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Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Faculty and Staff

James Otto Blanchette

Title: Instructor
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
Email: blanchej@cec.sc.edu
Phone: 803-777-0926
Fax: 803-777-0106
Office:

Room A213
300 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29208

headshot of Dr. Blanchette

Experience and Education

  • Instructor and Research Specialist III, Biomedical Engineering, 2015-Present
  • Research Assistant Professor, College of Engineering and Computing, University of South Carolina, 2014
  • Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2007-2013
  • Research Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2004-2007
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas, 2004
  • Cancer Research Training Award, National Cancer Institute, 1998-2000
  • B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 1998

Research

My research interests fall into the areas of: design of cell-instructive materials, delivery of therapeutics and tissue engineering. Specific projects include: developing responsive delivery systems to expand the spectrum of chemotherapeutics which can be administered orally; extending proper function of pancreatic islet cells following transplantation through genetic engineering and design of instructive hydrogel materials; tracking hypoxic signaling in three-dimensional cell aggregates; and transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells to enhance vascularization.

Selected Publications

Skiles M L, Hanna B, Rucker L, Tipton A, Brougham-Cook A and Blanchette J O. ASC spheroid geometry and culture oxygenation differentially impact induction of pre-angiogenic behaviors in endothelial cells. Cell Transplantation, 24(11), 2323-35, 2015).

Skiles M L, Sahai S, Rucker L and Blanchette J O. Use of culture geometry to control hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion from ADSCs: optimizing a cell-based approach to drive vascular growth. Tissue Eng Part A, 19(21-22), 2330-8, (2013).

Sahai S, Williams A, Skiles M L and Blanchette J O. Osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells is HIF-1 independent. Tissue Eng Part A, 19(13-14), 1583-91, (2013).

Sahai S, McFarland R, Skiles M L, Sullivan D, Williams A and Blanchette J O. Tracking hypoxic signaling in encapsulated stem cells. Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 18(7), 557-565, (2012).

Brannon-Peppas L and Blanchette J O. Nanoparticles and targeted systems for cancer therapy. Adv Drug Del Rev, 56, 1649-1659, (2004).

Teaching

  • BMEN 101 – Introduction to Biomedical Enigneering
  • BMEN 211 – Computational Toold for Modeling of Biomedical Systems
  • BMEN 212 – Fundamentals of Biomedical Systems
  • BMEN 271 – Introduction to Biomaterials
  • BMEN 290 – Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems
  • BMEN 546 – Delivery of Bioactive Agents

Honors and Awards

  • Promising Investigator Award (University of South Carolina)
  • “Nanoparticle and targeted systems for cancer therapy” selected for 25th anniversary edition of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. Recognized as one of the most highly cited articles in the journal’s history.
  • Capsugel Grand Prize (from Controlled Release Society) – International award for outstanding research in oral drug delivery by graduate student/postdoc
  • Geddes-Laufman-Greatbatch Award (Purdue University) – The outstanding Biomedical Engineering graduate student
    Outstanding Research Award (from Biomedical Engineering Society)

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

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