Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Study Of Upregulation Of Drug Resistance In H460 Lung Cancer Cells Via Microchannel Device, Nowmi Haider

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

Metastasis is the main reason of high mortality rates in cancer patients. Treating these patients becomes difficult once the cancer has metastasized, especially due to their drug resistance. Drug resistance is a common problem that occurs when treating cancer patients, as in most cancer types, the cells are capable of drug efflux. This makes treatments like chemotherapy ineffective. Therefore, it is important to find alternative methods of treatment that can effectively kill drug resistant cancer cells. Lung cancer is one type of cancer that is the second most diagnosed cancer in the U.S. In this study, microchannels were used to …

Fabrication And Examination Of Magnetic Bacterial Cellulose As A Material For Biomedical Engineering, Xi Chen

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature. Several attributes such as facilitative modification, high pore size/porosity, able to mass produce as well as biocompatibility renders BC a promising candidate for many fronts of biomedical engineering. One consideration for BC as a biomedical material over conventional plant cellulose is the ease in which BC can be obtained to provide high purity cellulose. In comparison to collagen, another biopolymer with considerable prospects for biomedical engineering, BC possesses a higher degree of elasticity, water retention, and lower degradability. The high affinity towards water and high porosity provide BC …

Examination Of The Effects Of Confined Migration On Androgen Resistant Prostate Cancer And Potential Treatment Option For Drug Resistant Pc3 Cells With Calcitriol, Emily Torrey Ann Hills

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

When localized to the prostate, prostate cancer (PCa) has a near 100% 5-year survival rate, however, when prostate cancer metastasizes the survival rate drastically drops to around 30%. The low death rate of primary PCa is due to the wealth of knowledge we have of non-metastatic cancer and the sufficient treatment regimens. However, this understanding does not apply to metastatic cancer, so therapies are greatly lacking. To gain a better understanding of the invasion process for PCa we utilized microchannel technology to uncover the differences between migratory and non-migratory PCa. Specifically, the following study examines the effects of confined migration …

Oxidative Protection Using Pluronic Micelles, Mitchell Glen Heap

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Methods for drug delivery are currently being researched in many different applications. One significant obstacle to drug delivery is a drug's inherent hydrophobic character. Drugs that are hydrophobic are difficult to successfully administer since the body consists mostly of water. Therefore, a greater variety of drugs could potentially be used for the treatment of disease if they could successfully be administered. Recent research in oncology and virology has attempted to overcome the obstacles posed by hydrophobic drugs by encapsulating them in micelles. Micelles form spontaneously from compounds that contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions and can be used to increase …

Characterization Of Rhodopseudomonas Palustrus Strains For The Production Of Fixed Nitrogen Fertilizer For Mars, Daniel Kade Derrick

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to characterize the potential of various strains of purple non-sulfur bacteria for the production of fixed nitrogen fertilizers for the manned Mars missions. Six strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris (CGA009, CGA010, TIE-1, NifA*, and PB23) were all investigated. Through initial growth trial experiments, R. palustris NifA* and PB23 were selected for their engineered nitrogen fixation and rapid growth respectively. Growth curves and ammonium concentrations were collected over time in pilot scale batch photobioreactors (200 mL). Biomass production was then scaled up to benchtop photobioreactors (1.5 L) and then 14 L total volume for both NifA* …

Optical Metabolic Imaging As A Predictor Of Patient Tumor Response To Therapy And Apoptosis, Andrew Larey

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite a plethora of medical advancements, malignant tumors remain difficult to treat due to complex cancer biology and interpatient heterogeneity. Phenotypically similar tumors may respond differently to a given treatment. In clinical oncology, it is paramount to quantify tumor response to therapy for predicting treatment outcome, monitoring tumor changes, identifying effective therapies, and avoiding unnecessary cost and toxicity to the patient. Current standards of monitoring tumor response to therapy include CT, MRI, PET, and histopathology; these methods either take a merely anatomical approach or are invasive and time consuming, necessitating a functional biomarker approach. MPM represents a metabolic-level method of …

Redesign And Quantitative Assessment Of An Accelerated Venous Valve Fatigue Apparatus, Megan Kueh

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a form of cardiovascular disease that is caused when valves in the leg become incompetent. Current treatment methods serve to manage symptoms, but there are currently no ways to treat the underlying cause of CVI. A venous valve prosthetic made from a xenograft of a bovine jugular vein is one possible treatment method currently in the research phase. Prosthetic valves must be tested with an accelerated wear tester prior to approval for clinical testing. Although such testers exist for heart valves, physiological differences between heart and venous valves restrict the use those testers on venous …

The Utilization Of Autofluorescence To Study The Effects Of L-Buthionine-Sulfoximine On Cellular Metabolism In Vitro, Madison Belew

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Oxidative damage and stress impacts metabolic activity and has been implicated in a number of diseases . These medical conditions have been found to be associated with a lack of glutathione (GSH). There is a need to study the effects that the absence of glutathione has in order to expand knowledge of indicators that cause conditions like cataracts, cancer, or impaired wound healing. L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) has been used in past studies to hinder GSH production and induce oxidative stress within a cell. This study explores the effects of BSO and induced oxidative stress on the metabolic activity and processes within …

Development Of An Inertial Measurement-Based Assessment Of Disease Severity In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Turner Palombo, Suzanne Vernon, Shad Roundy

Utah Space Grant Consortium

While myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is relatively new and poorly understood, a recent upsurge in research has identified the disease’s core symptoms, including post-exertional malaise and orthostatic intolerance. The FDA has yet to approve any treatments for ME/CFS, partially due to a lack of validated efficacy endpoints.

The central focus of this research is to develop ME/CFS efficacy endpoints using a non-invasive, inertial measurement-based approach. Accessible endpoints will provide a way to properly evaluate potential treatments for ME/CFS. Using a Kalman filter, inertial measurement unit (IMU) data can be converted to optimized leg angle estimates. These angle estimates can …

Improving Technologies In Anesthesia, Patrick Kolbay, Joseph Orr

Utah Space Grant Consortium

General anesthesia is well known to offer physicians access to a broad variety of invasive procedures otherwise deemed too risky. Anesthesia machines provides the means for anesthetizing patients safely in the hospital operating room. However, these devices are increasingly unable to meet the demands and needs outside of the hospital. Developing countries struggle to purchase and maintain these costly devices, leading to a 40-fold increase in anesthesia-related deaths compared to developed countries. Small-office practices in the United States experience significantly poorer anesthesia outcomes and increased legal claims versus their larger hospital counterparts, resulting in 60% more anesthesia-related deaths. Environmental impacts …

Mechanical Analysis Of Double Network Hydrogels To Determine Suitability As An Articular Cartilage Substitute, Casey Virginia Young

All Theses

The Center for Disease Control has found that between 2013-2015, 26% of women and 19% of men reported doctor-diagnosed cartilage disease or damage. Currently, there exists a substantial population with cartilage damage or disease needing a solution to increasing pain and decreasing function and mobility. Many of these individuals are young and thus looking for a treatment to delay a total knee replacement. Many others are elderly and thus looking to avoid major surgeries, as the riskiness of these procedures increases with age. As researchers look towards a method of cartilage replacement, hydrogels show measurable potential as a synthetic substitute …

Hydrolytic Degradation Study Of Polyphosphazene-Plga Blends, Riley Blumenfield

Honors Scholar Theses

The synthesis and in vitro degradation analysis of thin films of poly[(glycineethylglycinato)₇₅(phenylphenoxy)₂₅phosphazene]
(PNGEG₇₅PhPh₂₅) and poly[(ethylphenylalanato)₂₅(glycine-
ethylglycinato)₇₅phosphazene] (PNEPA₂₅GEG₇₅) blended with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) was conducted to determine the blends’ potential for use as scaffolding materials for tissue regeneration applications. The samples were synthesized with glycylglycine ethyl ester (GEG) acting as the primary substituent side group, with cosubstitution by phenylphenol (PhPh) and phenylalanine ethyl ester (EPA) to make the final product [1]. Blends of 25% polyphosphazene, 75% PLGA and 50% polyphosphazene, 50% PLGA were …

Cell Line-Specific Differences In Guided Differentiation Of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Towards Smooth Muscle Cells, Sherly Makar

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a population of stromal cells found traditionally in the bone marrow and adipose tissues. They can also be found in other tissues including fallopian tube, core blood, peripheral blood, fetal liver, and lungs. Mesenchymal stem cells have profound effects in regenerative engineering, tissue repair and drug discovery owing to the excellent properties such as proliferation, self-renewal, and multipotency generating multiple cell types including adipocytes, osteocytes, cardiomyocytes (CMs), pericytes (PCs), and chondrocytes. MSCs are used as immunomodulators in generating progenitor cells to be used for transplantation, creating engineered organs, and preventing graft vs. host disease (GVHD). …

Characterization Of Oxone Mediated Tempo-Oxidized Nano Cellulose Mixed-Matrix Membranes During Ultrafiltration And Hemodialysis, Kristyn Robling

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The ninth leading cause of death in the United States is kidney disease, and hemodialysis is the process most commonly prescribed for treatment. It utilizes a selectively permeable membrane filter to remove toxins such as urea from the blood and retain necessary protein levels. However, traditional filters, such as cellulose triacetate, used during dialysis can be inefficient in terms of separation performance and reduction of fouling. Recent exploration of nanoparticles has resulted in the creation of Oxone Mediated TEMPO-Oxidized Nano Cellulose which has properties that are believed to increase hydrophilicity, increase tensile capacity, decrease membrane resistance and lower fouling, making …

Comparative Genomics Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells And Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Samia Ismail

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

As of 2017, vascular diseases contributed to 23.1% of all deaths in America. To address the need for more effective and sustainable treatment options for these ailments, stem cell differentiation and implantation has emerged as a viable alternative to standard bypass and graft insertions. A completely autologous treatment can be achieved by extracting adult stem cells, differentiating them into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and then reimplanting these cells at the affected tissue site. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of the VSMC differentiation from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by comparing 4 cell lines of untreated hMSCs with …

Probing Nanoelectroporation And Resealing Of The Cell Membrane By The Entry Of Ca2+ And Ba2+ Ions, Wenfei Bo, Mantas Silkunas, Uma Mangalanathan, Vitalij Novickij, Maura Casciola, Iurii Semenov, Shu Xiao, Olga N. Pakhomova, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

The principal bioeffect of the nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) is a lasting cell membrane permeabilization, which is often attributed to the formation of nanometer-sized pores. Such pores may be too small for detection by the uptake of fluorescent dyes. We tested if Ca²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Ba²⁺ ions can be used as nanoporation markers. Time-lapse imaging was performed in CHO, BPAE, and HEK cells loaded with Fluo-4, Calbryte, or Fluo-8 dyes. Ca²⁺ and Ba²⁺ did not change fluorescence in intact cells, whereas their entry after nsPEF increased fluorescence within <1 ms. The threshold for one 300-ns pulse was at 1.5–2 kV/cm, much lower than >7 …

Modified Stent Design For A Coronary Bifurcation Lesion, Abigail Nowell

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently, 18.2 million adults aged 20 and older are diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) (Benjamin et al., 2019). Stenosis is the most common intervention. However, when a patient has a bifurcated artery, treatment becomes more difficult and is often unsuccessful. This project created a new stent and balloon complex that was tested in vitro using a gel phantom artery model. Two separate prototypes have been created and tested so far, with improvements made upon each. Testing is still underway with Prototype 2.

Design Of A Deep Flow Technique Hydroponic System And An Elementary Education Module For Tri Cycle Farms, Cady Rosenbaum

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hydroponics is an agricultural technique in which plants are grown without soil and are instead grown in water systems that include nutrients and other growth-supporting media. Hydroponic systems typically reside inside, so that the system can be fully controlled by the grower by manipulating the temperature and amount of light the plants receive. The benefits of growing plants using hydroponics include: the amount of water used is reduced, it is less labor to grow organic produce with an indoor system, less space used, and it allows for growing food anywhere. Tri Cycle Farms is planning for the construction of a …

Comparing Economics Of Traditional Carbonation Method And A Novel Carbonation Invention For Craft Beer, Kira Simonson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The traditional method for the carbonation of beer includes bubbling CO₂ through a pressurized brite tank until the desired level of carbonation concentration is reached. The gas either dissolves in the liquid volume or passes through the beer into the gas headspace above the bulk volume of beer. The gas that passes through the liquid can strip the beer of flavors, and this undissolved gas is vented to the atmosphere. To reduce the gas lost to the atmosphere, the CO₂ is dissolved into the beer slowly over a long period of time, which increases gas-use efficiency but sacrifices …

Micro-Biosensor Devices For Biochemical Analysis Applications, Han Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A biosensor is an analytical device integrating a biological element and a physicochemical transducer that convert a biological response into a measurable signal. The advantages of biosensors include low cost, small size, quick, sensitivity and selectivity greater than the conventional instruments. Biosensors have a wide range of applications ranging from clinical diagnostics through to environmental monitoring, agriculture industry, et al.

The different types of biosensors are classified based on the sensor device as well as the biological material. Biosensors can be broadly classified into (piezoelectric, etc.), electrochemical biosensors (potentiometric, amperometric, etc.), and optical types of biosensors (fiber optics, etc.).

Here, …