INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
at the National University of Singapore
SINAPSE Lab
The Neurophotonics group of SINAPSE partner with the Singapore University of Technology and Design to optimize nanoparticles for various clinical therapeutic and imaging uses. My project focused on running preliminary testing on the biocompatibility and efficacy of pairing nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging with stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke. I worked as an intern for the SERIUS research program through Pitt.
Ischemic stroke is characterized by the occluding of a blood vessel in the brain, depriving surrounding tissue of oxygen and nutrients.
To study ischemic stroke in rats, the lab uses a protocol involving the injection of photosensitive dye. A window is created in the skull above the chosen artery, and a laser of a specific wavelength is shone on the vessel to activate the dye. The dye induces damage to cells creating a clot, shown to the left. This is called a photothrombotic ischemia (PTI) model.
Stem cell therapy is a new technique being studied to treat ischemic stroke.
Cells are injected and migrate to the stroke site. They appear to help enhance native healing mechanisms to improve outcomes. One drawback is the inability to monitor cell migration. This lab aims to use nanoparticles taken up by the stem cells for real-time photoacoustic imaging.
We tested a protocol that will be used to evaluate whether the stem cell treatment works when the nanoparticles are added
There will be two groups studied, a control group with saline injection post-PTI, and an experimental group with a stem cell and nanoparticle injection. During this internship we tested the control protocol to trouble-shoot before full testing commences. TTC stain was used to visualize the dead tissue (white mass).
The viability of cells when exposed to the nanoparticles was tested using an MTS assay.
There was no significant decrease in cell viability as the nanoparticle concentration was increased. While this single test is only a preliminary result, it is encouraging for the forward progress of the study.
