Event
CHBE Seminar: Dr. Jorge Almodovar, UMBC
Friday, May 2, 2025
11:00 a.m.
Room 2108 Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building
Patricia Lorenzana
301-405-1935
plorenza@umd.edu
Polymeric biomaterials for tissue engineering, cell manufacturing, and drug delivery
Abstract: In this talk, I will be presenting several current projects in the polymeric biomaterials lab. The first part of the talk focuses on collagen (COL) and heparin (HEP) layered coatings prepared via the layer-by-layer assembly as a robust coating to enhance cell behavior. We performed an exhaustive characterization of the COL/HEP coatings confirming their construction, chemistry, stability at body temperature, stability in culture, and shelve life. We evaluated the response of both human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) and human Schwann cells (hSCs) cultured on these coatings as well as in the presence of modulatory cytokines. Our results show that hMSCs cultured on COL/HEP coatings have a better response to soluble interferon-gamma regarding proliferation, protein expression, and immunomodulatory properties as compared to the uncoated culture plates. hSCs cultured on COL/HEP coatings also demonstrated an enhancement in growth, migration, protein expression, and response to the nerve growth factor as compared to the uncoated culture plates. Additionally, hSCs cultured on nerve guide conduits coated with COL/HEP coatings had a higher viability than those cultured on uncoated NGCs. These COL/HEP coatings have strong potential to enhance the manufacturing of hMSCs or to serve as coatings for nerve implants to improve nerve regeneration. The final portion of this talk focuses on the development of a microneedle patch to deliver pain medication to farm animals. We developed and characterized a polymeric-based microneedle patch that is capable of penetrating pig skin and can sustain a controlled drug release. Overall, we demonstrate how we can leverage polymeric biomaterials for applications in biomanufacturing, tissue engineering, and drug delivery.
Bio: Jorge Almodovar is an associate professor at the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University and his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University (CSU). At CSU he investigated the delivery and stability of growth factors using polysaccharide-based biomaterials. After CSU, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Grenoble Institute of Technology in Grenoble, France investigating the formation of gradients on polyelectrolyte multilayer films, funded by the Whitaker International Program. Prior to joining UMBC, he was a faculty member at the Chemical Engineering Departments at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez and the University of Arkansas. His research interests include extracellular matrix mimetic biomaterials, cell-material interactions, and biomaterials as therapeutics. His research focus is on the engineering of biomimetic materials—inspired by the native cell environment—for fundamental studies, cell manufacturing, tissue engineering, therapeutics, drug delivery and regenerative medicine. His research team also focuses on developing electrospun materials for applications in healthcare and water treatment. He is an author of over 40 peer-reviewed research articles, 2 patents, 5 book chapters, and an editor for one textbook. He serves in the editorial board of the Cells Tissues Organs Journal. His group has been funded by the NSF, NIH, USDA, DoD among others. He has received multiple awards throughout his career including the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Journal of Materials Chemistry B Emerging Investigator Award, and the, Cells Tissues Organs Journal Young Investigator Award.
