Celine J. Agnes
Ph.D. Candidate

Biological and Biomedical Engineering

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Bettina Willie

Email: celine.agnes@mail.mcgill.ca

Education Background:

Master of Science in Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University (2019)

Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, Concentration in Biomaterials, University of Connecticut (2017)

Favourite Lab Equipment:

Its too hard to choose just one … the BSC probably.

Can you remove my quote please?
— Celine Agnes

Research Projects and Interests:

Previous research in this laboratory has provided for the creation of a Guanosine 5’ Diphosphate (GDP) cross-linked chitosan scaffold. This injectable sponge has the capability of rapid gelation and is currently being explored in the laboratory for the treatment of critical size bone defects. These defects are ones that do not heal on their own and require a form of therapy to heal. Previously, the goal of my research was to fabricate a core-shell structure for the scaffold that would enable it to act as a platform for the co-culture of different cell types including pre-osteoblasts and endothelial cells. My Ph.D. work also centers around the scaffold, with the addition of 6-Bromoindirubin-3-Oxime (BIO) , to explore the beneficial effects of encapsulation with stem cells in vitro and in vivo for bone regeneration.

  • McGill University Graduate Research Enhancement and Travel Award (2019, 2021, 2023)

    RSBO Conference Support Award (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

    Fonds de Recherche du Quebec Sante (FRQS) Doctoral Scholarship (2022)

    RSBO Fellowship Award (2021)

    McGill University BBME Recruitment Award (2019)

    McGill University Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Research Day 2nd Place Poster Presentation (2019)

    McGill University Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Internal Studentship Award (2018)

    McGill University Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Differential Fee Waiver Scholarship (2017)

    New England Scholar Award at University of Connecticut (2015)

    University of Connecticut Dean’s List Engineering Recipient (5 of 8 semesters) (2013-2017)

  • Peer-Reviewed Articles:

    Agnes, C.J., Karoichan, A., and Tabrizian, M. “The Diamond Concept Enigma: Recent Trends of its Implementation in Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering.” ACS Applied Biomaterials. 6:7, 71-82. 2023.

    Agnes, C.J., Murshed, M., Takada, A., Willie, B.M., and Tabrizian M. “A 6-Bromoindirubin-3’-Oxime Incorporated Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Scaffold for Potential Osteogenic Differentiation: Investigation of Material Properties In Vitro.” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 227:71-82, 2023

    Baudequin, T.*, Agnes, C.*, and Tabrizian M. “A Core-Shell Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold as a Potential Co-Encapsulation Platform.” Carbohydrate Polymers. 256: 117499, 2021 (*co-first authors)

    Peer-Reviewed Abstracts:

    Agnes, C.J., Murshed, M., Willie, B.M., and Tabrizian, M. “Multilineage Differentiation of C2C12 Cells and Monocytes In Vitro within a 6-6-BromoIndirubin-3’-Oxime Incorporated Chitosan Based Scaffold for Enhanced Bone Regeneration.” Orthopaedic Proceedings. 106-B. (Supp_2): 72, 2024

    Agnes, C., Baudequin, T., and Tabrizian M. “Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold to Improve Osteogenesis for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects” Transactions of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biomaterials and the Annual Biomaterials Symposium. 40: 912, 2019

  • Conferences:

    Agnes, C.J., Li, L., Bertrand, D., Karoichan, A., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian, M. “Encapsulation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) Phosphorylation Inhibitor, 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime, in a Chitosan Based Scaffold for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects”, 18th Annual Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Research Day. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2024 (lightning talk) (awarded best lightning talk)

    Agnes, C.J., Li, L., Bertrand, D., Karoichan, A., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian, M. “Encapsulation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) Phosphorylation Inhibitor, 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime, in a Chitosan Based Scaffold for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects”, Orthopaedic Research Society 2024 Annual Meeting. Long Beach, California, USA. Feb. 2024. (Poster Presentation)

    Agnes, C.J., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian, M. "Multilineage Differentiation of C2C12 Cells and Monocytes In Vitro within a 6-BromoIndirubin-3'-Oxime Incorporated Chitosan-Based Scaffold for Enhanced Bone Regeneration", 31st Annual Meeting of the European Orthopaedic Research Society. Porto, Portugal. Sept. 2023. (Oral Presentation)

    Agnes, C.J., Takada, A., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian, M. “Fabrication of 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime Incorporated Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold to Promote Osteogenic Differentiation in Myoblastic C2C12 Cells”, 6th Annual Biological and Biomedical Engineering Symposium. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. May 2023. (Poster Presentation)

    Agnes, C.J., Takada, A., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian M. “Fabrication of 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime Incorporated Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold to Promote Osteogenic Differentiation in Myoblastic C2C12 Cells”, European Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting. Bordeaux, France. Sept. 2022. (poster and rapid-fire oral presentation)

    Agnes, C., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian M. “Effect of 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime, a GSK3 Inhibitor, Incorporation on the Material Properties of the Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold.” US Society for Biomaterials and Japanese Society of Biomaterials Joint Symposium. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 2022 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian M. “Effect of 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime, a GSK3 Inhibitor, Incorporation on the Material Properties of the Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold.” 5th Annual Biological and Biomedical Engineering Symposium. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2021 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Murshed, M., Willie, B., & Tabrizian M. “Effect of 6-Bromo-Indirubin-3’-Oxime, a GSK3 Inhibitor, Incorporation on the Material Properties of the Guanosine Diphosphate Crosslinked Chitosan Scaffold.” RSBO Virtual Research Days. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2021 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Baudequin, T., & Tabrizian M. “Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold to Improve Osteogenesis for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects”. 11th World Biomaterials Congress. Glasgow, Scotland, 2020 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Baudequin, T., & Tabrizian M. “Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold to Improve Osteogenesis for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects.” 4th Annual Biological and Biomedical Engineering Symposium. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2019 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Baudequin, T., & Tabrizian M. “Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold to Improve Osteogenesis for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects”. 14th Faculty of Dentistry Research Day. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2019 (poster presentation)

    Agnes, C., Baudequin, T., & Tabrizian M. “Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold to Improve Osteogenesis for the Treatment of Critical Size Bone Defects”. US Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting. Seattle, Washington, USA, 2019 (poster presentation)

    Houlihan, K., Carroll, C., McGee, S., Agnes, C., Mulry, C., & Bordett, R. “Preventing Neonatal Mortality using Technology Assisted Kangaroo Mother Care.” Rice 360 Global Health Design Competition. Houston, Texas, USA, 2017 (oral and poster presentation)

    Invited Lecturer:

    McGill University BMDE/DENT 504 - Biomaterials and Bioperformance. (2024, 2023). Biological characterization of biomaterials: Part I (Hard Tissues)

  • Master's Thesis Project, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University (Sept. 2017 - Aug. 2019)
    Title: “Use of the Guanosine Diphosphate (GDP) Cross-linked Chitosan Sponge as a Platform for the Co-culture of Endothelial and Pre-osteoblast Cells in attempt to produce Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis”
    Research project focused on the development of the core-shell GDP crosslinked chitosan sponge as a platform for cellular co-culture and subsequent characterization of this co-culture in the scaffold.

    Senior Design Project, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut (Sept. 2016 - Apr. 2017)
    Title: “Preventing Neonatal Mortality using Technology Assisted Kangaroo Mother Care"
    - Design project aimed to fabricate and design a minimally invasive skin to skin monitoring device with ease of use that more efficiently collects temperature and time measurements for at home use

  • V.P. Academics, RSBO AGORA committee (Oct. 2020 - Sept. 2021)

    V.P. Social Media Manager, Biological and Biomedical Engineering Student Society (Sept. 2019 – Sept. 2020)

    Mentoring:

    McGill University International Buddy Program

    UConn Women in STEM Program

    Student Supervision:

    Adrien Takada, “Multilineage Differentiation of ADSCs in the Chitosan/GDP Scaffold”, McGill University (2021)

    Antonela Badan, “A New Approach in the Treatment of Dental Caries Disease using Nano-Silver Fluoride”, McGill University (2019) Research presented at the 14th McGill University Faculty of Dentistry Research Day and won 1st Place, represented McGill University at the Hinman Symposium in Memphis, Tennessee