{"693355":{"#nid":"693355","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Immunoengineering Trainee Seminar","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFeatured Speakers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Microglia Assay for Evaluating Neural Extracellular Vesicle Bioactivity - Morgane Golan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch6\u003EAbstract\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EHow can we determine whether neural extracellular vesicles (EVs) retain biological activity after changes in manufacturing or storage? This project evaluates microglial morphology as a quantitative readout of recipient-cell responses to neural stem cell-derived EV preparations. Using isolation and storage methods as a case study, this novel microglial morphology assay connects physical characterization of EVs with image-based measurements of cell and nuclear morphology. The results reveal a dose-dependent morphology response, with no significant differences detected between cryopreserved and lyophilized preparations at matched doses under the tested conditions. We will explore how this assay could support EV development, what morphology can tell us about immune-cell behavior, and which complementary functional measurements could strengthen its use as an immunoengineering platform.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EmiRNA Delivery Via Nanowires Restores Functional Responses in Aged T Cells - Zhonghao (Eric) Dai, Ph.D. Student, Ankur Singh, Advisor, Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch6\u003EAbstract\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAging progressively impairs CD8+ T cell activation, proliferation, and cytotoxic function, contributing to weakened immune responses against infections and cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate key transcriptional and signaling pathways involved in T cell function, offering a promising strategy to reverse age-associated dysfunction. However, efficient delivery of miRNAs into resting aged T cells remains a major technical challenge.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn this talk, I will present a biomaterial-based silicon nanowire platform that enables efficient, non-viral delivery of miRNAs into aged CD8+ T cells with over 90% delivery efficiency while maintaining high cell viability. By modulating individual miRNAs, we demonstrate that T cell activation and differentiation can be directed toward distinct functional states. Building on these findings, we developed a multiplexed miRNA delivery strategy that simultaneously targets complementary regulatory pathways, enhancing T cell activation, effector differentiation, cytokine production, and cytotoxic molecule expression. Importantly, multiplexed miRNA delivery also improves metabolic activity and proliferative capacity in aged T cells. We further demonstrate consistent enhancement of activation and cytotoxic responses in primary human CD8+ T cells from healthy older individuals, lymphoma survivors, and patients with solid tumors. Initial in vivo studies additionally suggest improved early effector priming following influenza infection.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ETogether, this work highlights the potential of biomaterial-enabled intracellular programming to restore functional responses in aged immune cells and provides a foundation for future strategies to improve immune function in older populations.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo Research Presentations - Morgane Golan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Tech and Zhonghao (Eric) Dai, Ph.D. Student, Ankur Singh, Advisor, Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two Research Presentations - Morgane Golan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Tech and Zhonghao (Eric) Dai, Ph.D. Student, Ankur Singh, Advisor, Georgia Tech "}],"uid":"36924","created_gmt":"2026-10-21 11:53:12","changed_gmt":"2026-10-21 12:15:27","author":"mdunn71","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-10-29T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2026-10-29T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-10-29T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-10-29 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-10-29 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-10-29 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences - Suddath Seminar Room (1128), 315 Ferst Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30332","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"},{"id":"126601","name":"go-ImmunoEngineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ccolon32@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECarolina Colon\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hcastels3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHannah Castels\u003C\/a\u003E - series organizers\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}