Michael Yitayew
Ph.D. Candidate

Biological and Biomedical Engineering

Email: michael.yitayew@mail.mcgill.ca

LinkedIn

Education Background:

Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University (2019)

Bachelor of Science in Biology-Chemistry (Honours), Faculty of Science, University of New Brunswick (2016)

Favourite Lab Equipment:

The fume hood, because I live in there… well not IN THERE, but next to it.

“I am here for a good time, not a long time”
— Undisclosed

Research Projects and Interests:

My project focuses on developing a novel biomaterial for the encapsulation of donor pancreatic islets, which can be implanted into patients with Type-1 diabetes to provide long-term treatment of the disease. The technique aims to restore the body's natural ability to produce insulin by implanting functional donor islets, which are a cluster of cells found in our pancreas responsible for insulin production amongst other roles. This approach has seen promising clinical success but one of its drawbacks is the requirement for continuous administration of immunosuppressant drugs to prevent implant rejection, which present with many toxic side-effects. Protective encapsulation of the islets using biocompatible materials has been the prominent choice in the field to address this issue and my project aims to achieve this by designing a novel nanocoating for the islets. This coating will serve as a semi-permeable membrane around the islets to allow the cells to function and secrete insulin while serving as a protective shield from adverse immunological reactions and implant rejection. The findings of this study will have significant contribution towards knowledge in immunoengineering and biomaterials while providing a long-term solution for treatment of Type-1 diabetes and improve the patients’ quality of life

  • FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship (2021 - present)

    McGill GREAT Travel Award – for presentation at the 2022 joint symposium of the Society for Biomaterials (SFB - US) and the Japanese Society for Biomaterials (JSB) (2022)

    McGill Biomedical Engineering (BME) Excellence Award (2020)

    McGill GREAT Travel Award – for presentation at the 34th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Biomaterial Society (CBS) (2018)

    Edwin Jacob Special University Entrance Scholarship (2012-2016)

  • Peer-Reviewed Articles:

    Yitayew, M.Y., Tabrizian, M. (2020) Hollow Microcapsules Through Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly of Chitosan/Alginate on E. coli. MRS Advances 5, 2401–2407 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2020.261

    Peer-Reviewed Abstracts:

    Yitayew, M., and Tabrizian, M. (2019) Hollow microshell through layer-by-layer self-assembly of natural polyelectrolytes on E. coli. Transactions of the Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials and the Annual International Biomaterials Symposium. 40: 513.

  • Conferences:

    Yitayew, M., and Tabrizian, M. (2022) Tetrahydropyran triazole phenyl-alginate and quaternized phosphocholine-chitosan conformal coating on human islets: an in vitro study on cell viability. 2022 joint symposium of the Society for Biomaterials (SFB - US) and the Japanese Society for Biomaterials (JSB). Honolulu, Hawaii (virtual poster presentation)

    Yitayew, M., and Tabrizian, M. (2020) Hollow microshell through layer-by-layer self-assembly of natural polyelectrolytes on E.coli. 11th World Biomaterials Congress. Glascow, Scotland (virtual poster presentation)

    Yitayew, M., and Tabrizian, M. (2019) Hollow microshell through layer-by-layer self-assembly of natural polyelectrolytes on E.coli. 5th Biological and Biomedical Engineering Symposium. McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada (poster presentation)

    Yitayew, M., and Tabrizian, M. (2018) Molecularly imprinted microshell through layer-by-layer self- assembly of natural polyelectrolytes on E. coli. 34th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Biomaterial Society. Victoria, BC, Canada (poster presentation)

    Invited Lecturer:

    McGill University BMDE/DENT 504 - Biomaterials and Bioperformance. (2023).

  • My masters research project investigated the development of novel drug delivery systems based on artificial cells by creating hollow microcapsules using E. coli and a layer- by-layer (LbL) self- assembly of chitosan and alginate. Objectives included developing optimal conditions for creating stable polymer membranes onto the E. coli cells, subsequent cell lysis, and material characterization of hollow microcapsules in addition to evaluating the efficacy of the system using quantum dots as a proof-of-concept cargo.

    In addition, I conducted an 8-month long independent honors research project in synthetic organic chemistry, which analyzed the use of a chiral auxiliary molecule towards improving stereoselectivity in intramolecular ketene-alkene cycloaddition reactions. Objectives included synthesizing the precursor molecules for cycloaddition reaction and subsequently analyzing the stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition reaction. The work contributes to the synthesis of several natural products and their analogues with pharmaceutical applications. This experience was valuable towards developing my skills and knowledge in chemical synthesis, purification, and analytical techniques.

  • Chair - Biological and Biomedical Engineering Student Society (September 2017 – September 2021)

    VP Academics - Canadian Biomaterials Society: Montreal Student Chapter (September 2019 – September 2021)

    Associate Board Member - Canadian Biomaterials Society: Montreal Student Chapter (September 2018 to September 2019)