Matthew Dalby

03 December 2019
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

The Department of Human Anatomy
University of Glasgow, The Thomson Building, University Avenue
Glasgow, G12 8QQ

Nanoscale control of mesenchymal stem cells for bone applications

The aims of this lecture will be to introduce how nanoscale interfaces (materials / vibrations) can influence mesenchymal stem cell phenotype. It will consider specifically how to control MSC growth without loss of phenotype in vitro and directed bone differentiation. Implications for enhanced bone differentiation are clear, but implications for achieving ex vivo MSC expansion is also important considering their potential immune modulatory role in transplantation. Cell-material adhesion mechanisms will be discussed as will be challenges to success of these nanoscale technologies..

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the importance of the nanoscale cull-material interface
• Understand how focal adhesions can be used to control MSC growth and differentiation
• Understand how ultra-low dose growth factor delivery can potentiate bone regeneration

This course is designed to meet the GDC’s development outcome (TBC) and will qualify for 1.5 hours of verifiable CPD.

About Matthew Dalby

Matthew started his research career as a PhD student at the IRC in Biomedical Materials, Queen Mary, University of London on osteoblast response to bioactive composites. After becoming interested in the effects of topography (due to lathe cutting of the composites) on cell function, he moved to Glasgow in 2000 to work for Adam Curtis, Chris Wilkinson and Mathis Riehle where thy published some of the early papers on cell-nanoscale interactions. In 2003 he became an independent researcher securing a BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship to explore mesenchymal stem cell response to nanotopography where he published a number of papers including on nanotopographical triggering of osteogenesis and nanotopographical maintenance of stem cell phenotype.

In 2014 he became Professor of Cell Engineering at the University of Glasgow and diversified his research to include, with Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez, understanding of cells with protein nanonetworks / ultra-low dose growth factor delivery which recently resulted in a first veterinary trial in a dog where the a large bone defect in the front leg of a Münsterländer that was about to be amputated was fully regenerated and is now functional and load bearing. Also, with Stuart Reid and Adam Curtis, he has developed a nanovibrational bioreactor, the Nanokick, that can be used to drive three dimensional bone formation with no need for material or chemical inducement.

Further, he has developed an interest in metabolomics, specifically using materials to identify biologically active metabolites that can influence mesenchymal stem cell growth and differentiation; he has published around 180 papers.

He holds UK grants from BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC and, with Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez, holds major UK funding from EPSRC looking to deliver on grand challenges using ultra-low dose growth factor delivery and Find a Better Way looking to tissue engineer large bone constructs for civilian survivors of land mine injuries combining ultra-low dose growth factor and nanovibrational technologies; this will include delivery of a first in man trial. More recently, he led a successful bid for an EPSRC-SFI Centre for Doctoral Training where a lot of industrial support was achieved. The CDT aims to build a community of interdisciplinary scientists to develop UK standing in development of humanised 3D tissues to reduce animal experimentation in drug discovery.

In 2016, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for his contribution to life sciences in Scotland. Research he has contributed to has been regularly featured in BBC TV, radio and web news as well as in newspapers and websites around the world.