BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Hong-Anh Alexandria Nguyen (D. Chan, advisor)

Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 11:00am.

Title: Comparing Effects of Mechanical and Electrical Stimulation on Chondrocyte ECM Remodeling

Date: November 13, 2025

Time: 11:00am

Location: DLR 221 and Zoom

https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99660054936?pwd=nTc0GG9BnJS6mHUfF0WKGwse6GFQyD.1

Committee members: Deva Chan (PI), Luis Solorio, Alex Chortos, Sungsoo Na

Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disorder that affects more than 528 million individuals worldwide. One characteristic of OA is the degradation of the articular cartilage, the smooth, compressible tissue lining the ends of bones to cushion everyday motion. Microfracture and matrix-assisted cartilage implant procedures have been used to treat OA by encouraging production of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) components (collagen II, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans). These procedures often fail due to fibrocartilage formation or delamination of implants due to insufficient ECM remodeling. Mechanical loading can be applied to increase production of healthy cartilage ECM but is not accessible for all patients, especially in the weeks following the procedure. Electrical stimulation has been shown to increase ECM production in in vitro explant studies, demonstrating potential to reproduce mechanical loading effects. However, optimal parameters to mimic mechanical loading effects have yet to be determined. One barrier in connecting mechanical and electrical stimulation effects is the need for a model that is suitable for both loading modalities, has known composition, and accurately recapitulates the chondrocyte microenvironment in situ. The aim of this project is to benchmark the effects of mechanical and electrical loading in a gel suitable for both applications and to optimize electrical stimulation parameters to reproduce mechanical loading effects on chondrocyte ECM production. Our approach focuses on the design and validation of custom bioreactors for mechanical and electrical stimulation and using agarose-collagen I gels to mimic the mechanics and interactions within the chondrocyte microenvironment. Successful completion of this work will provide insights into how electrical stimulation can be integrated into the clinical workflow to treat osteoarthritis.