Stem Cell Manipulation – Donny Hanjaya-Putra, Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame – Utilizing Contemporary Engineering Principles to Control Stem Cell Differentiation, Cellular Repair, and Drug Therapy

Donny Hanjaya-Putra, assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, discusses his research and work in the field of stem cell therapy.

Hanjaya-Putra is an assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, as well as an assistant professor in the Bioengineering Graduate Program, and a concurrent assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and received his BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame.

Hanjaya-Putra discusses his work. He explains how his team utilizes engineering principles to try to control stem cell differentiation. Ultimately their work is centered on discovering new ways to model and understand diseases. Major areas of focus include stem cell engineering, biomaterials for stem cell morphogenesis, and targeted drug delivery.

Hanjaya-Putra's lab is focused on the nexus between engineering and medicine, with the goal of utilizing stem cell and molecular therapies as a successful means to model and treat various diseases. The lab's work integrates stem cell engineering, biomaterials synthesis, as well as micro/nano-technologies, combining the various scientific methods to enhance their study and research.

The Ph.D. provides detailed information about stem cells and the expression of proteins. He explains stem cell differentiation and tissue repair, and how the processes work. As he explains, stem cells know exactly where to go within the body, once injected. Hanjaya-Putra explains that through their ex vivo manipulation of the cells in the lab, and then injection of those cells back into the body, the reintroduced cells can use targeted molecules to repair cellular injuries.

Hanjaya-Putra expounds further upon the ways they can utilize small molecule drugs to enhance cellular repair. He explains how drugs work within the body and talk about the ways to design drugs to reduce side effects while maintaining the drug's therapeutic effects.