Suit Your Cell: Designing Custom Biomaterials
Suit Your Cell: Designing Custom Biomaterials
Collections: Image Award Winners
2016 Award Winner
Asha K. Patel, Daniel G. Anderson, Robert S. Langer, Morgan R. Alexander, Chris N. Denning, Martyn C. Davies
Koch Institute at MIT, University of Nottingham
Developing materials for biotechnology is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Different cell types behave in different ways depending on the materials they interact with.
This composite image shows how heart cells (fibrous images, e.g., row 2, column 1) and stem cells (spotted images, e.g., row 1, column 3) respond to various synthetic polymers deposited onto microscopic arrays. After testing hundreds of chemical combinations, the most promising candidates are selected to develop tailor-made materials for biomedical research and clinical applications.
Video
Asha Patel describes the stories behind her award-winning image.