioengineering retinal regeneration at MIT and the Schepens Eye Research Institute at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Moore joined the Tulane Biomedical Engineering faculty as an assistant professor in 2007 and was promoted to associate professor and later professor, and has now been serving as department chair since 2022. He co-founded AxoSim, Inc. in 2014 and has served as chief science officer since then. Dr. Moore has received a CAREER Award from the NSF and numerous awards for teaching, technology innovation, and contributions to diversity. He lives in the heart of New Orleans with his wife Lisa and their three children, all of whom he loves even more than research and academics.