A method of preparing and obtaining cell aggregates having increased oxygenation abilities. The method includes the preparation of fluorinated polymeric microparticles. Once the fluorinated polymeric microparticles are prepared, they are combined with mammalian cells to create the cell aggregates having increased oxygenation.

Described herein are apparata and methods for growing cells in a manner that mimics the native three-dimensional environment. Cell cultures grown in the apparatus can be screened for inhibition by specific chemotherapeutics or other drugs.

A non-antigenic microRNA exosomal vaccination that includes dendritic-derived exosomes resulting from the incubation of dendritic cells with Spike Protein of a COVID-19 virus so that the dendritic cells process the Spike Protein of the COVID-19 virus to enable education of naïve T-cells. The exosomes so-derived are then harvested and encapsulated for delayed release oral capsule delivery to selectively reach intestinal antigen-presenting cells in the terminal ileum for stimulating an acquired immune response to the Spike Protein of the COVID-19 virus. The intestinal antigen-presenting cells incorporate the dendritic-derived exosomes, and thereby learn to recognize the Spike Protein as a threat, even though no dangerous antigens, RNA, or DNA modifications of the antigen or Spike Protein of the COVID-19 virus were introduced by the non-antigenic microRNA exosomal vaccine, thereby avoiding creation of new pandemic viral emergencies, cytokine storms, mitochondrial aerobic failure, serious illnesses, and death via mutated strains of the COVID-19 virus.

Sub-millimeter scale three-dimensional (3D) structures are disclosed with customizable chemical properties and/or functionality. The 3D structures are referred to as drop-carrier particles. The drop-carrier particles allow the selective association of one solution (i.e., a dispersed phased) with an interior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles, while a second non-miscible solution (i.e., a continuous phase) associates with an exterior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles due to the specific chemical and/or physical properties of the interior and exterior regions of the drop-carrier particles. The combined drop-carrier particle with the dispersed phase contained therein is referred to as a particle-drop. The selective association results in compartmentalization of the dispersed phase solution into sub-microliter-sized volumes contained in the drop-carrier particles. The compartmentalized volumes can be used for single-molecule assays as well as single-cell, and other single-entity assays.

Provided are polymers, which may be crosslinked to form a main-chain liquid crystalline (LC) hydrogel with a three-dimensional network. Also provided are methods of using the hydrogel as a substrate for tissue culture. For example, the hydrogel may organize into LC phases and encapsulate a plurality of cells within its polymeric network. In some embodiments, human stem cells are cultured using the present method with good viability and demonstrate faster proliferation in the present LC hydrogel compared to a non-LC gel.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating breast cancer using antisense (AS) nucleic acids directed against Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF-1R). The AS may be administered to the patients systemically, or may be used to produce an autologous cancer cell vaccine. In embodiments, the AS are provided in an implantable irradiated biodiffusion chamber comprising tumor cells and an effective amount of the AS. The chambers are irradiated and implanted in the abdomen of subjects and stimulate an immune response that attacks tumors distally. The compositions and methods disclosed herein may be used to treat many different kinds of breast cancer, including metastatic breast cancer.

A simple, highly flexible and scalable platform for making functional complex tissues with heterogeneity and irregularity is provided. The method includes combining undifferentiated cells, such as pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, with a biomaterial to make multiple undifferentiated or naïve subunits, exposing the undifferentiated or naïve subunits to different cell culture environments for induction of differentiation towards different lineages as required by that complex tissue, and combining the then functional subunits with or without the undifferentiated subunits. The differentiated subunits thus combined can be cultured under biological, chemical, and/or physical culture conditions suitable to fine-tune the structural and functional properties of the bioengineered complex tissue to form a bioengineered tissue graft that mimics the structural and functional characteristics of native complex tissue. The bioengineered tissue graft can then used to replace dysfunctional tissue.

This invention provides for methods and compositions for generation of cytocapsulae and cytocapsular tubes in a 3D matrix.

This invention provides a cross-linked alginate hydrogel layer encapsulating single mesenchymal stromal cells or progenitor cells, as well as compositions including the encapsulated cells and to methods of using the same to promote osteogenesis and fibrotic tissue repair in a subject.

Hydrogels are formed by the condensation of aromatic or heteroaromatic CN groups with aminothiol groups. Gelling takes place under physiological conditions, is biocompatible, and can be used for cell encapsulation.