Author interview
Dr. Naresh Kasoju’s interview with Bio Patrika hosting “Vigyan Patrika”, a series of author interviews. Dr. Kasoju is a Scientist in Applied Biology at the Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (An Institute of National Importance, Dept. of Science and Technology, Govt. of India), Thiruvananthapuram, India. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India in 2012, followed by post-doctoral training at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Prague, Czech Republic, and at the Department of Zoology and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, UK. His research interests include the fabrication of novel biomaterial structures, understanding cell-material interactions, and the development of tissue-engineered constructs.
How would you explain your paper’s key results to the non-scientific community?
Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field aiming to fabricate human tissue constructs in the laboratory. The process typically involves:
-
(a) development of a template material, referred to as a scaffold,
-
(b) isolation and culture of human cells on this scaffold, and
-
(c) in vitro maturation of the cell-laden scaffold into a 3D tissue that mimics true human tissue.
The scaffold is the key player here, usually made of biomaterials that are compatible with human cells.
Although tissue engineering has made significant progress since the 1990s, mimicking native tissue architecture remains a major challenge.
In this project, we successfully fabricated spatially organized skin tissue constructs having epidermal and dermal equivalent histology. The core of the study was a novel dual cell seeding compatible insert, clipped with electrospun nanofibrous silk fibroin scaffold. These inserts were versatile in design and could be flipped for cell seeding on either side—facilitating co-cultured tissue creation. They also allow stacking and packing for storage or transport, enabling a seamless bench-to-bedside workflow. The tissue constructs can be used as skin substitutes or drug/chemical testing models.
What are the possible consequences of these findings for your research area?
Current commercial cell culture inserts have pre-fixed membranes and allow only single-cell culture. However, tissue engineering demands more flexible tools for co-culture of multiple cell types.
Our insert design allows users to clip customized scaffolds and perform dual-cell culture, offering a complete workflow from lab-based cell culture to clinical wound site application. This innovation could significantly advance the field of co-cultured tissue engineering.
“We believe this technology would expedite the co-cultured tissue engineering from bench-to-bedside.”
What was the exciting moment (eureka moment) during your research?
The eureka moment came after identifying limitations with standard inserts and designing multiple prototypes. Once we cultured human skin cells on our design and observed well-organized skin-like tissue under the microscope, it was a truly thrilling moment that validated our concept.
What do you hope to do next?
Our published work is a proof-of-concept showing the feasibility of dual-cell seeding inserts and co-cultured tissue fabrication. We are now exploring applications in transplantation, toxicology, and drug screening.
We have filed an Indian patent (No. 201941053786) and a design registration (No. 324417-001), and are actively seeking academic and industrial partners to develop and commercialize this technology.
Where do you seek scientific inspiration?
Nature! Be it a butterfly or a rock—everything tells a story. The human body is a complex system of biomolecules and interactions, yet it functions with precision. I am inspired by nature’s perfection and often wonder if we can replicate even a part of it through science.
How do you intend to help Indian science improve?
While our education system encourages questioning nature, I believe we must first appreciate it. Instead of immediately asking “why is the sky blue?” we should pause and admire how beautiful it is. Effective communication of science and natural phenomena is key to this shift.
Platforms like Bio Patrika are essential for science communication in India. With a population of 135+ crore, we need many more such initiatives. I’m grateful to Bio Patrika for giving me this opportunity to share my work.
Reference
Jimna M Ameer, Ramesh Babu V, Vinod D, Nishad KV, Sabareeswaran A, Anil Kumar PR, Naresh Kasoju*
Fabrication of co-cultured tissue constructs using a dual cell seeding compatible cell culture insert with a clip-on scaffold for potential regenerative medicine and toxicological screening applications.
Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices (2020), 5(2): 207–217.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsamd.2020.04.004
Edited by: Govinda Raju Yedida (Volunteer, Bio Patrika)
Explore more
🎤 Career – Real career stories and job profiles of life science professionals. Discover current opportunities for students and researchers.
💼 Jobs – The latest job openings and internship alerts across academia and industry.
📢 Advertise with BioPatrika – Reach the Right Audience, Fast!
