Invited Talk: Camilo Mora-Navarro, Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez:
“Advancing Tissue-Specific ECM: Standardized Derivation and Electrochemical Sensing of Biomolecules”
Decellularized Extracellular Matrix (ECM)-derived substrates are naturally derived, tissuespecific biomaterials essential for regenerative medicine. They play pivotal roles in antifibrosis and anti-inflammation therapies and serve as carriers for biomolecules that modulate cellular responses. Nevertheless, the development of new bioinstructive substrates utilizing ECM or derived biomolecules faces challenges, including the need for standardized production methods, enhanced monitoring tools, and deeper insights into their tissue-specific composition and the novel, tissue-specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) within the matrix. The Biomolecules and Biomaterials Research and Technology Lab (BioMa2RT Lab) focuses on advancing ECMbased scaffolds and developing electrochemical methods to characterize these tissue-specific EVs. This presentation will highlight a patented technology designed to standardize ECM production and discuss advancements in monitoring techniques that refine the decellularization process for ECM derivation. Furthermore, we will introduce the isolation of potentially tissuespecific EVs and new technologies for their characterization to tackle heterogeneity in the field. Our team has developed a comprehensive platform that standardizes ECM production and is also working on a cutting-edge screen-printed electrode for EV characterization, which is anticipated to be crucial for future analyses of tissue-specific cargoes in EVs.
Biography
Dr. Camilo Mora, originally from Colombia, earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Atlántico in 2009. After spending three years in the industry, he pursued his PhD at the University of Puerto Rico, making significant contributions to the field of synthetic antimicrobial peptides. Following his PhD, Dr. Mora
conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center, focusing on protein purification to explore epigenetic mechanisms. He then joined the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, serving as a postdoctoral fellow trainee for three years before becoming a research associate. His research, resulting in multiple publications, primarily focused on deriving extracellular matrix-based biomaterials to enhance tissue regeneration. In 2021, Dr. Mora secured a tenure-track position in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez, where he mentors aspiring engineers and scientists and continues his active research contributions.
