Abstract
Organoid technologies provide physiologically relevant three-dimensional (3D) models for human tissues previously difficult to access. Using our recently developed hydrogel platform, we aim to fabricate tuneable 3D biomimetic matrices to recreate chemical and physical elements of the native extracellular matrix to study their individual/synergistic effect on improving tissue architecture and reproducibility of human brain organoids. To that end, the proposed project will integrate complementary expertise in stem cell biology and genome editing (Lin group), as well as biomaterials and bioengineering (Mata Group) to reproducibly generate human brain region-specific organoids and elucidate mechanisms underlying human brain development in health and disease.
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