Disclosed herein are compositions comprising magnetoelectric composite materials and collagen, along with uses and kits thereof. Described herein is the use of DNA aptamer assemblies of varying DNA length, structure, and sequence to both bind to collagen and other proteins, to then act as a biocompatible, degradable, reversible, or permanent 3D crosslinkers between proteins, and to service as a biologically functional material when using the appropriate aptamer sequence. Therefore, disclosed herein are compositions comprising collagen fibers crosslinked with DNA aptamers. Also disclosed are devices and implants made from or coated with collagen fibers crosslinked with DNA aptamers. Also disclosed are methods of making collagen fibers. Also disclosed are kits for producing collagen fibers. Also disclosed herein are compositions DNA aptamers in a collagen fiber matrix that stabilizes the DNA aptamer.

Methods of inducing functional maturation of immature cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by electrically pacing the immature cardiomyocytes according to a pulse profile that induces maturation until the immature cardiomyocytes mature into functionally adult cardiomyocytes.

Provided herein are systems and methods for culturing tissue-like assemblies of cells in the presence of a pulsating alternating ionic magnetic resonance field. The cells are introduced into a growth module in fluid connection with a nutrient module in which the gravity vector of the growth module is continually randomized and cultured in the presence of the alternating ionic magnetic resonance field.

Compositions disclosed herein, and methods of use thereof included those for inhibiting or reducing the incidence of cytokine release syndrome or cytokine storm in a subject undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, methods of treating a cancer or tumor, methods of reducing tumor load, methods of reducing the size or growth rate of a cancer or a tumor, and methods of extending of the survival of a subject suffering from a cancer or tumor, wherein the subjects are administered compositions comprising apoptotic cells or apoptotic cell supernatants. Compositions and methods of use thereof may increase the efficacy of a CAR T-cell cancer therapy. Disclosed herein are also compositions and methods of use thereof for decreasing or inhibiting cytokine production in a subject experiencing cytokine release syndrome or cytokine storm. In certain instances compositions may include additional chemotherapeutic or immunomodulatory agents.

The present invention relates to a cell reprogramming method using a physical stimulation-mediated environmental influx, and more specifically, by subjecting differentiated or non-differentiated cells to physical stimulation which can promote an environmental influx, such as ultrasonic waves, laser or heat shock, without the introduction of a reprogramming-inducing factor or a chemical substance to the differentiated cells, the cells can be reprogrammed with just the imposition of an external environmental influx into pluripotent cells or arbitrary differentiated cells having a different expression type from the differentiated or non-differentiated cells, and as such an inducement has a simple and effective production process, the possibility of an autogenic cell therapy can be made greater.

Provided herein are implantable biomaterials for promoting regeneration of an injured biological tissue, the biomaterials including piezoelectric materials and an extracellular matrix specific to the injured biological tissue, wherein the piezoelectric materials and the extracellular matrix are electrospun together to provide tissue-specific bioactive piezoelectric nanofiber scaffolds. Also provided herein are methods of fabricating a tissue-specific bioactive piezoelectric nanofiber scaffold and methods of promoting regeneration of injured biological tissue by implanting the disclosed bioactive piezoelectric scaffolds.

This disclosure provides nano-scale Artificial Antigen Presenting Cells (aAPC), which deliver stimulatory signals to lymphocytes, including T-helper lymphocytes, for use as a powerful tool for immunotherapy.

A method of stimulating and controlling stem cell activity and differentiation on a modified material substrate and a device including the modified material substrate are provided. The method includes providing a material substrate configured for medical use. The material substrate includes at least one surface or interior area available for modification, and the at least one surface or interior area is treated with a plurality of pulsed light beams to obtain a modified material substrate with at least one modified surface or interior area. The at least one modified surface or interior area has a biomimetic architecture with surface and bulk (interior) features, properties, and textures configured to accelerate and control stem cell differentiation when the modified material substrate is contacted with stem cells.

A method of characterizing an effect of a compound on cardiomyocyte beating, including providing a system configured to culture, electrically pace, and monitor heating of beating cells: culturing two populations of immature cardiomyocytes in the system; adding a compound suspected of having an effect on cardiomyocyte maturation to one of the populations of immature cardiomyocytes; electrically pacing the two populations of immature cardiomyocytes according to a pulse profile that functionally matures immature cardiomyocytes until at least one of the two populations of cardiomyocytes is functionally mature; and Characterizing the compound as further driving maturation if the population with compound addition functionally matures before the other cardiomyocyte population.

The present disclosure provides feeder hydrogel particles that can function to support the growth, proliferation, and/or activation of a target cell in culture. The present disclosure also provides methods of culturing target cells with feeder hydrogel particles.