Uncertainty Quantification Driven Predictive Multi-Scale Model For Synthesis Of Mycotoxins,
2014
University of South Carolina, United States
Uncertainty Quantification Driven Predictive Multi-Scale Model For Synthesis Of Mycotoxins, Sourav Banerjee, Gabriel A. Terejanu, Anindya Chanda
Faculty Publications
Many toxic molds synthesize and release an array of poisons, termed mycotoxins that have an enormous impact on human health, agriculture and economy [1]. These molds contaminate our buildings, indoor air and crops, cause life threatening human and animal diseases and reduce agricultural output [2]. In order to design appropriate approaches to minimize the detrimental effects of these fungi, it is essential to develop diagnostic methodologies that can rapidly and accurately determine based on fungal strains and their growth patterns, the extent of mycotoxin mediated damage caused to the environment.Here we developed a novel multi-scale predictive mathematical model that could …
Mobile Audiometry Application,
2014
Santa Clara University
Mobile Audiometry Application, Kevin Nguyen, Shweta Panditrao
Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses
The Mobile Audiometry Application hopes to utilize the ubiquity of the mobile device by providing a means of healthcare focused on audiometry. This application enables a mobile device to perform audiometric testing to detect a user's hearing range, and notify the user whether he or she is suffering from hearing loss. This project seeks to fulfill a social need for increased access to hearing testing by providing a portable, affordable, and reliable screening tool that is accurate. The result was sleek application that provided a calibration method, executed an audiometry test using accurate and calibrated files, displayed the results graphically, …
Engineering An In Vitro Metastasis Platform,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Engineering An In Vitro Metastasis Platform, Justus Carlisle, Mark-Phillip Pebworth
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Although metastasis is the primary cause of cancer deaths and results in 90% of all cancer fatalities currently, all attempts to discover anti-metastatic drugs have failed. Many of the traditional methods of studying cell migration, using two-dimensional (2D) platforms, only study two-dimensional migration, which is fundamentally different and more multifaceted than the three-dimensional migration that occurs in vivo. To more accurately capture this in vivo variation, we developed a two-and-a-half-dimensional (2.5D) cell culture platform to better study three-dimensional (3D) migration. This platform consists of a layer of alginate on top of a monolayer of cells grown on tissue culture polystyrene …
Talens: Genome Surgery,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Talens: Genome Surgery, Carson Harms, Serena Lerkantitham
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Genetic engineering has always held great opportunity for the field of gene therapy. If the cause of a genetic disease can be determined, correction of this gene would allow for an efficient and permanent cure. However, current technologies utilizing engineered retroviruses have serious drawbacks that significantly limit their practical applications for gene therapy. In this project we investigate a novel genetic editing technology called TALENs. By utilizing a modular protein isolated from a plant pathogen that can be quickly and efficiently redesigned to recognize and bind to any desired sequence of DNA combined with a nuclease, we can target a …
Genome Editing Of Human Ipscs Using The Cas9 System,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Genome Editing Of Human Ipscs Using The Cas9 System, Cade Ellis Ito, Nick Wolfe
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Recent research advancements in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have broadened their capacity for research in specific disease models3 need for effective and robust techniques to detect cell differentiation. Two techniques currently exist to determine cell type; morphology and immunostaining. Although they have been used by researchers for many years, these methods can be unreliable, time-consuming, and very uneconomical. We seek to create a technology that will be more accurate and efficient in detecting differentiation of iPSCs. This will allow researchers greater speed in screening for specific differentiation products, further increasing the utility of iPSCs in medical research. We will …
Reverse Protein Engineering Of Firefly Luciferase,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Reverse Protein Engineering Of Firefly Luciferase, Kahler Bugtong, Skyler Herczeg, Abraham Munoz, Alexandra Obata
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Firefly luciferase is a bioluminescent protein commonly used as a bioluminescent tag in biological studies and applications. However, because the protein is fairly large in size, it is sometimes larger than the molecules it is intended to measure and is therefore not a sufficient tag in smaller applications. The active site of firely luciferase is also not well understood, making it difficult to engineer the protein without affecting its bioluminescent activity. In this paper, we discuss the experimental methods of Reverse Protein Engineering: a bioengineering technology that reduces the size of a protein while retaining its original function. This involves …
Molecular And Device Engineering Towards The Study Of Potential Anti-Mrsa Agents,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Molecular And Device Engineering Towards The Study Of Potential Anti-Mrsa Agents, Powell Fansler, Karla Geisse, Ryan Marshall
Bioengineering Senior Theses
At the intersection of bio-device engineering and bio-pharmaceutical studies, our project involved the design of a hydraulic manifold to be used in isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), with the ultimate goal of using ITC to study the thermodynamic binding parameters of potential anti-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) agents to our drug target, Sortase A. The hydraulic manifold redesign included the analysis of materials such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE, ‘Teflon’), and polycarbonate as well as the implementation of a new construct of the manifold itself. Sortase A is a transpeptidase found in Gram-positive bacteria and catalyses the attachment of …
Commodification Of The Female Egg: Stem Cell Technology And The Future,
2014
North Carolina Central University School of Law
Commodification Of The Female Egg: Stem Cell Technology And The Future, Rachel Ostander
North Carolina Central University Science & Intellectual Property Law Review
No abstract provided.
Design Of A Methane-To-Methanol Conversion Device,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Design Of A Methane-To-Methanol Conversion Device, Pankti Doshi, Jessica Garcia
Bioengineering Senior Theses
The purpose of this project was to develop a device that will make natural gas, primarily methane, an efficient and economical fuel alternative as the world’s petroleum supply is diminished. Presently, methane gas is too costly and dangerous to convert to methanol. The direct oxidation of methane can reduce the processing and transportation costs creating a competitive alternative to petroleum. This device will be marketable to companies interested in alternative fuel sources competitive with petroleum. Entrepreneurs are then expected step in and develop a global market. With the development of our prototypes and running methane and oxygen (or atmospheric oxygen) …
Electrochemical Detection Of Arsenic Using A Microfluidic Sensing Platform,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Electrochemical Detection Of Arsenic Using A Microfluidic Sensing Platform, Ben Demaree, Allie Sibole, Jessica Vandergiessen
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a global health problem affecting millions of people. Long-term exposure to arsenic has been linked to a variety of cancerous and non-cancerous health effects. Current diagnostic technologies for arsenic quantification are limited to either inaccurate colorimetric methods or expensive, off-site lab assays, which are unsuitable for resource-limited settings. To address this need for an affordable and rapid means of sensitive arsenic detection, our design project focuses on the design and fabrication of the first point-of-use microfluidic device capable of electrochemical detection and quantification of arsenic levels in groundwater sources. We fabricate our device rapidly and …
Designing A Biomimetic Primary Cell-Based 3d Culture System For Neurotoxicity Screening,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Designing A Biomimetic Primary Cell-Based 3d Culture System For Neurotoxicity Screening, Teresa Cauvel, Jessca Kosit, Nicolo Mendoza
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Culturing neurons in vitro is a challenging task because they are a highly specialized cell type that reside in a complex and unique environment in the body. The aim of the research presented in the following thesis was to design a biomimetic, three-dimensional scaffold capable of (1) promoting primary neuron maturation and axonal outgrowth and (2) serving as a system for toxicology screening. In the system presented here, neurons were cultured in three-dimensional hydrogels, simulating the physiological environment that these cells experience within the body. In doing so, a biologically relevant response was elicited upon their exposure to acrylamide, a …
Protein Engineering Of Luciferase To Enhance Bioluminescent Properties,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Protein Engineering Of Luciferase To Enhance Bioluminescent Properties, Charles Schwab, Peter Wittig
Bioengineering Senior Theses
Bioluminescence is the ability of naturally occurring organisms to emit light. Many instances of bioluminescence have been identified ranging from fireflies to bacteria. The protein responsible for bioluminescence in all of these organisms is luciferase. The exact function and structure of this protein are still unknown to this day. This project aims at better understanding luciferase as well as enhancing its bioluminescent properties. In order to work with luciferase, we had to isolate all of the genes necessary for bioluminescence. The six genes necessary for bioluminescence are Lux A,B,C,D,E,G. We isolated each of these genes from original bacterial DNA. We …
Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis,
2014
Santa Clara Univeristy
Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis, Scott Hardy, Daniel Schull, Mark Vinopal
Bioengineering Senior Theses
For the study of neuromodulation in Cancer borealis we have designed a microfluidic device to separate and detect bioamine concentrations with a high temporal resolution. Our goal is to use this device to measure the concentration of continuous bioamine microdialysis samples directly from the pericardial cavity (the area surrounding the heart) of Cancer borealis. The microfluidic device that we designed is made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and exhibits an off-channel configuration of capillary electrophoresis (CE) by incorporating micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). CE is used to separate bioamines based on charge and size due to the applied electrical potential. In the off-channel …
Developent Of A Phospholipid Encapsulation Process For Quantum Dots To Be Used In Biologic Applications,
2014
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Developent Of A Phospholipid Encapsulation Process For Quantum Dots To Be Used In Biologic Applications, Logan Grimes
Master's Theses
The American Cancer Society predicts that 1,665,540 people will be diagnosed with cancer, and 585,720 people will die from cancer in 2014. One of the most common types of cancer in the United States is skin cancer. Melanoma alone is predicted to account for 10,000 of the cancer related deaths in 2014. As a highly mobile and aggressive form of cancer, melanoma is difficult to fight once it has metastasized through the body. Early detection in such varieties of cancer is critical in improving survival rates in afflicted patients. Present methods of detection rely on visual examination of suspicious regions …
A Simulation Protocol For Exercise Physiology In Fontan Patients Using A Closed Loop Lumped-Parameter Model,
2014
University of California - San Diego
A Simulation Protocol For Exercise Physiology In Fontan Patients Using A Closed Loop Lumped-Parameter Model, Ethan Kung, Giancarlo Pennati, Francesco Migliavacca, Tian-Yen Hsia, Richard Figliola, Alison Marsden, Alessandro Giardini
Publications
Background: Reduced exercise capacity is nearly universal among Fontan patients, though its etiology is not yet fully understood. While previous computational studies have attempted to model Fontan exercise, they did not fully account for global physiologic mechanisms nor directly compare results against clinical and physiologic data. Methods: In this study, we developed a protocol to simulate Fontan lower-body exercise using a closed-loop lumped-parameter model describing the entire circulation. We analyzed clinical exercise data from a cohort of Fontan patients, incorporated previous clinical findings from literature, quantified a comprehensive list of physiological changes during exercise, translated them into a computational model …
Clear Circuit Contact Lens,
2014
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Clear Circuit Contact Lens, Paul Hecker Ii, Phillip Azar, Alexander Do, Benny Ng, Errol Leon
Electrical Engineering
The clear active contact lens project aims to address safety and hazard awareness with an unexplored field of eye wear technology. With advancements in nanotechnology and the advent of circuits on contact lens, this project is one of the first research and development into this new field, following University of Washington and Google. The team focuses on the safety and biocompatibility of the contact lens for a comfortable ease of use. The designs push the limits of thin film printed technology with its pursuit of fine designs of 250μm antennas. The project streamlines the manufacturing process for a combination substrate …
Smooth Muscle Cell Organization In The Stem Region Of The Gracilis Collateral Circulation,
2014
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Smooth Muscle Cell Organization In The Stem Region Of The Gracilis Collateral Circulation, Amanda Krall
Biomedical Engineering
Many patients who suffer from the ischemic Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD) experience intermittent claudication, which can be attributed to impaired vasodilation. Collateral vessels are the primary site of resistance to blood flow downstream; therefore maximizing vasodilation in collaterals is crucial for efficient circulation. Collaterals function as natural bypasses around the occluded arteries and the increase in flow into these vessels causes them to outwardly remodel into conduit vessels. However, functional vasodilation in the stem region of collateral vessels is impaired at day 7 following femoral ligation, which can be attributed to smooth muscle cell malfunction. However, the increase in …
2d Wireform Process Improvement,
2014
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
2d Wireform Process Improvement, Katy Conlin, Carlo Ebora, Jordan Gamble
Mechanical Engineering
The body of this work has been created for Edwards Lifesciences in conjunction with senior project requirements. As such, the information produced and contained within is under a non‐disclosure agreement. As per request by sponsor, the body of the work will not be submitted to any outside parties, and the title page will serve as proof of completion.
Team Omnimouse,
2014
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Team Omnimouse, Derek J. Halman, Josh B. Porter, Steven A. Silver, Ian S. Stemper
Computer Engineering
INFORMATION, DATA, FIGURES AND DRAWINGS EMBODIED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND ARE SUPPLIED ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THIRD PARTIES WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE PLUS.
Characterizing The Reproducibility Of The Properties Of Electrospun Poly(D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Scaffolds For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics,
2014
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Characterizing The Reproducibility Of The Properties Of Electrospun Poly(D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Scaffolds For Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics, Toni M. Pipes
Master's Theses
“Blood vessel mimics” (BVMs) are tissue-engineered constructs that serve as in vitro preclinical testing models for intravascular devices. The Cal Poly Tissue Engineering lab specifically uses BVMs to test the cellular response to stent implantation. PLGA scaffolds are electrospun in-house using the current “Standard Protocol” and used as the framework for these constructs. The performance of BVMs greatly depends on material and mechanical properties of the scaffolds. It is desirable to create BVMs with reproducible properties so that they can be consistent models that ultimately generate more reliable results for intravascular device testing. Reproducibility stems from the consistency of the …
