Achievement

IGERT Trainee Sebastian Vega has developed a novel approach to profile stem cells in three-dimensional microfibrous scaffolds fabricated from synthetic polymers used for tissue engineering. Through collaborative work in the Moghe and Kohn labs, he has used confocal/2photon imaging of the nuclear organization to discern subtle variations in cells and correlated these to long-term cell lineage fates (osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells). Vega is also developing novel methods to profile cytoskeletal remodeling in cells grown on elastomeric microposts (Chen lab, U. Pennsyvlania).