Neuromuscular tissue engineering for applications in regenerative medicine and robotics

Human beings and other biological creatures navigate unpredictable and dynamic environmentsby combining compliant mechanical actuators (skeletal muscle) with neural control and sensory feedback. Abiotic actuators, by contrast, have yet to match their biological counterparts in their ability to autonomously sense and adapt their form and function to changing environments. The Raman Lab uses engineered tissues as a platform to understand neuromuscular architecture and function in physiological and pathological states, restore mobility after disease and damage, and act as actuators in human-made machines. This talk will cover the advantages, challenges, and future directions of understanding and manipulating biological motor control.