Engineering Commons^™

A Continuum Mechanical Model Of The Brain During Closed Head Injury, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Working Papers

Exactly how traumatic axonal injury happens as a result of brief, intense acceleration of the head remains a mystery. The same can be said about traumatic microbleeds observed in MRI scans of people suffering concussions. This paper explores the mechanism of injury in terms of continuum biomechanics. A full-sized viscoelastic model of the human brain is developed that is subjected to impact with the rigid skull after crossing the subarachnoid space in response to brief, intense whole head acceleration, as might occur in falls or in contact sports. The brain is considered a compressible viscoelastic body of approximately uniform density, …

In Vitro Hydrogel Blood Clots Phantoms, Ethan Evans

Bioengineering Master's Theses

This thesis presents a mechanical and microstructural characterization of agarose-based hydrogels as synthetic thrombus analogs for balloon catheter testing. Agarose gels ranging from 0.25% to 1.0% (w/v) were fabricated and analyzed using dynamic shear rheometry, capillary flow porometry, and gas pycnometry. Rheological data showed a nonlinear increase in storage modulus (G′), from 110 ± 66 Pa at 0.25% agarose to 4,900 ± 1,600 Pa at 1.0%, effectively mimicking the viscoelastic spectrum of acute to chronic thrombi. Gas pycnometry measurements indicated that true density (P_true) increased modestly from 1.03 g/mL to 1.13 g/mL over the same concentration range. This …

High Frequency Oscillations As Biomarkers Of The Epileptogenic Zone In Children With Drug Resistant Epilepsy, Lorenzo Fabbri

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Epilepsy surgery stands out as the most effective treatment for patients dealing with focal drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Its effectiveness depends on successfully removing or disconnecting the epileptogenic zone (EZ), which is the brain area crucial for seizure generation. The seizure onset zone (SOZ) serves as the best approximation of the EZ; this is the region where most seizures begin, identified through invasive electroencephalographic (iEEG) recordings. However, the unpredictable nature of seizures means they can take hours or even days to occur, consuming valuable human and financial resources. As a result, there is a pressing need for an interictal biomarker that …

Strategies For Enhanced Meg Data Analysis In Clinical Practice And Emerging Frontiers, Pegah Askari

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Epilepsy and dementia are debilitating neurological disorders that pose substantial challenges for patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems. Advances in magnetoencephalography (MEG) and signal processing offer new opportunities to improve diagnostic accuracy, surgical planning, and treatment monitoring. This dissertation presents a unified body of work comprising artifact removal, automated event detection, and deep learning-based biomarker discovery. These approaches collectively enhance the clinical utility of MEG for diverse patient populations.

The first study addresses a significant technical obstacle in the management of drug-resistant epilepsy. Patients receiving responsive neurostimulation (RNS) have historically been excluded from MEG as the data is contaminated by device-related …

Functional Enhancement Of Pancreatic Islets Through Photobiomodulation For Potential Diabetes Therapeutics, Kelli Fowlds

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Islet transplantation is a potential therapeutic route for type 1 diabetic patients facing chronic ketoacidosis and/or hypoglycemia unable to be properly regulated with standard insulin administration. However, successful engraftment is hampered by a multitude of factors. Harvested islets face rapid, substantial degradation due to hypoxia and nutrient depletion once isolated. Transplanted islets are additionally susceptible to the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR). This combination of factors leads to more than half of transplanted islets failing to engraft post-surgery. Many areas of research are dedicated to investigating alternative approaches or supplemental treatments to improve the success rate of engraftment and insulin …

Novel Electrophysiological Biomarkers In Pediatric Drug Resistant Epilepsy And Genetic Epilepsy Syndromes, Sakar Rijal

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Pediatric epilepsies, particularly those that are drug-resistant or genetically driven, represent some of the most complex neurological disorders encountered in childhood. Central to their pathophysiology is a disruption in the delicate balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I), often resulting from impaired GABAergic interneuron function. This imbalance manifests as aberrant network dynamics and altered neural oscillations, giving rise to seizures and long-term cognitive impairments. In this thesis, we developed a translational framework to identify electrophysiological biomarkers that (i) assess cortical E/I imbalance and (ii) map epileptogenic zones, with the aim of enhancing diagnosis, guiding surgical planning, and informing therapeutic monitoring …

Vendor-Independent B0 Shimming Framework With Application To Metabolic Mri In Human Gliomas, Mahrshi Jani

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

High and ultra-high field MRI and MRSI offer markedly improved signal-to-noise ratio and spectral dispersion, enabling in-vivo characterization of tumor metabolism with unprecedented detail. However, these benefits are tightly coupled to high demands on static magnetic field (B₀) homogeneity, particularly in the brain where susceptibility interfaces near the skull base and paranasal sinuses generate complex, higher-order field perturbations. In glioma patients, additional susceptibility variations arise from surgical cavities, hemorrhage, calcifications, and cystic components, further degrading B₀ homogeneity. As a result, shimming often become the main bottleneck limiting robust, whole-brain spectroscopic imaging and, consequently, our ability to map metabolic …

Engineered Biomimetic Muscle Graft For Skeletal Muscle Regeneration, Julia O. Aguirre

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

This study aims to develop a synthetic muscle graft that closely mimics the architecture, viscoelastic properties, and bio-signaling characteristics of natural skeletal muscle. By analyzing the native skeletal muscle microstructure, biochemical, and mechanical properties, we establish design parameters for a biomimetic scaffold. The engineered graft integrates tunable mechanical compliance, aligned microarchitecture, and signaling cues to promote cell recruitment, adhesion, proliferation, and maturation. To further enhance biofunctionality, an electrically conductive polymer was incorporated to improve the electrical conductivity, and the graft was loaded with the bioactive lipid signaling mediator “Prostaglandin E2” (PGE2) to support myogenesis during muscle regeneration. The grafts were …

Optimal Tissue Clearing Of Gastric Cancerous Organoids Imaged Via High Resolution Light Sheet Microscopy, Lauren D. Lieu

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

While the rate of surviving a myocardial infarction has increased in the past 60 years from 60% to 90%, the rate of Americans developing chronic heart disease such as heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertensive heart disease has risen. This has led to the development of imaging technology such as Light Sheet Microscopy (LSM) and Light Field Microscopy (LFM) to study heart contractility and congenital heart disease via models such as cancerous organoids or Zebrafish. However, LSM and LFM results are highly dependent on the quality of the staining and cleared samples. This study looks to add to the growing field …

Signal Analysis Of Calcium Dynamics In Pancreatic Cells, Abhidha Kunwar

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling plays a critical role in insulin secretion from pancreatic βcells. Photo-biomodulation (PBM) of red or near-infrared wavelengths is applied to enhance cellular metabolism and Ca²⁺ activity in pancreatic cells. This study aims to rigorously analyze how PBM influences calcium dynamics in pancreatic cells by applying the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), converting Ca²⁺ spiking patterns to the frequency domain to determine dominant oscillatory behaviors. Using a calcium-binding fluorophore, Ca²⁺ activity was acquired before and after PBM at 810 nm, processed with a machine learning algorithm, and further analyzed in MATLAB using FFT to assess changes in calcium signal …

Excitation And Polarization Of Isolated Neurons By High-Frequency Sine Waves For Temporal Interference Stimulation, Iurii Semenov, Vitalii Kim, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

The capacity of temporal interference (TI) stimulation to target deep brain regions without affecting nearby surface electrodes remains uncertain. Using artifact-free optical recording, we compare excitation patterns and thresholds in hippocampal neurons stimulated by “pure” and amplitude-modulated sine waves, representing TI waveforms near electrodes and at the target, respectively. We show that pure 2- and 20-kHz sine waves induce repetitive firing at rates that increase up to 60–90 Hz with stronger electric fields. Beyond this limit, action potentials merge into sustained depolarization, resulting in an excitation block. Modulating the sine waves at 20 Hz aligns firing with amplitude “beats” and …

Plasmonic Nanopore Sensing For The Characterization Of Viruses And Biomolecules, Scott Renkes

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

The rapid advancement of nanomedicine has enabled increasingly precise nanotherapeutic platforms, including targeted nanoparticles, monoclonal antibodies, and viral gene delivery vectors. As these technologies mature, quality control and analytical characterization have emerged as critical bottlenecks, particularly in systems where functional outcomes depend on one-to-one molecular or particle–biological interactions. Conventional ensemble-averaged techniques obscure heterogeneity that is often central to therapeutic efficacy, safety, and manufacturability. A prominent example is adeno-associated virus (AAV)–based gene therapy, where production yields heterogeneous populations of empty, partially loaded, and fully loaded capsids. Genome fill percentage and integrity directly influence therapeutic efficacy and dosing accuracy, while limited understanding …

Enhancing The Mechanical Properties Of Sla 3d-Printed Bio-Resin From Linseed Oil Using Cellulose And Lignin Biopolymers, Chukwunonso A. Ikedionu

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Abstract

This research explores the development of bio resin from linseed oil by the process of epoxidation and acrylation to produce acrylated epoxidized linseed oil (AELO). Lignin and cellulose biopolymers were added as reinforcement at varying weight fractions of 1 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, and 5 wt.%, and their mechanical performance was compared against pure AELO. The formulations were printed using an Elegoo SLA 3D printer to create standardized test specimens like tensile bars, compression cylinders, and hardness blocks, which were all prepared according to the ASTM testing standard.

The results indicate that reinforcement effects depend on both filler type and …

Viscoelastic Property Analysis Of A Magnetorheological Elastomer Micropump For Insulin Delivery In Type 1 Diabetes, Victor Buitimea

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Over two decades, there has been a significant rise in awareness regarding Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), leading to a deeper comprehension of numerous variables, including hereditary factors, patterns of occurrence, and health challenges. According to the Type 1 Diabetic Index, around 8.7 million people worldwide are affected by this chronic autoimmune illness marked by a lack of insulin and hyperglycemia. The introduction of artificial pancreas systems could save more than half a million patients by 2040. Despite the availability of various insulin delivery technologies that are offered to diabetic patients, many still are skeptical of this modern system. The issues …

Enhanced Cholesterol Efflux And Atherosclerosis Regression Via Ceh Gene Delivery Using Galactose-Functionalized Dendrimeric Nanoparticles, Huari Kou, Jing Wang, Paul J. Yannie, Da Huang, William J. Korzun, Genta Kakiyama, Siddhartha S. Ghosh, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) is a critical enzyme in cholesterol ester hydrolysis, influencing cholesterol metabolism and efflux. This study demonstrates that CEH overexpression promotes free cholesterol efflux from macrophages, thereby reducing the lipid burden in existing atherosclerotic plaques. To enable targeted delivery, galactose-functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimeric nanoparticles were utilized as nanocarriers for hepatic delivery of the CEH expression vector. The therapeutic potential of CEH plasmid-loaded dendrimeric nanoparticles was evaluated in Ldlr-/- mice. Results showed a significant reduction in total lesion area (21%) and aortic arch lesion area (23%) compared to baseline. Lesion component analysis revealed marked decreases in total cholesterol …

Tumor Microenvironment Immunomodulation By Nanoformulated Tlr 7/8 Agonist And Pi3k Delta Inhibitor Enhances Therapeutic Benefits Of Radiotherapy, Mostafa Yazdimamaghani, Oleg V. Kolupaev, Chaemin Lim, Duhyeong Hwang, Sonia J. Laurie, Charles M. Perou, Alexander V. Kabanov, Jonathan S. Serody

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Infiltration of immunosuppressive cells into the breast tumor microenvironment (TME) is associated with suppressed effector T cell (Teff) responses, accelerated tumor growth, and poor clinical outcomes. Previous studies from our group and others identified infiltration of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) as critical contributors to immune dysfunction in the orthotopic claudin-low tumor model, limiting the efficacy of adoptive cellular therapy. However, approaches to target these cells in the TME are currently lacking. To overcome this barrier, polymeric micellular nanoparticles (PMNPs) were used for the co-delivery of small molecule drugs activating Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 …

Semi-Quantitative Elemental Imaging Of Corrosion Products From Bioabsorbable Mg Vascular Implants In Vivo, Weilue He, Keith W. Macrenaris, Adam Griebel, Maria P. Kwesiga, Erico Freitas, Amani Gillette, Jeremy Schaffer, Thomas V. O'Halloran, Roger J. Guillory Ii

Michigan Tech Publications

While metal materials historically have served as permanent implants and were designed to avoid degradation, next generation bioabsorbable metals for medical devices such as vascular stents are under development, which would elute metal ions and corrosion byproducts into tissues. The fate of these eluted products and their local distribution in vascular tissue largely under studied. In this study, we employ a high spatial resolution spectrometric imaging modality, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) to map the metal distribution, (herein refered to as laser ablation mapping, or LAM) from Mg alloys within the mouse vascular system and approximate …

Synthesis And Assessment Of Biobased Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil Resins For Stereolithography 3d Printing Of Microfluidic Devices, Natalie S. Romero Figueroa

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research focuses on the development and characterization of a biobased photocurable resin synthesized from soybean oil for use in stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing of microfluidic devices. The study explores a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based resins by performing an acrylation reaction on epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) to produce acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO), which was then formulated into a photocurable resin with the addition of a photo initiator. The fabrication process involved designing microfluidic molds in SolidWorks and printing them using an Elegoo Mars 4 SLA printer under various exposure and layer thickness parameters. The printed samples consisted of microchannels …

The Effect Of Liquid Conductivity On A Helium Plasma Jet And The Hydrogen Peroxide Production, Edwin A. Oshin, M. Ziaur Rahman, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Understanding plasma-liquid interactions and the impact of the electrical conductivity (σ) of liquid on plasma is important for plasma applications in water treatment and medicine. Ultrapure water, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution, biological media, and sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions at various concentrations were used in this study to provide a broad range of conductivity values ranging from 0.055 μS cm⁻¹ to 222 mS cm⁻¹. A helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) impinging on liquid was generated in ambient air using a hollow-needle electrode that was powered by 200 ns, 7 kV pulses at a pulse repetition frequency of …

Traction Force Microscopy Using An Epifluorescence Microscope: Experimental Considerations And Caveats, Zaria Booth, Mazen Mezher, Rudra Patel, Venkat Maruthamuthu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Forces exerted by cells due to their internal contractility play fundamental roles in a host of processes, including adhesion, migration, survival and differentiation. Traction force microscopy (TFM) enables the determination of forces exerted by cells or cell collectives on their environment, which is typically taken to be an extra-cellular matrix (ECM)-coated substrate. Sample preparation for TFM involves the plating of cells onto an environment embedded with fiducial markers. The imaging of these fiducial markers in the presence and absence of the cells then enables calculation of the displacement of localized regions of the environment, and, consequently, the spatial distribution of …

An Analytical Model Of Motion Artifacts In A Measured Arterial Pulse Signal—Part Ii: Tactile Sensors, Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Subodh Toraskar, Mamun Hasan, Zhili Hao

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper, the second of two parts, presents an analytical model of motion artifacts (MA) in measured pulse signals by a tactile sensor, which contains a deformable microstructure sitting on a substrate. While the tissue-contact-sensor (TCS) stack and the sensor are both treated as a 1DOF (degree-of-freedom) system, tissue–sensor contact joins their mass together to form a 1DOF system with springs and dampers on both sides. MA on the sensor substrate causes baseline drift and time-varying system parameters (TVSP) of the TCS stack simultaneously. An analytical model is developed to mathematically relate baseline drift and TVSP to a measured pulse …

Scaffolds With Spatiotemporally Controlled Growth Factor Delivery And Cyclodextrin-Enabled Antagonism Of Growth Factor Receptor Sequestration Promote Cutaneous Wound Healing, Jelena Marjanovic, Veronica Jurczuk, Lilian Valadares Tose, Yarixa Cintron Diaz, Francisco Fernandez Lima, Beatriz Abdo Abujamra, Sara Danker, Sinan Jabori, Devinder Singh, Jamie L. Burgess, Joshua Tam, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Rivka C. Stone, Stephen C. Davis, Robert S. Kirsner, Marjana Tomic-Canic, Fotis M. Andreopoulos, Ivan Jozic

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Chronic wounds present a major burden to patients, health care professionals, and health care systems worldwide, yet treatment options remain limited and often ineffective. Although initially promising, growth factor-based therapies displayed limited and underwhelming effectiveness largely due to poor bioavailabilbioity and impaired receptor function within the chronic wound microenvironment. Here we demonstrate that chronic wounds exhibit elevated cholesterol synthesis, which disrupts growth factor signaling by sequestering receptors within lipid rafts. To address this, we developed a novel therapy combining growth factors with cyclodextrin in an ECM-mimetic scaffold, enabling localized cholesterol modulation and improved receptor accessibility. We demonstrate that this approach …

Burnout At University: Cross-Sectional Study Among Dental Students, Manal Elhijazi, Hajar Nafia, Ihsane Benyahya

Health Sciences

Context: The university constitutes a demanding and competitive learning environment which can impact the well-being of students. The objective of this survey is to assess the burnout of students at the faculty of dentistry.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via an anonymous questionnaire with 3 sections: socio-demographic data, lifestyle and habit, and burnout through the Maslach burnout inventory-student survey (MBI-SS) . Continuous variables were presented as means and standard deviations,categorical variables as numbers and percentages. The variables were tested in univariate analysis to assess predictive factors related to burnout using the Khi-2 test. The significance level was …

Investigating The Role Of Knee Damping In Reducing Joint Forces During Walking And Its Implications For Osteoarthritis Patients, Samantha Briggs

Wayne State University Theses

Arthritis is a leading cause of activity limitation and chronic pain worldwide. Particularly in cases of knee osteoarthritis, mobility impairments are largely due to pain at the arthritic joint. During normal gait, forces across the knee joint peak during the weight acceptance and early midstance phases. Hence, providing damping at the knee joint during this period of the gait cycle may be effective in decreasing the joint forces and pain experienced by osteoarthritis patients while walking. To examine the role of knee damping in reducing joint forces, an eddy current braking device was automated to provide targeted resistance at the …

Molecular Simulation Studies Of Protein Interactions Associated With Aging, Charlotte Jenna Thomas

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of Small-Scale Bioreactors For Increased Pdna Production And Yield, Laura M. Hills

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Design Of A Bioinspired Impact Mitigation System Towards The Prevention Of Brain Injuries, Bryce H. Reimer

Master’s Theses

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), remain a major concern across contact sports, military operations, and transportation. Despite advancements in protective equipment, current strategies often fall short in preventing the mechanical conditions that contribute to long-term neurological damage. This thesis presents the design and validation of a bioinspired impact mitigation system modeled after bighorn sheep horn structures, which have evolved to endure high-energy collisions without apparent brain injury.

Using biomimetic principles, the research integrates experimental and computational methods to evaluate how horn-like geometries reduce impact-induced accelerations. A custom drop tower was built to test dynamic …

Development And Clinical Validation Of The Sensor-E Exoskeleton For Objective Hand Function Assessment In Stroke Rehabilitation, Madison Bates

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hand function is often impaired following neurological trauma or in conditions such as stroke, limiting independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Current clinical assessments rely heavily on subjective rating scales that lack the resolution to detect subtle changes in motor performance, which can limit access to rehabilitation. Recent advances in wearable technologies highlight the potential for hand-worn devices to provide objective, real-time measures of hand function. However, most systems focus solely on kinematics and rarely capture both movement and exerted force. Moreover, integration into rehabilitation frameworks and brain-computer interface (BCI) protocols remains limited. To address …

Cost-Effective Hierarchical Cobalt Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene For Enhanced Uric Acid Detection, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

This study presents an innovative, cost-effective strategy to develop a flexible, enzyme-free biosensor for the sensitive detection of uric acid (UA). Utilizing electrochemically modified cobalt nanostructured on laser-induced graphene electrodes (CoNCs/LIG), this approach surpasses traditional noble metal-based electrocatalysts in sensitivity and affordability. The one-step electrochemical modification method is efficient and straightforward, enabling the uniform deposition of hierarchical flower-like cobalt nanostructures. These structures synergistically enhance the performance of the LIG, resulting in a broad detection range of 5 to 700 µM with a sensitivity of 6.75 µA µM^-¹ cm^-² and a low detection limit of 3.66 µM for UA. …

Electrochemical And Nanomaterial Based Strategies For Nonenzymatic Glucose Detection: A Review, Reagan Aviha, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Electrochemical glucose sensing technologies have undergone significant evolution, with continual advancements aimed at improving sensitivity, selectivity, and user convenience. This review systematically explores the development of emerging nonenzymatic glucose sensor designs. Nonenzymatic sensors are critically evaluated for their ability to overcome enzymatic limitations, leveraging novel materials and catalytic mechanisms. Additionally, the emergence of smartphone-integrated glucose monitoring systems is highlighted as the fifth generation, representing a paradigm shift toward personalized, real-time healthcare management. Emphasis is placed on the strategies employed to reduce the working electrode potential and enhance analytical performance. Key analytical metrics and real-sample applicability are evaluated, and persistent challenges …