Biomaterials Commons^™

Shape Memory Alloy Capsule Micropump For Drug Delivery Applications, Youssef Mohamed Kotb

Theses and Dissertations

Implantable drug delivery devices have many benefits over traditional drug administration techniques and have attracted a lot of attention in recent years. By delivering the medication directly to the tissue, they enable the use of larger localized concentrations, enhancing the efficacy of the treatment. Passive-release drug delivery systems, one of the various ways to provide medication, are great inventions. However, they cannot dispense the medication on demand since they are nonprogrammable. Therefore, active actuators are more advantageous in delivery applications. Smart material actuators, however, have greatly increased in popularity for manufacturing wearable and implantable micropumps due to their high energy …

Architecture As A Carbon-Based Practice, Qixin Yu

Masters Theses

Carbon serves as both a silent protagonist and a looming antagonist in the narrative of architecture, shaping not only the physical structures we inhabit but also the ecological legacy we leave behind.

Centuries of human exploitation of the environment have led to climate and material crises. Shifting this dynamic requires action at micro (matter), meso (material), and macro (materiality) levels. Biogenic materials offer significant potential for carbon sequestration and present opportunities for the building industry to collaborate with nature rather than merely extract from it.

This thesis establishes a research and manufacturing practice that prioritizes material innovation, carbon sequestration, environmental …

Manufacturing Silicone In-House For The Creation Of Customized Neurovascular Blood Vessel Mimics, Jacob Wilbert Perisho

Master's Theses

The Tissue Engineering Lab at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo focuses on creating tissue-engineered Blood Vessel Mimics (BVMs) designed for the preclinical testing of neurovascular devices. These BVMs are composed of silicone models, representing anatomically accurate neurovasculatures, that are sodded with vascular cell types and then cultivated in bioreactors (which maintain physiologic conditions). These silicone models are currently sourced externally from industry partners, so the primary goal of this thesis was to develop the means and methods for the Tissue Engineering Lab to manufacture silicone models in-house.

The first aim of this thesis was to develop and explore …

Biomass Derived Lignin Polymer Modification For Sustainable Chemical Engineering Applications, Samantha Glidewell, Keisha Walters

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lignin is an abundant naturally occurring plant-based polymer that is branched, highly unsaturated, and rich in aliphatic and aromatic hydroxyl groups. Lignin is a significant byproduct of the wood pulp and paper industries; however, it has yet to be widely utilized in commercial applications due to its non-linear structure, broad range of molecular weights, hydrophobicity, high rigidity, and brittleness. Recent investigations into modifying lignin to broaden its potential uses have shown promising results. This thesis explores different modification techniques of the naturally occurring hardwood lignin polymer for specific applications in areas of water treatment and polyurethane (PU) production. The first …

Advancements Of A Breast Tissue Marker And Localization System, Azrin Jamison

All Theses

Breast cancer has become the most prominent cancer worldwide in women. Annual mammograms are encouraged for women of high risk to increase early detection allowing for lumpectomies rather than mastectomies to occur. Prior to a lumpectomy, a biopsy must be taken to determine if the tissue is cancerous, and a breast cancer biopsy marker (BBM) is left in the region of possible cancerous tissue. Wire localization has been the gold standard for localizing these BBMs. However, due to the reported patient discomfort and logistical inefficiencies faced by healthcare providers (HCP), non-wire localization solutions have been recently developed. This study aims …

Tin-Silver As A Novel Biodegradable Metallic Biomaterial, Charley Goodwin

All Dissertations

The Essure device is a non-hormonal, minimally-invasive, permanent female sterilization implant, removed from the market due to an increase in adverse events, hypothesized to be caused by corrosion of the Sn-Ag component of the implant. The goals of this dissertation were to first develop implant retrieval methods for Essure devices and surrounding tissue, documenting signs of degradation and metallic degradation products, then to characterize the electrochemical behavior of Sn-Ag in biologically representative environments and finally, to assess the biological interaction of Sn-Ag. Retrieval analyses developed successful methods, qualifying the degree of corrosion, primarily of the Sn-Ag component and finding Sn …

Environment And Response Of 3d-Encapsulated Mesenchymal Stem Cells To Mechanical Loading, Augustus Greenwood

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the micromechanical environment induced when cyclically compressing hydrogels via finite element modeling and experimentally on the impact of loading on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) when encapsulated withing 3D hydrogel matrices. Degenerative joint diseases, characterized by cartilage degradation, present significant challenges due to cartilage's limited self-repair capacity. Innovative approaches, including stem cell-based therapies and engineered biomaterials, have emerged as promising strategies for cartilage repair and regeneration. This work specifically investigates the calibration of a bioreactor, the uniformity of load response across the hydrogel constructs via finite element modeling (FEM), and the stress response of MSCs subjected to various …

Low Impedance, Durable, Self-Adhesive Hydrogel Epidermal Electrodes For Electrophysiology Recording, Naiyan Wu

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Traditional electrodes used for electrophysiology recording, characterized by their hard, dry, and inanimate nature, are fundamentally mismatched with the soft, moist, and bioactive characteristics of biological tissues, leading to suboptimal skin-electrode interfaces. Hydrogel materials, mirroring the high water content and biocompatibility of biological tissues, emerge as promising candidates for epidermal electronic materials due to their adjustable physicochemical properties. However, challenges such as inadequate electrical conductivity, elevated skin impedance, unreliable adhesion in moist conditions, and performance decline from dehydration have significantly restricted the efficacy and applicability of hydrogel-based electrodes. In this thesis, we report a high-performance hydrogel epidermal electrode patch for …

Physical And Geometrical Modulation Of Human Fibroblast Behaviour, Sarah M. Brooks

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis investigates the impact of mechanical stimuli, specifically substratum topography and elastic modulus, on dermal and gingival fibroblast behaviour associated with scarring and regeneration. Scar formation presents a significant issue for implanted biomaterials often leading to device failure. Even though scar formation is a normal end point to adult human dermal wound healing, gingival wounds are capable of tissue regeneration or scarless wound healing. Understanding how these cells respond to environmental cues, including substratum topography and elastic modulus, is central to the development of novel biomaterials for stimulation of tissue regeneration. It was hypothesized that topographic features, with submicron …

Bioactive And Electrically Conductive Nanocomposite Bone Biomaterials, Rebeca A. Arambula-Maldonado

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Electrically conductive carbon-based materials are emerging as potential biomaterials for bone tissue engineering. Their incorporation into organic-inorganic nanocomposites mimics the structural composition and electrically conductive nature of bone.

The aim of this research was to design bone biomaterials from gelatin-based polymers, tertiary bioactive glasses (BG) via a sol-gel method, and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The incorporation of calcium into organic-inorganic nanocomposites plays an essential role in the development of bioactive bone biomaterials. Calcium chloride and calcium ethoxide were investigated as calcium sources in gelatin-BG-MWCNT nanocomposites. The resulting surface elemental distribution was homogeneous, but the swelling, degradation and porosity properties of …

Review Of The Potential Use Of Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) As Scaffolds In Bone Tissue Recovery, Kushendarsyah Saptaji, Asriyanti Asriyanti, Nisa Khoiriyah, Laely Muryanti, Iwan Setiawan

Makara Journal of Science

Scaffolds are used as temporary tissue in the human body to expedite healing. Biocompatible materials play a vital role in the field of tissue engineering. Therefore, they can be used to reduce human pain as soon as possible. Polymeric materials are widely used to replicate bone tissue. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a potential material for bone tissue scaffolds because of its superior properties, including compatibility with the human body. Accordingly, adding hydroxyapatite and introducing different fabrication methods can enable the production of PLGA scaffolds with good abilities to help cells grow, expand, differentiate, and proliferate. The paper reviews the current …

Oral Administration Of Ph-Responsive Polymeric Nanoparticles Based On Zein And Their Therapeutic Potential On Cancer., Bruno Alejandro Valades-Aguilar, José Raúl Rangel-López, Jennifer Citlally Leos-Rivera, Moisés Armides Franco-Molina, María Cristina Rodríguez-Padilla, Diana Ginette Zárate-Triviño

Research Symposium

Background: Zein is a water-insoluble protein extracted from the endosperm of corn seeds, this polymer is an attractive matrix to encapsulate hydrophilic compounds because of its high proportion of hydrophobic amino acids, making it a potential smart delivery material for several treatments in the biopharmaceutical industry. nanoparticles have been used as drug delivery systems for the improvement of oral bioavailability; however, the strategies of nanoparticle obtention need the addition of stabilizers. in this study, a modified method to obtain zein nanoparticles was developed.

Methods: Zein nanoparticles (ZNps) were made by a thermal treatment and precipitated into ovalbumin at a ratio …

Rational Design Of Peptide-Based Materials Informed By Multiscale Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Dhwanit Rahul Dave

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The challenge of establishing a sustainable and circular economy for materials in medicine and technology necessitates bioinspired design. Nature's intricate machinery, forged through evolution, relies on a finite set of biomolecular building blocks with through-bond and through-space interactions. Repurposing these molecular building blocks requires a seamless integration of computational modeling, design, and experimental validation. The tools and concepts developed in this thesis pioneer new directions in peptide-materials design, grounded in fundamental principles of physical chemistry. We present a synergistic approach that integrates experimental designs and computational methods, specifically molecular dynamics simulations, to gain in-depth molecular insights crucial for advancing the …

Degradable Staples And Delivery Device, Meha Elango, Jessica Cabrera, Makayla Scarpitti, Kareemat Melaiye

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The scope of this project is to design a method to secure skin grafts to healthy tissue. The ultimate goal for the proposed method is to be dissolvable in some form. Currently, skin grafts procedures utilize staples in most cases to hold a skin graft in place, but there are disadvantages that come with it. Staples are easy to place, but time consuming during the removal procedure. They also cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the patient. The goal of this project is to determine a way a secure skin grafts to healthy skin in order to reduce …

Borophene And Graphene For Non-Enzymatic Biosensor- Ab-Initio Study, Omar A. Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

Non-enzymatic glucose sensing holds promise to overcome limitations associated with glucose oxidase, such as oxygen dependence and short shelf life. This study explores the potential sensing capabilities of borophene and graphene through direct interaction with various compounds, including β-glucose, uric acid, ascorbic acid, fructose, and acetaminophen. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT), we calculated binding energies and the respective Density of States (DOS) for these adsorbates on both graphene and borophene surfaces. Preliminary results suggest that borophene might exhibit nearly twice the affinity for β-glucose compared to graphene. Moreover, the calculated Density of States reveals distinct distortions in the electronic states …

Adjuvant Pluronic F68 Is Compatible With A Plant Root-Colonizing Probiotic, Pseudomonas Chlororaphis O6, Amanda R. Streeter, Anthony Cartwright, Mohammad Zargaran, Anagha Wankhade, Anne J. Anderson, David W. Britt

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Plant probiotic bacteria are being increasingly used to maximize both the productivity and quality of field crops. Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 (PcO6) is a plant root colonizer with probiotic activities. This bacterium produces an array of metabolites, including a group of phenazines that are functional in plant protection. The paper reports responses of PcO6 to a nonionic triblock copolymer surfactant, Pluronic F68. This Pluronic exhibits membrane "healing" activity and improves cryopreservation recovery in eukaryotic cells. The product is FDA-approved and is applied as an adjuvant in formulations used in agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology. Growth of PcO6 on …

Getting Off On The Right Foot: Addressing Severe Lymphedema Through A Novel Shoe Design, Carl R. Russell Iii, Anjollie M. Ramakrishna, Christopher H. Johns Iii, Alana V. Van Wijnen

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) is a service-learning design program run by the College of Engineering at Purdue University. EPICS teaches students design skills by providing solutions for individuals, communities, and organizations in the surrounding area while mirroring engineering industry standards. Biomedical Engineering is a team within EPICS that strives to serve community partners through biomedical applications. HR is a patient who suffers from severe lymphedema. This condition results in her foot swelling three times its original size and requires her to utilize weekly leg compression therapy. Prescription shoes are slightly adequate. However, they lead to sores and pain …

Evaluation Of Polyvinyl Alcohol (Pva) For Electrospinning Utility In The Blood Vessel Mimic (Bvm) Lab, Logan Vandenbroucke

Master's Theses

Electrospinning has provided the opportunity to create extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking scaffolds for the development of tissue-engineered constructs. Within Professor Kristen Cardinal’s Blood Vessel Mimic (BVM) Lab, at Cal Poly, there exists a constant demand for innovation and the expansion of polymer types and electrospinning capabilities for its BVM model. Along these lines, the BVM Lab has recently acquired two new electrospinning systems: the Spinbox, a commercially graded electrospinning system, and the Learn-By-Doing system, which was part of a recently completed thesis conducted by Jason Provol. Additionally, recently published literature has demonstrated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a viable option for …

Ti-6al-4v Β Phase Selective Dissolution: In Vitro Mechanism And Prediction, Michael A Kurtz

All Dissertations

Retrieval studies document Ti-6Al-4V β phase dissolution within total hip replacement systems. A gap persists in our mechanistic understanding and existing standards fail to reproduce this damage. This thesis aims to (1) elucidate the Ti-6Al-4V selective dissolution mechanism as functions of solution chemistry, electrode potential and temperature; (2) investigate the effects of adverse electrochemical conditions on additively manufactured (AM) titanium alloys and (3) apply machine learning to predict the Ti-6Al-4V dissolution state. We hypothesized that (1) cathodic activation and inflammatory species (H₂O₂) would degrade the Ti-6Al-4V oxide, promoting dissolution; (2) AM Ti-6Al-4V selective dissolution would occur …

Reactive Chemistries For Protein Labeling, Degradation, And Stimuli Responsive Delivery, Myrat Kurbanov

Doctoral Dissertations

Reactive chemistries for protein chemical modification play an instrumental role in chemical biology, proteomics, and therapeutics. Depending on the application, the selectivity of these modifications can range from precise modification of an amino acid sequence by genetic manipulation of protein expression machinery to a stochastic modification of lysine residues on the protein surface. Ligand-Directed (LD) chemistry is one of the few methods for targeted modification of endogenous proteins without genetic engineering. However, current LD strategies are limited by stringent amino acid selectivity. To bridge this gap, this thesis focuses on the development of highly reactive LD Triggerable Michael Acceptors (LD-TMAcs) …

Electrostatic Effects On Lipid Bilayer Physicochemal Properties And Vesicle Adhesion, Oscar Zabala-Ferrera

Doctoral Dissertations

Lipids are an integral part of cells, being the principal component of the cell membrane, and contributing to the function and regulation of biological processes. Lipid nanoparticles mimicking a cell’s endosomes or exosomes are of particular interest within the pharmaceutical industry for their ability to deliver cargo such as RNA into target cells. The delivery process faces a multitude of challenges, so a rational design approach for vesicles that considers a lipid’s physicochemical contribution to the membrane is desired. To that end, this thesis explores the creation of large area biomembranes along with the development of electromechanical and optical characterization …

Corrosion Of Implant Materials In The Human Body, Maedeh Barzmehri

Corrosion Research

This paper extensively examines the complex problem of implant corrosion occurring within the human body. The corrosion of implants gives rise to substantial challenges, encompassing compromised implant durability, patient safety concerns, and potential adverse impacts on the long-term functionality of the medical device. The study's primary objectives include offering a concise overview of the various corrosion mechanisms that impact a range of implant materials and outlining health complications linked to the byproducts of implant corrosion. Furthermore, it delves into a cost analysis specific to hip or knee revision arthroplasty, which has become a prevalent scenario in implant failure cases on …

Engineering Of Functionalized Carbon Nano-Onions Embedded Bsa Nanocomposite Fibers For Stimuli-Responsive Drug Release, Ramiro Manuel Velasco Delgadillo, Narsimha Mamidi

Research Symposium

Background: Advanced drug delivery systems (DDSs) have received enormous attention in biomedical applications due to their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic drug properties. For the present study, poly 4-hydroxyphenyl methacrylate (PHPMA)/CNOs (f-CNOs) inserted bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanofibers were prepared for stimuli-responsive release of Doxorubicin (DOX). Temperature and pH would be altered to study the release of DOX in acidic microenvironments.

Methods: PHPMA were coupled with COOH-CNOs via ester coupling via the sonochemical method to produce PHPMA-CNOs (f-CNOs). Then, f-CNOs/DOX embedded BSA nanofibers were prepared at room temperature using Forcespinning. UV spectra of DOX-loaded nanofibers were studied to investigate the …

Engineered Exosomes For The Multimodal Imaging Directed Photo-Immunotherapy Of Colorectal Cancer, Deepak S. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

Research Symposium

Background: Rio Grande Valley experience severe cancer health disparity. A novel therapeutic modality may serve as better therapeutic option. Nanohybrids endowed with multifunctionality, longer circulation time, large surface area have emerged as an active preference for cancer research. However, rising concern of nanomaterials toxicity and scalability issues has slowed their translation to clinics. Exosomes (Exo) are endogenous endocytic origin 40-100 nm vesicles found in various body fluids, which in comparison to synthetic nanoparticles, are biodegradable, highly biocompatible as well as immunocompatible in nature. Although bulk isolation of exosomes from human body fluids is still a problem and engineering of exosomes …

Nanocellulose Based Foams For Low-Cost Disposable Medical Applications, Dominic Kugell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polyurethane foams have been a staple material for their use in medical positioners, such as post-surgery elevation pillows as well as specific tailored positioners for their use during surgery. Polyurethane foams are preferred because of their lower cost compared to other petroleum derived foams, their versatility, and suitable mechanical properties. However, the environmental impact, including both cost and perception, of these foams is immense. Therefore, alternatives are being explored with biopolymers emerging as a promising class of materials. Cellulose is one such polymer that has recently demonstrated desirable properties. In this study, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), a household foaming agent, and …

Improving Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Through Rehabilitation And Biomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Strategies, Yunfan Kong

Theses & Dissertations

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a common problem worldwide, with trauma being a common cause. PNI can lead to loss of sensory and motor functions, chronic neuropathic pain, and mental health issues, significantly impacting patients' family life, work, and social situation. Recent studies revealed that beyond the topical injury site at peripheral nerves, PNIs can also induce dysfunctions in the central nervous system (CNS) by causing maladaptive plasticity, which will result in exaggeration and exacerbation of the pathological condition caused by primary injuries. The common therapy strategies for PNI treatment are using sutures, nerve autografts or conduits in cases requiring …

Reprogramming And Imaging Of Tumor Associated Macrophages Using Spuramolecular Nanoparticles, Anujan Ramesh

Doctoral Dissertations

Macrophages are highly plastic cells that are a part of the mononuclear phagocytic system and play a crucial role in both the innate and the adaptive immune systems. Although they have functionally diverse roles involved in physiological and pathological processes, they primarily act as phagocytes that aid in clearing infections. During these instances of tissue injury or infections, circulating monocytes are recruited to the site of the injury, where they differentiate to give rise to macrophages that have a pro-inflammatory function. These monocytes derived macrophages, however, exist across a spectrum of phenotypes based on the local tissue environment. The two …

In Vitro And In Vivo Diabetic Models For Assessment Of Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts, Juan Carlos Carrillo Garcia

All Dissertations

Diabetes has become one of the leading causes of lower-limb loss worldwide. Every 30 seconds, a person loses a limb due to diabetic-related vascular complications. About one-third of patients needing lower-limb bypass surgery have debilitated autologous vessels unsuitable for use, and no other good long-term options are available. These detrimental effects on the vasculature are caused mainly by the hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions derived from diabetes. Under these conditions, an increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species leads to irreversible crosslinks of extracellular matrix proteins, accelerating vascular pathology through vascular stiffening, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, atherosclerosis, fibrosis, …

Fungi In Flux | Designing Regenerative Materials And Products With Mycelium, Arvind Bhallamudi

Masters Theses

As the world grapples with the escalating crisis of climate threats and environmental degradation, this research delves into the synergistic potential of design and biology, developing safe and sustainable materials for applications in prototyping, furniture and interior design. Harnessing the power of a unique organism - fungi, the study proposes an accessible, efficient, and resilient material resource system. It utilizes local waste streams and mycelium (the vegetative part of fungi) to grow functional structures. An experimental and small-scale protocol is modeled by testing bio-fabrication and bio-printing methods. The composites' performance qualities and characteristics are evaluated through mechanical testing and a …

The Biological Activity Of Dual-Responsive Glycopolymers For Intracellular Codelivery Of Antigen And Lipophilic Adjuvant, Micaela Shields

Honors Theses

Subunit vaccines present themselves as an attractive alternative to traditional approaches to vaccines, which utilizes whole organisms to trigger an immune response. While these traditional approaches have proven themselves reliable within the history of vaccinations, they generally deliver subpar robust cellular-mediated immunity and pose many safety risks. Composed of proteins and /or peptides, subunit vaccines are safer and more precise alternatives to traditional approaches. However, the pharmacokinetic properties of the macromolecules that make up these vaccines hinder the subunit vaccine’s level of immunogenicity [d1] Examples of this hindrance include but are not limited to aggregation at the injection site and …