On 26th June, Cristina Codina Blas has presented and defended her Final Degree Project of the academic program Degree in Biotechnology at IQS School of Engineering (Barcelona, Spain). For three months, she has worked in Vascular Engineering and Applied Biomedicine (GEVAB) research group of Assist. Prof. Jordi Martorell.
Co-supervised by postdoctoral researcher Sara Fuentelsaz, Cristina’s work has focused on refining a 3D in vitro BBB model based on a Collagen I hydrogel with embedded astrocytes (HA) and covered by an endothelial monolayer (HBMVEC) to evaluate T cell migration. Different experiments were conducted to enhance the expression of tight junction reference proteins, CD31 and ZO-1, in endothelial cells under varying cell growth media composition. Additionally, a quantification method to assess astrocyte distribution within hydrogels was successfully developed.
