Jason
Burdick, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
burdick2@seas.upenn.edu
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, 2002, University of Colorado
B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1998, University of Wyoming
Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory Page
Research Interests
Although advances in tissue engineering have been made in recent years, the continued lack of sufficient organs and tissue for transplantation necessitates the development of innovative treatment alternatives. Advances in synthetic chemistry and materials processing may provide the solution to this organ and tissue shortage. It is the goal of my laboratory to use a platform of biomaterials and specifically, photocrosslinkable and degradable polymers, to develop novel therapies for both orthopaedic and neurological applications. Photopolymerizable biomaterials are advantageous due to the flexibility in material design, the filling of irregularly shaped defects without the need for high temperatures or potentially toxic solvents, rapid polymerization rates, and good spatial and temporal control.
To this end, research in my laboratory involves: (i) the development of novel synthetic polymeric materials and precursors that are both biocompatible and degradable, (ii) utilizing processing techniques to fabricate scaffolds with the desired micro- and macroscopic structures, (iii) investigating the interaction of cells with these materials while developing materials-based techniques to control cell behavior, and (iv) the controlled delivery of therapeutic molecules.
We are developing polymeric systems that act as carriers for growth factors and/or cells and are applied non-invasively to the injury site. Regeneration is severely limited for injured cartilage and thus, one of our goals is to develop photocrosslinkable hydrogels that are degradable, biocompatible, and support tissue formation. Also, we are designing both hydrogels and fibrous scaffolds to control stem cell behavior (e.g., differentiation, migration, and formation of tissue relevant structures). It is our goal to use both injectable and implantable biomaterials to overcome many barriers to regenerative medicine along with the delivery of appropriate molecules that can lead to tissue regeneration.
Selected Publications
J.A. Burdick and G. Vunjak-Novakovic, Engineered Microenvironments for Controlled Stem Cell Differentiation, Tissue Engineering, 2008, in press.
S. Sahoo, C. Chung, S. Khetan, J.A. Burdick, Hydrolytically Degradable Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels with Controlled Temporal Network Structures, Biomacromolecules, 9:1088-1092, 2008.
J.L. Ifkovits and J.A. Burdick, Photopolymerizable and Degradable Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering Applications, Tissue Engineering, 13:2369-2385, 2007.
S. Gerecht, J.A. Burdick, L.S. Ferreira, S.A. Townsend, R. Langer, G. Vunjak-Novakovic, Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel for Controlled Self-renewal and Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 104:11298-11303, 2007.
D.G. Anderson, C.A. Tweedie, N. Hossain, S.M. Navarro, D.M. Brey, K.J. Van Vliet, R. Langer, J.A. Burdick, A Combinatorial Library of Photocrosslinkable and Degradable Materials, Advanced Materials, 18:2614-2618, 2006.
C. Chung, J. Mesa, M.A. Randolph, M. Yaremchuk, J.A. Burdick, Influence of Gel Properties on Neocartilage Formation by Auricular Chondrocytes Photoencapsulated in Hyaluronic Acid Networks, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research A, 77A: 518-525, 2006.
J.A. Burdick, C. Chung, X. Jia, M.A. Randolph, R. Langer. Controlled Degradation and Mechanical Behavior of Photopolymerized Hyaluronic Acid Networks, Biomacromolecules, 6:386-391, 2005.
D.G. Anderson, J.A. Burdick, R. Langer. Smart Biomaterials, Science, 305: 1923-1924, 2004.
Bioengineering
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