Northern Illinois University (NIU) has launched a cutting-edge biomaterials and tissue engineering laboratory, significantly enhancing the biomedical engineering programme.
This new laboratory, the first "wet lab" at the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET), offers students the opportunity to engage in experiments involving liquids, chemicals, and biological matter.
The state-of-the-art facility is designed to grow and study mammalian cells, which make up the tissues and organs of mammals.
The laboratory also facilitates the extraction and use of animal tissue materials to create scaffolds—specialised structures that help cells grow and form new, healthy tissue for medical treatments.
In line with the college’s mission to bridge theory and practice, Dave Grewell, Dean of CEET, highlighted the significance of the lab in providing students with invaluable real-world experience in biomaterials, tissue engineering, and medical devices.
"This brings us to a whole new level of connecting our students with industry, national labs, and healthcare," Grewell remarked. "It is fantastic preparation for careers in academia, industry, or regulatory science," Grewell said.
The lab is equipped with advanced cell culture and analysis tools, including:
- A biosafety cabinet, which ensures a sterile environment for safe handling of mammalian cells.
- A cell culture incubator, which maintains the optimal temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels for cell growth.
- Several types of microscopes to examine cell morphology and scaffold-cell interactions.
- A microplate reader to measure chemical changes and assess cell safety.
- In addition, the lab boasts a variety of biomaterials and fabrication equipment, such as:
- An oven for controlled heating of biomaterials during scaffold preparation.
- A ductless fume hood for safe handling of chemical processes involved in biomaterial fabrication.
- A freeze dryer, which helps to dry and stabilise biomaterial scaffolds.
Since its opening in January, the laboratory has been operating under the guidance of Assistant Professor Hyung Jin Jung.
Jung described the lab’s role in providing students with hands-on experience in biomedical research, including cell culture, biomaterial processing, scaffold fabrication, and quantitative analysis. "This lab will be a huge asset to build students' technical and problem-solving skills," Jung said.
Two teams of undergraduate students have already begun using the lab for their senior design projects.
Both teams are focused on collagen scaffold fabrication and organ-on-a-chip development, engaging in both conceptual design and hands-on prototyping.
Research in the lab will focus on several areas, including:
- Mechanobiology: Studying how physical forces affect cells, with the aim of improving tissue growth and repair.
- Biomaterials Development: Designing and fabricating scaffolds and medical devices for tissue reconstruction.
- Organ-on-a-Chip: Creating tiny devices that simulate human body systems to study diseases and test treatments.
The organ-on-a-chip technology is particularly promising, as it mimics physiological systems for disease modelling, drug testing, and studying intercellular interactions.
Jung explained, "This system helps analyse tissue responses to treatment, improving preclinical testing. It can reduce reliance on animal studies and optimise treatment strategies, potentially saving time and money in human clinical trials."
The lab plays a key role in BME336: Biomaterials, a course in which students conduct experiments on biomaterial processing, biodegradation assessments, and biocompatibility evaluations.
Looking ahead, the lab is expected to foster even more interdisciplinary collaboration within and beyond CEET.
Professor Jung is also aiming to expand research efforts to develop surgical techniques and implantable medical devices, which could be tested in preclinical animal studies.
Top image: Associate Professor Hyung Jin Jung (center) communicates about the different devices and protocols to be used on lab projects