Research Interests

The main interests are the interdisciplinary topics of nanostructure of biomaterials and cellular responses, with a focus on the exploiting and understanding of the influences of the nanostructures of biopolymers on behaviors of cells. Our lab also works on the gold nanoparticles-mediated hyperthermia for the application of non-invasion thermotherapy, particularly on understanding the mechanism of photo-thermal effects on cells responses.

1. Development three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

2. Modification of chemical, physical and surface properties of biomaterials for biomedical applications.

3. Development new type of hydrogels used as cell/drug carriers.

4. Conjugation metal nanoparticles and biomaterials for biomedical application.

Selected journal paper (past five years)

• S.W. Tsai, C.Y. Lo, S.Y. Yu, F.H.Chen, H.C. Huang, L.K. Wang,  J.W. Liaw, Gold nanoparticles enhancing generation of ros for cs-137 radiotherapy. Nanoscale Res Lett. 2022, 17, 123.

• A. Vadivelmurugan, S.W. Tsai. The influence of scaffold interfaces containing natural bone elements on bone tissue engineering applications. Coatings, 2022, 12, 1888. 

• S.W. Tsai, Y.W. Hsu, W.L. Pan, A. Vadivelmurugan, P.A. Hwang, F.Y. Hsu, Influence of the components and orientation of hydroxyapatite fibrous substrates on osteoblast behavior. J Funct Biomater 2022, 13, 168.

• S.W. Tsai, Y.W. Hsu, W.L. Pan, F.Y. Hsu, The Effect of Strontium-Substituted Hydroxyapatite Nanofibrous Matrix on Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation, Membranes 11 (624)(2021)

• S.Y. Cheng, Y.L. Chiang, Y.H. Chang, H. Thissen, S.W. Tsai, An aqueous-based process to bioactivate poly(ε-caprolactone)/mesoporous bioglass composite surfaces by prebiotic chemistry-inspired polymer coatings for biomedical applications, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 205 (2021) 111913 

• J.W. Liaw, C.Y. Kuo, S.W. Tsai, The Effect of Quasi-Spherical Gold Nanoparticles on Two-Photon Induced Reactive Oxygen Species for Cell Damage, Nanomaterials  11 (1180) (2021)

• S.W. Tsai, S.S. Huang, W.X. Yu, Y.W. Hsu, F.Y. Hsu, Collagen scaffolds containing hydroxyapatite-CaO fiber fragments for bone tissue engineering, Polymers 12(5) (2020).

• S.M. Wei, M.Y. Pei, W.L. Pan, H. Thissen, S.W. Tsai, Gelatin hydrogels reinforced by absorbable nanoparticles and fibrils cured in situ by visible light for tissue adhesive applications, Polymers 12(5) (2020).

• S.W. Tsai, W.X. Yu, P.A. Hwang, Y.W. Hsu, F.Y. Hsu. Fabrication and characteristics of PCL membranes containing strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite nanofibers for guided bone regeneration, Polymers 11(11) (2019).

• Y.C.Huang,  K.F. Lei,  J.W. Liaw, S.W. Tsai, The influence of laser intensity activated plasmonic gold nanoparticle-generated photothermal effects on cellular morphology and viability: a real-time, long-term tracking and monitoring system. Photochemical & photobiological sciences. DOI 10.1039/C9PP00054B. (2019). 

• S.W. Tsai, Y.L. Yu, F.Y. Hsu, Fabrication of polycaprolactone tubular scaffolds with an orthogonal-bilayer structure for smooth muscle cells. Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications 100 (2019) 308-314. 

• S.W. Tsai, W.X. Yu, P.A. Hwang, S.S. Huang, H.M. Lin, Y.W. Hsu, F.Y. Hsu, Fabrication and Characterization of Strontium-Substituted Hydroxyapatite-CaO-CaCO3 Nanofibers with a Mesoporous Structure as Drug Delivery Carriers, Pharmaceutics 10(4) (2018) 179.

• S.W. Tsai, S.S. Huang, W.X. Yu, Y.W. Hsu, F.Y. Hsu, Fabrication and characteristics of porous hydroxyapatite-CaO composite nanofibers for biomedical applications, Nanomaterials 8(8) (2018).

• W.T. Ma, S.R. Kumar, C.T. Hsu, C.M. Shih, S.W. Tsai, C.C. Yang, Y.L. Liu, S.J. Lue, Magnetic field-assisted alignment of graphene oxide nanosheets in a polymer matrix to enhance ionic conduction, Journal of Membrane Science 563 (2018) 259-269.

• F.Y. Hsu, H.W. Hsu, Y.H. Chang, J.L. Yu, L.R. Rau, S.W. Tsai, Macroporous microbeads containing apatite-modified mesoporous bioactive glass nanofibres for bone tissue engineering applications, Materials Science and Engineering C 89 (2018) 346-354.

• Y.N. Zeng, Y.L. Kang, L.R. Rau, F.Y. Hsu, S.W. Tsai, Construction of cell-containing, anisotropic, three-dimensional collagen fibril scaffolds using external vibration and their influence on smooth muscle cell phenotype modulation, Biomedical Materials (Bristol) 12(4) (2017).

• S.Y. Yu, H. Gunawan, S.W. Tsai, Y.J. Chen, T.C. Yen, J.W. Liaw, Single-crystalline gold nanowires synthesized from light-driven oriented attachment and plasmon-mediated self-assembly of gold nanorods or nanoparticles, Scientific Reports 7 (2017).

• S.W. Tsai, Y.H. Chang, J.L. Yu, H.W. Hsu, L.R. Rau, F.Y. Hsu, Preparation of nanofibrous structure of mesoporous bioactive glass microbeads for biomedical applications, Materials 9(6) (2016).

•  L.R. Rau, S.W. Tsao, J.W. Liaw, S.W. Tsai, Selective Targeting and Restrictive Damage for Nonspecific Cells by Pulsed Laser-Activated Hyaluronan-Gold Nanoparticles, Biomacromolecules 17(8) (2016) 2514-2521.

• L.R. Rau, W.Y. Huang, J.W. Liaw, S.W. Tsai, Photothermal effects of laser-activated surface plasmonic gold nanoparticles on the apoptosis and osteogenesis of osteoblast-like cells, International Journal of Nanomedicine 11 (2016) 3461-3473.

• C.E. Lin, L.R. Rau, J.W. Liaw, F.Y. Hsu, S.W. Tsai, Biocompatibility analysis of NIH/3T3 cells exposed to silica-coated silver and silver nanoparticles, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters 8(12) (2016) 1080-1088.

Patent

• “Method for preparing composite of crosslinking hyaluronic acid and protein” Taiwan patent 197083, Date of Patent February 1, 2004

•  “Polysaccharide materials cross-linked by epoxy compound” Taiwan patent 197074, Date of Patent February 1, 2004

• ”Method for preparing microsphere composite of collagen and bioceramic powder” US patent 6752938, Date of Patent June 22, 2004; Taiwan patent 175012, Date of Patent March 21, 2003

• ”Method for producing water insoluble polysaccharides” US patent 6852255, Date of Patent February 8, 2005; Taiwan patent 207252, Date of Patent June 21, 200

• “Method for preparing double cross-linking hyaluronic acid matrix” Taiwan patent I 201596, Date of Patent March 21, 2006

• “High-throughput perfusion-based micro-bioreactor platform capable of providing tunable dynamic compression force to cells” Taiwan patent I 379000, Date of Patent December 11, 2012; 

• US patent 8980624 B2 ”Apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation” Date of Patent Mar.17, 2015.