Example projects involved evaluating the role of IL-6 secretion from MSCs while cultured on PDMS gels of varying stiffness as an optimization parameter for osteonecrosis treatment, the relationship between polydopamine substrate coating concentrations and MSC granulocyte colony-stimulating factor production for enhanced neutropenia therapeutics, and the role of pH level on MSC secretion of IL-6 for bone graft tissue engineering applications. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is osteonecrosis.