Kevin Healy
 | Jan Fandrianto Professor & Chair, Bioengineering 370 HMMB Membership effective July 2000 |
Research Interests
Biomaterials, surface modification and characterization of implant materials, analysis of mammalian cell behavior on biomimetic materials, development of absorbable and bioactive polymers useful for regeneration of tissue and organs.
Research Summary
A critical hypothesis of biomimetic engineering of surfaces is that monolayer (i.e., one molecular layer) coatings of biologically active peptides affect cell attachment to the materials and preferentially induce tissue formation consistent with the cell type seeded on the device. In one area of research, we aim to test this hypothesis by either coating cardiovascular or orthopaedic implants with novel ultra-thin polymer networks grafted with biomimetic peptide signals. Ultimately, this strategy may improve the integration of orthopaedic implants in bone and reduce restenosis associated with intravascular stents.
In another area of research, we are designing artificial matrices for either engineering of tissue equivalents in vitro or regenerating tissue in vivo. It is critical that the synthetic matrix imparts both mechanical and chemical signals to entrained cells to foster the desired phenotypic expression and tissue development. We have embarked on a long-term project to create artificial extracellular matrices that are environmentally responsive and tunable with respect to mechanical properties, biological ligands, tissue adhesion, and protease degradation. The cornerstone of this project is the synthesis of thermo-responsiveness injectable hydrogels.
Selected Publications
Stile, R.A., Burghardt, W.R., and Healy, K.E., “Synthesis and Characterization of Injectable Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based Hydrogels that Support Tissue Formation In Vitro,” Macromolecules, 32, 7370-7379 (1999)
Thomas, C.H., Collier J.H., Sfeir, C.S., and Healy, K.E., “Engineering gene expression and protein synthesis by modulation of nuclear shape,” PNAS USA, 99(4), 1972-1977 (2002).
Park, S., and Healy, K.E., “Compositional Regulation of Poly(lysine-g-(lactide-b-ethylene glycol))-DNA Complexation and Stability,” Journal of Controlled Release, 95, 639– 651 (2004)
Kim, S.-Y., Chung, E., Gilbert, M., and Healy, K.E., “Synthetic MMP-13 Degradable ECMs Based on Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-Acrylic acid) Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks I. Degradation and Cell Migration,” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A, 75(1), 73-88 (2005).
Irwin, E.F., Ho, J.E., Kane, S.R., Healy, K.E., “Analysis of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks via Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring,” Langmuir, 21(12), 5529-5536 (2005).
Li, Y.J., Chung, E.H., Rodriguez, R.T., Firpo, M.T., Healy, K.E., “Hydrogels as Artificial Matrices for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal,” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A, 79(1), 1-5 (2006)
Chung, E.H., Gilbert, M., Virdi, A.S., Sena, K., Sumner, D.R., and Healy, K.E., “Biomimetic artificial ECMs stimulate bone regeneration,” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A, 79(4), 815-26 (2006).
Wall, S.T., Walker, J.C., Healy, K.E., Ratcliffe, M.B, and Guccione, J.M., “Theoretical impact of the injection of material into the myocardium - A finite element model simulation,” Circulation, 114 (24): 2627-2635 (2006).
Saha K, Irwin EF, Kozhukh J, Schaffer DV, Healy, K.E., “Biomimetic interfacial interpenetrating polymer networks control neural stem cell behavior.” J Biomed Mater Res A, 81(1), 240-9 (2007).
Ho, J., Chung, E., Wall, S., Schaffer, D.V., Healy, K.E., “Immobilized Sonic Hedgehog N-terminal signaling domain enhances differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells,” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A, 2007 [ePub].