Meghaan Smith |
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email: smitmegh AT
stanford DOT
edu
Dept: Chemical Engineering
B.S.
Chemical Engineering, Oregon State University
M.S.
Chemical Engineering, Stanford University
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The implementation of microfluidic devices allows us to study how the
microenvironment of a cell affects disease initiation, progression, and
treatment, as they give us the precise control necessary to manipulate
and monitor the cellular environment. One method used to manipulate the
microenvironment of the cell is to create a stable chemical gradient
within the device and then to monitor the cell's migration in response
to the gradient, i.e. chemotaxis. Chemical gradients play a myriad of
roles in the body; for example, gradients of stem cell factor (SCF) and
stromal-derived-factor-1 (SDF-1) are known to direct hematopoietic stem
cell (HSC) migration. Our studies on how these gradients function could
provide powerful new insights into HSC homing and engraftment, which
could then be applied to improving the success of bone marrow
transplantations. |