The presence of gradients in the extracellular microenvironment plays a critical role in guided cell behavior, tissue morphogenesis and repair processes including angiogenesis, wound healing, and interfacial tissue regeneration.

While a variety of biomaterials-based approaches have been exploited for investigating the role of specific gradients on 3D cell behavior and tissue remodeling, most studies to date have focused on cellular responses to gradients of a single factor (primarily growth factors gradients).

Our research lab has focused on the development of novel photopolymerization approaches to create proteolytically degradable (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive) hydrogel scaffolds of poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) embedded with highly tunable and simultaneous gradients of immobilized cell adhesive peptide ligands (RGD), MMP-sensitive crosslinks and elastic modulus to understand their influence on cell behavior and tissue remodeling.

We are designing gradient-based materials to promote vascularized tissue regeneration and integrin-mediated regional differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into cartilage and bone for repair of osteochondral defects.