Prof. Dr. Marcy Zenobi-wong

Biography

Marcy Zenobi-Wong has been an Assistant (Tenure-Track) Professor of Cartilage Engineering and Regeneration in the Department of Health Sciences and Technology, since 2012. She was born in the US in 1963. In 1985 Professor Zenobi-Wong concluded her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge, MA, USA, before transferring to Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, to continue her studies in mechanical engineering. She obtained an MSc there in 1987 and a PhD in 1990. In 1991 she worked as a postdoc at the University of Michigan. Marcy Zenobi-Wong became a group leader at the University of Bern in 1992 and habilitated there in 2000.

Research Interest

Marcy Zenobi-Wong’s main research focus is cartilage engineering and regeneration: the success of cell-based therapies for tissue repair is dependent on our ability to reliably control the growth and differentiation of stem cells used in the treatment. The interaction of cells with the extracellular environment can have a potent influence on cell fate. The nature of biomaterials (composition, charge and stiffness), ligand and growth factor availability, oxygen tension and the presence of mechanical and electrical signals can potently induce the desired morphology, cytoskeletal architecture and biosynthetic activity. We engineer both 2D and 3D cellular systems to mimic different extracellular environments. Using the layer-by-layer technique, nanofilms from natural and synthetic polymers can be used to coat biomedical devices, implants and tissue defects, where the terminal layer and stiffness of the nanofilm can be tuned to control the degree of cell adhesion and spreading. We also use photolithography and printing techniques to pattern co-culture systems so that cell-cell and paracrine interactions can be studied. Other tools for developing functional mimics of the native 3D extracellular environment include the use of carbohydrate-based gels (methacrylated chondroitin sulfate, methacrylated hyaluronic acid, and sulfated alginate), incorporation of adhesion motives into gels and the use of mechanical loading to stimulate the development of engineered constructs. This research lays the foundation for developing successful clinical strategies for tissue regeneration and repair.