Kate completed her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Material Sciences (with Industrial Experience) at The University of Manchester, gaining a first. She is  in the final year of her PhD, also at Manchester, investigating Enzyme Initiated Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogels for the Culture of Embryonic Stem Cells.

 

Developing Synthetic Scaffolds for the Culture of Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have potential within regenerative medicine. However, clinical application of these cells is not yet possible due to a number of factors, including the conditions required to grow the cells. For ES cells to be used therapeutically, they must be cultured in a well defined synthetic environment.

A design criterion has been developed to provide the cells with their ideal man-made scaffold for growth and/or differentiation, suitable substrata for a range of cell types. With careful development they may also be suitable for ES cells, which have hydrogels formed from self-assembling peptides, which are a specific requirement of their micro-environment.

 

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