PhD defence Vinidhra Shankar

Keywords: Stem cell-based embryo models, High-throughput screening, Bioengineered platforms, Development

"Well, Well, Well: What have we grown here? Scaling up bioengineered embryo models for biomedical applications"

Over the years, stem cell-based embryo models have been recognized as invaluable tools in biomedical engineering, developmental biology, and clinical research. These advanced models exploit the unique properties of stem cells namely, their ability to self-organize and differentiate into diverse cell types to create complex 3D tissue-engineered structures that closely mimic natural embryonic development. This thesis explores the potential applications of XEn/EpiCs, a peri-implantation mouse embryo model developed in our laboratory, from a bioengineering perspective. By utilizing this innovative in vitro system, we investigate early developmental processes and identify new possibilities in tissue engineering, toxicology, and regenerative medicine. The objectives of this thesis are structured as follows: (1) to develop a high-throughput screening (HTS) and analysis platform that enhances the use of XEn/EpiCs across a broad range of screening applications (Chapters 3 and 4); (2) to extend the capabilities of this versatile model, enabling the study of embryogenesis throughout early development and facilitating in vitro organogenesis (Chapters 3 and 5); and (3) to adapt its development for integration into diverse micro-engineered platforms, ensuring compatibility with the generation of specific tissues and organ types within a spatiotemporally controlled microenvironment (Chapters 5 and 6).

Click here for the full dissertation. 

Click here for the live stream.