Thomas Bifano

Scaffold Manufacturing for Heart Tissues (REU project)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Several projects in the Bifano lab currently use polymer (PDMS) scaffolds to support cardiac tissue Microbundles derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. The scaffolds range from platforms with a single microbundle to platforms with 96 microbundles. They vary in design features (stiffness, geometry, size) in ways that are intended to support experimental goals of several graduate student researchers.

In this summer project, the student will become an expert in scaffold manufacturing – a multistep material molding process conducted in the Bifano laboratory. She will support measurements of scaffold stiffness (in collaboration with colleagues from Florida International University) and will supply important structures for ongoing research efforts.

LABORATORY MENTOR
Ruifeng Hu

RESEARCH GOALS
– Support scaffold production for ongoing tissue engineering research being conducted by students in the Bifano lab: Marshall Ma’s high-throughput tissue contractile force monitoring; Ruifeng Hu’s feedback control of tissue contractile force; and Francisco Sanchez’s stiffness measurement of microbundles.
– Construct scaffolds and evaluate their design and performance.
– Modify designs as needed for emerging projects in the lab.
– 3D print scaffold molds.

Stretch goal: Develop a scaffold that can support high volume microbundle manufacturing that is needed by cardiac tissue patch team. Objectives: scaffold should support convenient seeding of up to 1000 microbundles in a way that supports their growth and ultimate release into a 3D bio printer.

LEARNING GOALS
– Understand the critical role of scaffolds in tissue engineering research, and the importance of biocompatibility, mechanical stiffness, elastic modulus, hydrophobicity, and other properties of scaffolds.
– Develop skills in manufacturing processes for polymers, especially in molding and replication.
– Understand basic principles of reproducibility, reliability, and yield in bio-system manufacturing.

Learn more about Professor Bifano on his faculty page.