Research
Please visit the above links to have a more detailed look at our research projects. Below is a list of Centers that we are leading or affiliated with.
NSF MBM at UIUC - Miniature Brain Machinery
NSF STC EBICS at MIT/GT/UIUC - Emergent Behavior of Integrated Cellular Systems
NSF IGERT at UIUC - Cellular and Molecular Mechanics and Bionanotechnology
(download brochure)NIH Training Grant at UIUC - Midwestern Cancer Nanotechnology Training Center
(download brochure)NSF CiiT (I/UCRC) at UIUC - Center for Innovative Instrumentation Technology
NSF NSEC at OSU - Center for Affordable Nanoengineering for Polymeric Micro and Nanodevices
Research:
D. Synthetic Biology and Building with Cells
The use of multi-scale fabrication techniques can have profound impact in the post-synthetic biology area. A new direction we are starting to pursue is the integration of; (i) 3-D stereolithography, (ii) stem cell biology, and (iii) novel biomaterials (Figure 6). The goal here is to develop mm scale biological parts that can be used to make ‘biological machines’. This general idea is the center piece of an NSF STC recently funded with MIT, UIUC, and GT, in which Prof. Bashir is a thrust leader. We plan to use 3-D stereo-lithography for patterning of polymers with living cells and to examine the emerging behavior of living cells and cell systems. We plan to use muscle cells, neuron cells and endothelial cells as the building blocks for the design and construction of parts for biological machines. We have developed and adapted stereo-lithography system for patterning of PEG based materials with embedded cells that can be kept alive for many weeks. Future goals include the patterning of two different cell types to make cellular connections and junctions for developing cellular components.
Key ongoing projects are:
- Micro- and Nano-Mediated Cardiac Tissue Engineering (Army/TATRC)
- NSF STC EBICS (Emerging Behavior of Integrated Cellular Systems (NSF)
A. Integrated Lab on Chip for Detection of Cells and Microorganisms
B. Top-Down Fabricated Biomolecular Sensors
C. Integration of Living Cells and Microstructures
D. Synthetic Biology and Building with Cells