Development of novel tissue engineering strategies for spinal cord repair
PhD Supervisor(s): Ying Yang, Divya Chari
Contact Email: alanpweightman@hotmail.com
Undergraduate Degree: BSc Physiology with Pharmacology (Sheffield University); MSc Biochemical Engineering (University of Birmingham)
PhD Summary
Nanofabricated polymer scaffolds within the field of neural tissue engineering are promising 'structural bridges' to enhance repair following spinal cord injury (SCI), but their development has overwhelmingly used 2D constructs and monocultures. The functional screening of such scaffolds is heavily reliant on in vivo SCI models and no suitable in vitro model is available that retains the major multicellular pathological features of injury within a relevant 3D neural cytoarchitecture.
The aim of my project is to advance the cellular and technical complexity of neural tissue engineering strategies by: (1) designing and optimising a multicellular 3D ‘structural bridge’ for spinal cord repair; and (2) developing a pathologically relevant, higher-throughput in vitro SCI model, to reduce animal usage in neural tissue engineering studies and allow for the rapid identification of efficacious scaffold formulations/designs.
The main techniques I have used to achieve these goals include the derivation of primary cell cultures and organotypic spinal cord slice cultures, immunohistochemical staining and electrospinning. In this context I have developed and optimised novel protocols, tools and data analysis methods, and had to troubleshoot a wide variety of problems. All my experiments have required a strict attention to detail and are particularly complex to perform.
Publications, Presentations and Awards
Publications
Future/Career Plans
I wish to stay in science and pursue a career in industry.
