Principal Investigator Sangeeta Bhatia
Project Website http://lmrt.mit.edu/
The Laboratory for Multiscale Regenerative Technologies (LMRT) is under the direction of Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia in the Division of Health Sciences Technology and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA.
The research in the Laboratory for Multiscale Regenerative Technologies is focused on the applications of micro- and nanotechnology to tissue repair and regeneration. Our long-term goals are to improve cellular therapies for liver disease, develop enabling tools to systematically study the fate of stem cells, and design multifunctional nanoparticles for cancer applications.
LMRT's three main areas of research are:
Hepatic Tissue Engineering -- We are interested in understanding the structure/function relationship of the liver to improve cell-based therapy for liver disease. In particular, we focus on how the microenvironment around hepatocytes (the functional cell of the liver) affects cell fate and function. We utilize microfabrication tools (methods developed to manufacture microelectronic circuits) to control and study the role of cell-cell interactions, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, soluble stimuli (e.g. O2), and three-dimensional context on hepatocyte function.
Cell-Based BioMEMS -- MEMS is a term used to describe integrated microscale devices that combine electrical, mechanical, and even optical components. Since many biological species are on the same length scale as MEMS devices, the synergy of combining biological systems with MEMS (BioMEMS) can provide the basis for novel, highly instructive biological platforms. We are interested in using arrays of living cells as biosensors and as high-throughput platforms to study fundamental aspects of stem cell biology. Our repertoire of tools includes chemical, topological, fluidic, electrical, and optical manipulation of living cells on chip platforms.
Nanobiotechnology -- We are involved in a multidisciplinary effort to develop nanomaterials as tools for biological studies and as multifunctional agents for cancer therapies. By bridging the unique electromagnetic properties of nanomaterials with advances in bioconjugate chemistry, photonics, and phage display we aim to develop ‘intelligent' systems for tumor therapy and biomolecular detection. Our interest centers around nanoparticles and nanoporous materials that can be designed to perform complex tasks such as: home to a tumor, sense changes in cells and tissues, enhance imaging, and trigger the release of a therapeutic payload.
In order to achieve these goals, the lab collaborates with investigators at MIT, Harvard, and other institutions.