Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Predicting Seizure Onset Zones From Interictal Intracranial Eeg Using Functional Connectivity And Machine Learning, Jared Pilet, Scott A. Beardsley, Chad Carlson, Christopher T. Anderson, Candida Ustine, Sean Lew, Wade Mueller, Manoj Raghavan

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Functional connectivity (FC) analyses of intracranial EEG (iEEG) signals can potentially improve the mapping of epileptic networks in drug-resistant focal epilepsy. However, it remains unclear whether FC-based metrics provide additional value beyond established epilepsy biomarkers such as epileptic spikes and high-frequency oscillations (HFOs). Using interictal iEEG data from 26 patients, we estimated FC across eight frequency bands (4–290 Hz) using amplitude envelope correlation (AEC) and phase locking value (PLV). From the resulting FC-matrices, we estimated two graph metrics each to derive 32 FC-based features. We also extracted features related to spikes, HFOs, and power spectral densities (PSD). A trained support …

Development Of A Light-Based Platform To Assess Cervical Mucus Barrier Function And Physical Mucus Properties, Elizabeth J. Buzbee

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet current clinical tools for predicting its risk lack specificity and reliability. Cervical mucus plays a crucial role in maintaining pregnancy by forming a barrier that protects the uterus against infection. This study investigates the use of laser speckle rheology as a noninvasive technique to assess cervical mucus biomechanics. Synthetic cervical mucus was fabricated at varying hydration levels and tested using a conventional rheometer that confirmed that the mechanical properties of the synthetic mucus samples were representative of physiological cervical mucus. These results were compared to the complex …

Impact Of Prior Exposures On Biomarkers Of Blast During Military Tactical Training, Zhaoyu Wang, Shengnan Sun, Alis Aksar Kranfli, Jeffrey Nemes, Molly J. Sullan, Andrew J. Hoisington, Lisa A. Brenner, Miciej Skotak, Christina R. Lavalle, Yongchao Ge, Walter Carr, Fatemah Haghighi

Faculty Publications

Blast injuries and subclinical effects are of significant concern among those Service Members (SMs) participating in military operations and tactical trainings. Studies of SMs repeatedly exposed during training find concussion-like symptomology with transient decrements in neurocognitive performance, and alterations in blood biomarkers. How prior mild TBI (mTBI) history interacts with low-level blast (LLB) exposure, however, remains unexplored, which we investigate in the present study, to identify interindividual biomarker changes from LLB exposures influenced by prior history of mTBI.

Direct Computations Of Spatially Resolved Viscoelastic Moduli Of Biomolecular Condensates, Liwen Gu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Biomolecular condensates are viscoelastic materials formed by liquid-liquid phase separations (LLPS) of biopolymers. In this study, we develop a modified graph Laplacian-based collective model to characterize viscoelastic heterogeneity within condensates based on results of lattice-based Metropolis Monte Carlo (MMC) simulations. By integrating random graph models and simulations of A1-LCD, a type of intrinsically disordered protein, we examine how network topology influences storage modulus, loss modulus, crossover frequency, and relaxation time spectra. Our results reveal a strong correlation between topological features and mechanical response, with the condensate interior exhibiting higher stiffness and faster relaxation than the interface. The relaxation spectra provide …

Multi-Modal Mri For The Pre-Clinical Evaluation Of Hiv-Linked Changes In The Central Nervous System, Gabriel Gauthier

Theses & Dissertations

Though the inception of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has fundamentally changed the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, accessibility and outcomes vary enormously along demographic lines. Even for people living with HIV (PLWH) with perfect access and adherence to anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), modern treatment plans are fundamentally unable to secure complete viral remission for patients. The cause of this perpetual infection is the persistence of viral reservoirs in the central nervous system (CNS), hidden beyond the reach of modern ARVs, leaving patients to deal with lifelong medication side-effects and risks of developing HIV-associated neurodegenerative disorders (HAND). Despite improving outcomes …

Opmed Seal: Engineering A Rapid-Response Biodegradable Device For Hemorrhage Control And Infection Prevention In Abdominal Trauma, Paula M. Cabrera, Wesley Stephen Murphy

Honors Theses

Abdominal gunshot wounds are amongst the deadliest injuries encountered in combat and remote emergency settings. For military medics and first responders, the challenge lies in controlling internal bleeding and preventing infection before patients can reach surgical care-often within a narrow window of time known as the “golden hour”. Currently available field treatments are either too slow, not designed for internal wounds, or fail to provide antimicrobial protection. To address this gap, our team developed OpMed Seal: a compact, dual-syringe delivery system that deploys a biodegradable, antibiotic-infused hydrogel directly into abdominal injuries. The system is designed for rapid hemorrhage control, localized …

American Football Internal Helmet Padding Material And Design Testing, Spencer J. Pigman

Honors Thesis

Football helmets have evolved significantly to improve player safety and reduce the risk of concussions and traumatic brain injuries. Early leather designs offered minimal protection, while modern helmets use advanced materials to absorb and distribute impact forces more effectively. To support ongoing helmet safety research, a custom 3D-printed headform modeled from a human scan was equipped with a WitMotion BWT901BLECL5.0 accelerometer and used in controlled drop tests. The study evaluated various internal padding materials including spray foam, two sizes of bubble wrap, Oobleck, scrub sponges, KTOESHEO foam, Hijelyn air pillows, and the standard padding from a Riddell Victor youth helmet. …

Alterations And Improvements Of The Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry Method, Nicholas J. Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The emergence and proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria present a significant and growing challenge to global public health, with the potential to render many existing antibiotics ineffective. Infections caused by these resistant pathogens are difficult to treat, resulting in higher morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. A major obstacle in combating these infections is the slow pace of traditional diagnostic methods, such as blood cultures, which typically take 2-3 days to identify the causative bacteria and determine their antibiotic resistance profiles. This delay in diagnosis hinders timely interventions and appropriate treatment, further contributing to the spread of resistant infections. As such, there …

Design And Development Of A Stethoscope Attachment For Instant Heart Murmur Detection, Caitlin K. Cherwin, Dillon Desai

Honors Theses

Heart murmurs are critical indicators of potential cardiovascular conditions yet their detection can often go unnoticed due limitations in equipment and is dependent on clinician experience. Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide, therefore, early detection of heart murmurs play a crucial role in improving patient outcomes. Many established methods of detection are expensive and often unreliable allowing there to be room for a device which is more cost and result effective. This paper presents the development of a device that attaches onto a regular stethoscope and analyzes auscultatory sounds to diagnose the possibility of a present murmur. …

The Role Of Piezo1 In Mediating Chondrocyte Cell Signaling And Senescence, Sophie Gretler Paradi

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA), the leading cause of disability, is driven by articular cartilage degeneration and inflammation. Mechanosensitive ion channels PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 have been implicated in OA progression via calcium signaling in chondrocytes. This study investigates the role of conditional Piezo channel knockout (cKO) in modulating calcium signaling and senescence in OA, particularly under the supra-physiologic inflammatory condition of a high-fat diet (HFD). Using calcium imaging, we found that Piezo1 cKO and dual Piezo1/2 cKO significantly reduced Yoda1-induced calcium signaling, while Piezo2 cKO alone had no effect. Under HFD conditions, Piezo1 cKO showed a non-significant trend toward reduced calcium influx, potentially …

Towards The Performance Characterization Of A Robotic Multimodal Diagnostic Imaging System, George Papaioannou, Christos Mitrogiannis, Mark Schweitzer, Nikolaos Michailidis, Maria Pappa, Pegah Khosravi, Apostolos Karantanas, Sean Starling, Christian Ruberg

Publications and Research

Characterizing imaging performance requires a multidisciplinary approach that evaluates various interconnected parameters, including dosage optimization and dynamic accuracy. Radiation dose and dynamic accuracy are challenged by patient motion that results in poor image quality. These challenges are more prevalent in the brain/cardiac pediatric patient imaging, as they relate to excess radiation dose that may be associated with various complications. Scanning vulnerable pediatric patients ought to eliminate anesthesia due to critical risks associated in some cases with intracranial hemorrhages, brain strokes, and congenital heart disease. Some pediatric imaging, however, requires prolonged scanning under anesthesia. It can often be a laborious, suboptimal …

Automated Beam Stitching And Segmentation Procedure For Space Division Multiplexing Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography, Andrew J. Song

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) has revolutionized ophthalmic imaging and its capability to produce high-resolution 3D maps of the retinal microvasculature is instrumental in diagnosing retinovascular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration; However, the existing OCTA devices often suffer from slow acquisition speed limiting the field-of-view (FOV) in the clinic. Space Division Multiplexing OCTA (SDM-OCTA) address these limitations by acquiring multiple beams simultaneously, achieving manyfold faster acquisition speeds than single beam OCTA systems. But as each beam contains only part of the image, SDM-OCTA requires additional processing steps to produce coherent wide-field images. Though manual stitching and …

Fundus Retinal Images And Glaucoma Detection, Lama Alsabban, Malak Alnahdi, Nema Salem

Effat Undergraduate Research Journal

Abstract. Glaucoma is a severe eye disease that has no symptoms and, globally, it is the second cause of blindness. Glaucoma causes structural changes in the retina that make ophthalmologists detecting the disease in early stage and thus provide the suitable treatment. Fundus camera is an imaging technique that provides the fundus image showing the internal structure of retina. Our project provides an automated system for early detection of Glaucoma. The proposed system based MATLAB starts by acquiring the fundus image, followed by preprocessing stage, going through noise removal, enhancement, segmentation, feature extraction and ends up by the classification stage. …

Design And Assembly Of A Lightweight, Multi-Cannula Tetrode Drive For Bilateral Hippocampal And Acc Recordings, Homero Phelps, Jasmine Sidhu, Jonathan V. Trinidad, Talha Soluoku

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Implants and Electrophysiology:

Electrophysiology is the study of the electrical properties of cells and tissues, neuronal implants enable high-resolution recordings of neuron action potentials and their locations in the brain.

Data gathered is key in investigating/mapping cognition and effects of neurological pathologies on regular neural systems.

Hyperdrive Model:

Previous model was restricted to two implant sites, and displayed frequent tetrode deformation

Hyperdrive was modified to support four implant sites and 16 independently movable tetrodes using 3D modeling software, while keeping its weight below 1.5 grams.

Targets:

Researchers targeted the hippocampus (CA1, CA3) and ACC, using the novel bilateral model

Intercellular Stress Generation During 1d Collective Migration Of Cancer Cells, Logan Waddle

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Physical forces drive many cellular processes such as migration and proliferation. A metastatic tumor will have invasive strands/chains that extend from the main tumor. These chains of cells collectively migrate away from the main tumor to establish new colonies elsewhere in the body. However, how physical forces drive this collective invasion and the required energy for this process is not well understood. Invasion of a metastatic tumor to surrounding tissues leads to a majority of cancer-associated death and is often a collective effort among cells, it is therefore important to fully understand the process behind collective cancer invasion.

The goal …

Analysis Of The Mechanical, Microstructural, And Biocompatibility Properties Of Novel Magnesium-Based Hybrid Nanocomposite Materials For Orthopedic Applications, Thomas H. Mcgehee

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bone fractures and complete joint replacements are becoming more common, primarily because of accidents and age-related issues. Conventional solutions to treat these orthopedic injuries involve inert metal alloys to correct bone fractures until the healing process is complete, where a secondary revision surgery is then required to remove the implant. Issues regularly associated with these solutions include stress shielding, bone resorption, infection, inflammation, and implant loosening. Magnesium (Mg)-based nanocomposites offer promising potential as an alternative to commonly used metal alloys because of their favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. A particularly advantageous property of Mg is its natural biodegradation in vivo, …

Gene Mutation And Chemotherapy Response In Azoxymethane Induced Colorectal Tumors, Maya M. Vance

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Colorectal cancer research is a field of increasing importance as disease prevalence continues to increase over time. In looking at the origin of the disease, a driver gene known as p53 is of particular interest for its role in the stimulation of the mutated Wnt pathway. Developing as a missense-type mutation, this gene that ordinarily functions as a tumor suppressor is investigated as a gene of interest for tumor development. In this study, a mouse model was used to examine the development of colorectal cancer with a total of n=34 samples, including n=9 tumors and n=25 colons. The concentration of …

3d Bioprinting Of Hydrogel Scaffold Skin Equivalents For Cosmetic And Drug Testing, Allison Reno

All Dissertations

Tissue engineering scaffolds are a crucial element of generating larger 3D tissue equivalents for modeling and clinical grafting. Currently, much of scaffold technology has not been significantly updated since the introduction of manually pipetted hydrogels and electrospun fiber scaffolds. Both of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but neither utilize emerging biofabrication techniques such as advanced 3D bioprinting and plotting. In addition to more precision in the outer geometries of the scaffold, the use of bioprinting also introduces the ability to shape hydrogels into very intricate porous inner patterns within the outer geometries. This allows for the design of …

Personalized Model Of Cardiac Fibroblast Signaling Using Patient-Specific Data, Elizabeth A. Schuler

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for both men and women, and cardiac fibroblasts are critical to heart form and function. Essential roles of cardiac fibroblasts include cell-cell communication, cell-cell signaling, and synthesizing and degrading the extracellular matrix (ECM), which controls structural support and tissue repair of the heart. Abnormal fibroblast signaling can lead to negative impacts, including fibrosis, impaired heart function, and inflammation. A computational model of cardiac fibroblast signaling on Netflux and MATLAB software was adapted and utilized to determine the effect of patient-specific levels of cytokines, hormones, growth factors, peptides, and membrane tension on …

Identifying Novel Molecular Targets To Induce Ferroptosis In Drug-Tolerant Cancer Cells Through Computational Modeling, Haris J. Rana

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven form of regulated cell death in which the cell membrane is degraded by lipid peroxidation. It is regulated by multiple enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which prevents membrane degradation by reducing lipid peroxides and protecting cells from oxidative damage. When inhibitors like RSL3 target GPX4, lipid peroxides build up, and toxic ROS compromises membrane integrity. Traditional anticancer treatments, such as most chemotherapies, aim to eliminate tumor cells by damaging DNA and triggering apoptosis. However, resistance to apoptosis is a “hallmark of cancer,” often resulting in treatment failure. As a distinct …