People in Research

Chris Barnes

Email: Send Message

Advisor: Buddy D. Ratner

Department/status: 2nd-Year ChemE Graduate Student

Project overview:
The goal of the SUWA esophagus project is to develop a technique for tissue engineering viable sections of esophagus for purposes of transplantation into patients with need of replacement. The two major cell types of the esophagus are the epithelial cell lining, which provides a protective barrier and the smooth muscle cell layers, which provide structural support and a means for motility. The focus of my project is to determine how cell signaling between the two cell types affects the stratification and differentiation of the epithelial layer.

Project details:
This project deals with in vitro cell culture work with both the epithelial and smooth muscle cells. Currently, a transwell co-culture system is being employed in order to separate the smooth muscle cells from the growing epithelium. The system will be used as a method for studying transport of cytokines across the membrane in hopes of gaining insight into the in vivo communications across the basement membrane.

Skills: Cell culture techniques, including co-culture, with epithelial cells
Immunocytochemistry
Light microscopy
Fibrin gels and smooth muscle cells in a "cells in gel" arrangement

Names of others on the project:
Cecilia Giachelli, PhD, Ben Beckstead, Michael Linnes, Amit Bhrany, Tess Lang