Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 2002

Box 800759, Health System
Charlottesville, VA 22908

eab6e@virginia.edu

Laboratory web site

Research Interests

1. Tissue Engineering
2. Drug Delivery
3. Bionanotechnology
4. Computational Systems Biology

Tissue engineering is rapidly expanding field which integrates aspects of engineering and other quantitative sciences with biology and medicine for the development of functional tissues and organs in order to repair, replace, preserve or enhance tissue function. Our laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach for improvement of tissue engineering therapies through the therapeutic manipulation of neovascularization, inflammation and innervation in vivo. These processes play a decisive role in the success of implanted scaffold biomaterials used in this field. Specifically, we combine approaches in medicinal chemistry and biomaterials science to develop strategies for therapeutic neovascularization through the controlled delivery of novel small molecule therapeutics which stimulate a response from microvascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells within preexisting blood vessels to initiate vessel sprouting and remodeling. We use computational network analysis tools to gain important insight into potential mechanisms of pro-angiogenic drug mechanisms and to identify new molecular targets for directed drug discovery.

Another potentially successful approach to improve the repair success of tissue engineered implants is the creation of effective scaffolding materials that mimic the composition and architecture of regenerate tissues, thus providing the necessary chemical and mechanical cues that drive cellular differentiation. In this effort, we utilize electrospinning technique to produce nanoscale fibers of collagen and laminin for bone and nerve tissue engineering applications that mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM) in these tissues. In addition, we utilize synthetic degradable polymers to create porous scaffolding materials for orthopaedic and craniomaxillofacial tissue reconstruction which mimic the architecture and mechanical properties of bone.

Recent Publications

Sefcik LS, Petrie Aronin CE, Botchwey EA
Engineering vascularized tissues using natural and synthetic small molecules.

Wieghaus KA, Gianchandani EP, Neal RA, Paige MA, Brown ML, Papin JA, Botchwey EA
Phthalimide neovascular factor 1 (PNF1) modulates MT1-MMP activity in human microvascular endothelial cells.

Nickerson MM, Song J, Shuptrine CW, Wieghaus KA, Botchwey EA, Price RJ
Influence of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microsphere degradation on arteriolar remodeling in the mouse dorsal skinfold window chamber.

Neal RA, McClugage SG, Link MC, Sefcik LS, Ogle RC, Botchwey EA
Laminin nanofiber meshes that mimic morphological properties and bioactivity of basement membranes.

Wieghaus KA, Nickerson MM, Petrie Aronin CE, Sefcik LS, Price RJ, Paige MA, Brown ML, Botchwey EA
Expansion of microvascular networks in vivo by phthalimide neovascular factor 1 (PNF1).

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