Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

From Lime To Geopolymers: Emerging Trends And Advances In Sustainable Soil Stabilization, Favour Chukwuebuka Egwu, Amin Eisazadeh

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Soil stabilization remains a critical challenge in geotechnical engineering, particularly for weak and expansive soils that compromise the safety and serviceability of infrastructure. Traditional stabilizers such as lime and cement have been widely applied; however, their limitations in terms of long-term durability, carbon footprint, and performance under aggressive environmental conditions necessitate alternative approaches. In recent years, geopolymer-based stabilizers derived from industrial by-products such as fly ash (FA), slag, and bottom ash (BA) have emerged as promising substitutes. This review critically examines the comparative performance of lime and geopolymer stabilization with respect to strength development, durability, compressibility, environmental impact, and economic …

Investigating The Behavior Of Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Scms And Recycled Fine Aggregates, Sachin Tiwari, Mahakavi P

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study addresses the unresolved gap in quantifying how recycled fine aggregates (RFA) and metakaolin (MK) interact synergistically in self-compacting concrete (SCC), a relationship that previous works have studied only in isolation or without mechanistic justification. Twenty-five SCC mixtures containing MK (0–25%) and RFA (0–100%) were evaluated to generate a unified understanding of fresh behaviour, strength development, pore refinement, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) characteristics, and sustainability indicators. Results show that RFA alone increases water demand and reduces strength, while MK compensates for these losses by densifying the matrix and improving ITZ bonding, as confirmed through SEM analysis. An optimum synergy …

Nanoparticles May Improve How Antiviral Compounds Are Delivered For Herpes Virus 1, Emilia Huff

Research on Capitol Hill

HSV-1, a strain of herpes, infects the majority of adults in the US and has been linked to neurological damage.

Tetramethylbenzidine Loaded Pva Nanofibers Strip For Visual Detection Of Hydrogen Peroxide Via Cu2+ Catalysis And Its Applications, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Background Advancements in sensor technology have facilitated the development of cost-effective and highly sensitive sensors which have significantly improved the detection of biological analytes in various fields. This study presents a novel approach for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a critical analyte in both biological and environmental systems. A simple and sensitive colorimetric sensing platform was developed based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers loaded with tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Results The nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, confirming the formation of smooth, spindle-shaped fibers with diameters from 324 to 551 nm. The colorimetric detection method utilized TMB, which undergoes oxidation …

Strategic Research On Rebco High-Temperature Superconducting Tapes, Tianping Ying, Dongliang Wang, Pengtao Yang, Lin Zhao, Zhongtang Xu, Ziyi Liu, Chao Yao, Yanwei Ma, Xingjiang Zhou, Jinguang Cheng, Zhong Fang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

High-temperature superconducting materials, represented by REBCO (REBa2Cu3O7-δ, where RE denotes rare-earth elements), are of significant strategic importance in fields such as energy, healthcare, and large-scale scientific facilities due to their excellent performance in the liquid nitrogen temperature range. However, they still face severe challenges in long-tape uniformity, production cost, and engineering reliability. Future development must shift toward a “material-processing-application” collaborative innovation model, aiming at enhancing flux pinning, optimizing the interfaces and mechanical properties of the multilayer structure, and integrating scalable and intelligent fabrication technologies to promote the low-cost and stable production of high-performance tapes. This study analyzes the core application …

Neuproio: A Dual-Action Solid Drug Nanoparticle Topical Formulation For Simultaneous Intraocular Pressure Reduction And Neuroprotection For Glaucoma, Lei Xu, Mu Li, Lin Qi, Tzu Chen Wang, Dong Liu, Vimalin Jeyalatha Mani, Hsin Yin Chuang, Qingbo Yang, Ruipu Mu, Samira Mahdi, Da Huang, Honglan Shi, Yang Hu, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, primarily due to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) that damages the retina and optic nerve. Most topical glaucoma treatments focus solely on IOP-lowering without direct neuroprotection, as drug delivery to the posterior eye is challenging. Here, we developed NeuProIO, a dual-action solid drug nanoparticle (NP) eye drop for simultaneous IOP reduction and neuroprotection. Using flash nanoprecipitation in a multi-inlet vortex mixer, we fabricated the first NeuProIO solid drug NPs incorporating the repurposed neuroprotective agent maprotiline (MAP) and the IOP-lowering agent betaxolol (BX), forming MAP/BX NPs for synergistic glaucoma treatment. The NeuProIO improved stability …

Intravascular Ultrasound Is More Accurate Than Angiography In Arteriovenous Vascular Access Lesions, James W. Decker, Dima Banihani, Curtis Honshideler, Saran Lotfollahzadeh, David Jasen Wu Wong, Alik Farber, Jeffrey J. Siracuse, Najia Idrees, Laura Dember, Mohammad Bader, Suvranu Ganguli, Vijaya Kolachalama, Tarek Shazly

Faculty Publications

Background:

Conventional angiography remains the standard diagnostic modality for arteriovenous (AV) access dysfunction in hemodialysis patients, but its geometric accuracy is limited. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) offers superior lesion detection, yet its absolute measurement accuracy remains uncertain. Using three-dimensional (3D) printed vascular conduits as reference standards, we assessed the accuracy of IVUS versus angiography, hypothesizing that complex conduit geometry, quantified by Gaussian curvature, would exacerbate angiographic error.

Methods

Clinically relevant AV access geometries were modeled with computer-aided design (CAD) and fabricated using 3D printing. Lumen diameters were measured by contrast angiography and IVUS and compared with CAD dimensions. Conduit geometry was …

In Situ Detection Of Dead Cells From Live Cells Via A Dc Plus Low Frequency Ac Resistive Pulse Sensor, Jiang Zhe, Ge Zhang, Joseph Ketchum, Ashely Wong

University Research

Differentiation and detection of live and dead cells are critical for assessing cell viability in biomedical research, evaluating drug efficacy, and monitoring cytotoxicity in therapeutic applications. We present a microfluidic sensor that consists of two successive resistive pulse sensing channels. An excitation signal composed of a low-frequency AC (75 kHz) component and a DC bias was used to measure four key parameters. Through the AC measurement, differences in cell impedance causes variations in phase angle and voltage peak. From the DC measurement, cell size can be inferred from the resistive pulse magnitude, and the cell’s zeta potential is represented by …

Structural And Mechanical Properties Facilitate Shock Wave Damping By Helmet-Like Orbital Hoods In Snapping Shrimp, Mia Kazel, Rebekah E. Cammack, Alexandra C.N. Kingston, Ahmed A. Alshareef, Tarek Shazly, Daniel Isaac Speiser

Faculty Publications

Snapping shrimp damp the shock waves they produce and use as weapons with a helmet-like structure termed the orbital hood. Here, we ask how structural and material properties contribute to shock wave damping by orbital hoods in Alpheus heterochaelis. Using tensile mechanical testing, we find orbital hoods are approximately half as stiff as carapace and have twice the capacity for viscous energy dissipation. Microstructural features probably contribute to tissue-specific mechanical properties: the endocuticles of orbital hoods have almost twice as many lamellae as those of carapaces despite being half as thick, suggesting a mechanism for enhanced material mobility underlying …

Hyaluronan 35 Prevents Endotoxin-Mediated Dysregulated Skeletal Muscle Proteostasis During Ethanol Exposure, Nicole Welch, Pugazhendhi Kannan, Gangarao Davuluri, Annette Bellar, Amy H. Attaway, Saurabh Mishra, Jasmin A. Cunningham, Avinash Kumar, Ryan Musich, Elif G. Ertugral, Vandana Agrawal, Isaac L. Hu, Terri J. Hartford, Noah L. Weisleder, Vidula T. Vachharajani, Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Sarcopenia in alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is of high clinical significance, but there are no effective treatments. Hyaluronan 35 kDa (HA35), a glycosaminoglycan polymer, modulates responses to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a lipopolysaccharide receptor, to improve hepatic and macrophage function in ALD. We evaluated skeletal muscle responses to HA35 in preclinical models of ALD. Responses to ethanol, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and HA35 were studied in differentiated murine C2C12/human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived myotubes, and wild-type/HA receptor CD44 knockout (CD44(-/-)) mouse models of ALD (mALD). Signaling molecules and measures of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) were quantified by immunoblots, mitochondrial oxidative function was determined …

Cellular Therapy For The Treatment Of Ischemic Limb Disease, Akazha Nicole Green

ETDs from 2020-2029

Ischemic limb disease continues to pose major clinical challenges. The effect of this disease causes restricted blood flow, which is followed by a limited ability to regenerate in the vascular tissues. The purpose of this study is to address the current limitations in producing large-scale generation of Smooth Muscle Cells (SMCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and then assessing their potential therapeutic efficiency individually and in combination with endothelial cells (ECs) for vascular repair. A dynamic three-dimensional (3D) culture system was integrated with a two- dimensional (2D) expansion to enhance cell culture yield while maintaining contractile marker …

Numerical Investigation Of A Dual-Mode Shape Memory Alloy Stent Enabling Secondary Expansion Via Focused Ultrasound: A Potential Strategy For Correcting In-Stent Restenosis, Stephen Asare, Lucinda Duncan, Josiah Owusu-Danquah, Brian L. Davis

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Coronary stent implantation is an invasive procedure performed to correct atherosclerosis. The aftermath of this procedure is identified with neointimal hyperplasia, which contributes to in-stent restenosis (ISR), and thus remains a significant clinical challenge. This study introduces a novel, noninvasive conceptual approach for addressing ISR through the thermal activation of shape memory alloy (SMA) stent using focused ultrasound (FU) in a controlled manner to restore luminal patency. COMSOL Multiphysics and ABAQUS finite element software were employed to perform the numerical modeling to simulate the thermal and mechanical responses of the SMA stent integrated into the arterial wall. After 15 s …

Mechanical Characterization And Modeling Of Rat Myocardia Under The Influence Of Epirubicin, Abdallah Mahmoud Alkhaiyat

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains a predominant health challenge that is responsible for a significant portion of global morbidity and mortality. Epirubicin (EPI), a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer drug, has shown remarkable efficacy in combating various malignancies. However, it is known to have undesirable side effects on the heart, collectively referred to as cardiotoxicity. This research investigates the adverse effects of chemotherapy on cardiac contractility through an in vitro examination of the mechanics of healthy and infarcted animal heart tissues. Electrically stimulated slices of rat ventricular tissue were tested using an isometric force measurement tissue bath. The tissue slices were subjected to uniaxial stretching, allowing …

A Virtual-Reality-Based Dental Simulator For Endodontics With Automated Formative Feedback, Yousef Salah Abo El Ela

Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and haptic technology are transforming the landscape of medical and dental education, offering new avenues for safe, immersive, and repeatable training experiences. Within dentistry, endodontics presents unique challenges for preclinical education due to anatomical complexity, limited access to extracted teeth, ethical concerns, and the shortcomings of conventional plastic models. Despite endodontics specific plastic teeth being available, they fall short of replicating the hardness of real extracted teeth, are relatively costly compared to generic plastic teeth, and are ultimately a disposable item which makes them inadequate as a sustainable long-term solution. Extracted teeth do a much …

Conserved Chromatin Programs Orchestrate Cardiac Cell States In Health And Disease And Drive Cardiomyocyte Proliferation After Injury, Xiaoxiao Geng

ETDs from 2020-2029

Chromatin structure is a central regulator of gene expression and cellular identity, yet the chromatin structural factors driving cardiac disease and regeneration remain incompletely defined. This dissertation investigates how modulation of chromatin architecture shapes pathological and regenerative cardiac phenotypes through integrated single-cell transcriptomic, epigenomic, and functional analyses. To determine whether chromatin structural regulators distinguish healthy from diseased cardiac states, we curated a comprehensive list of chromatin structural genes and applied it to single-nuclei RNA sequencing datasets from human hearts with and without dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Chromatin structural gene expression effectively stratified cardiomyocyte and fibroblast populations by disease status. Diseased cardiomyocytes …

Amino Acid Pet Tracers For Cancer Imaging And Response Assessment, Ugur Akca

ETDs from 2020-2029

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and high-grade glioma (HGG) pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to their aggressive biology and the limitations of [¹⁸F]FDG PET, which suffers from nonspecific uptake in inflammatory tissues, complicating differentiation of viable tumor from treatment-related effects. Computed Tomography, while strong for structural changes, has limited soft tissue contrast for distinguishing tumor from inflammation, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, despite superior soft tissue resolution, struggles with differentiating active tumor from post-treatment changes like edema or necrosis due to nonspecific enhancement. These challenges highlight the necessity for complementary and advanced imaging strategies for improved diagnosis and monitoring. This …

Clinical Decision Support Using Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Yun-Chi Lin

ETDs from 2020-2029

Medical imaging plays a central role in modern clinical decision-making, yet its effective integration with artificial intelligence (AI) remains challenged by real-world clinical constraints. This dissertation investigates how medical imaging-based AI frameworks can be strategically designed to support clinical decision-making for two distinct but clinically critical scenarios: acute pandemic care and chronic neurodegenerative disease management. In acute pandemic settings, such as the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare systems face an urgent need for rapid risk stratification under conditions of data scarcity and operational stress including surges in patient volume and limited medical resources. This work explores strategies for developing deep learning models …

Investigating Stromal Cell-Mediated Biomechanics For Angiogenesis And Reperfusion In A 3d Microfluidic Model For Ischemic Vascular Disease, Vaishali Bala

ETDs from 2020-2029

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects millions worldwide, causing tissue ischemia and impaired healing due to insufficient blood flow. Current therapeutic strategies to promote revascularization remain limited, largely because the mechanical regulation of angiogenesis is poorly understood. While biochemical growth factors like VEGF have been extensively studied, the role of mechanical forces generated by stromal cells in the perivascular matrix remains underexplored. This dissertation investigated how stromal cell contractility drives vascular growth through mechanotransduction pathways and modulation of endothelial cell-cell junctions. Using 3D fibrin or fibrin-collagen-I-based microtissues and compartmentalized microfluidic devices, we characterized the mechanical phenotypes of multiple fibroblast populations and …

Photocrosslinkable Morin-Loaded Gelatin-G-Gma Composite Hydrogel For Accelerating Burn Wound Healing: In Vitro And In Vivo Assessments, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The impaired skin regeneration, scarring, and delayed healing make the management of burn injuries a challenging task. We designed a photopolymerized hydrogel of gelatin-grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) for burn management applications. Hydrogel was incorporated with Morin, a plant flavonoid that was originally isolated from the Moraceae family, with known anti-antioxidant and antifibrotic activities. The physicochemical characterization of the resultant hydrogel, including its gelation time and swelling properties, was conducted. The characterization results indicated that the hydrogel development was successful, exhibiting well-established porosity, as evidenced by the SEM images. In vivo evaluation demonstrated improved tissue regeneration characterized by enhanced collagen …

Design Concept For Low-Cost Management Of Early Medial Or Lateral Osteoarthritis, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Working Papers

Background: Asymmetrical joint space narrowing occurs in many cases of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The objective of the present study is to elucidate the biomechanics of lateral wedges in shoes used to widen the medial joint space in predominantly medial OA, and the biomechanics of medial wedges in shoes used to widen the lateral joint space in predominantly lateral OA. Methods: Medial or lateral shift of the center of weight bearing of the foot is largely offset by movement of the flexible hip joint, which changes the tilt angle of the femoral head in the frontal plane. The altered tilt can …