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Full-Text Articles in Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Where Do We Go Now: An Examination Of The Role Of 3d Modeling In Cancer Research, Ella Claire Gregory, Hannah Noelle Cochran Oct 2026

Where Do We Go Now: An Examination Of The Role Of 3d Modeling In Cancer Research, Ella Claire Gregory, Hannah Noelle Cochran

ABE 4523/6523 Biomedical Materials

The development of three-dimensional tumor models has become an important area of cancer research. By incorporating biomaterials that can mimic the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the tumor environment. 3D models can provide a more physiologically relevant environment for studying tumor growth, cell interaction, metastasis, and drug response.


An Eco-Inspired Emulsion Membrane Harnessed With Waste Vegetable Oil For Effective Separation Of Ibuprofen: Insights Into Stability, Performance, And Kinetics, Huma Warsi Khan, A. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, Parvez Alam Khan, Samsur Akm Rahman, Muhammad Moniruzzaman Oct 2026

An Eco-Inspired Emulsion Membrane Harnessed With Waste Vegetable Oil For Effective Separation Of Ibuprofen: Insights Into Stability, Performance, And Kinetics, Huma Warsi Khan, A. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, Parvez Alam Khan, Samsur Akm Rahman, Muhammad Moniruzzaman

Publications and Research

Emulsion liquid membranes (ELMs) have emerged as excellent alternatives for the separation and recovery of biologically active drugs (BADs) from industrial waste at trace concentrations. Conventional ELMs generally utilize toxic petroleum-based solvents (PBS) that pose environmental and health risks. Although virgin vegetable oils have been appeared as sustainable alternatives to PBS, their widespread application is limited by economic constraints, resource sustainability, and competition with the food supply. In contrast, waste vegetable oil (WVO) represents an abundant, low-cost, and eco-friendly alternative, yet its potential as a green diluent for ELMs remains largely unexplored. To address this challenge, present study investigated the …


Hydration-Tunable Ionic Liquid-In-Oil Microemulsions For Increased Transdermal Delivery Of High-Molecular-Weight Proteins, Roy Jabidash, Kiyohiro Toyofuku, Rie Wakabayashi, Yoshirou Kawaguchi, Noriho Jeffrey Kamiya, Muhammad Moniruzzaman, Masahiro Goto Sep 2026

Hydration-Tunable Ionic Liquid-In-Oil Microemulsions For Increased Transdermal Delivery Of High-Molecular-Weight Proteins, Roy Jabidash, Kiyohiro Toyofuku, Rie Wakabayashi, Yoshirou Kawaguchi, Noriho Jeffrey Kamiya, Muhammad Moniruzzaman, Masahiro Goto

Publications and Research

Transdermal delivery of high-molecular-weight proteins is challenging because of their large molecular size and hydrophilicity, and the barrier properties of the stratum corneum. We report a hydrated ionic liquid-in-oil (HIL/O) microemulsion for transdermal delivery of high-molecular-weight proteins. A biocompatible ionic liquid (IL) composed of cholinium cation and propionate anion, optimized at 45 wt% hydration, was developed as a protein-compatible solubilization medium that dissolved ovalbumin (molecular mass ∼ 45 kDa) and bovine serum albumin (molecular mass ∼ 66 kDa), whereas lower hydration levels were insufficient for effective protein dissolution. Following solubilization, circular dichroism spectroscopy showed recovery of the native-like secondary structures …


Affordable Thermal Control For Cell Culture Chambers: An Open-Source, Pid-Based Heating Module, Majid Rostami, Sesha Sai Ramineni, Sangyoon J. Han Sep 2026

Affordable Thermal Control For Cell Culture Chambers: An Open-Source, Pid-Based Heating Module, Majid Rostami, Sesha Sai Ramineni, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

Commercial environmental control systems for live cell imaging chambers frequently cost $10,000–20,000. This paper presents an open-source, PID-controlled heating module built entirely from off-the-shelf components for approximately $500. The system employs four adhesively mounted polyimide heater pads driven at 12 VDC through a closed-loop chain: a K-type thermocouple feeds a Delta DTB4848LV controller, whose analog output is converted to PWM and applied to the heaters via an opto-isolated MOSFET switch. The required heating power was determined through analytical thermal sizing and verified by finite-element simulation (ANSYS Mechanical), confirming that the cell culture region reaches 37°C at steady state. Bench testing …


Evolution Of Raman And Photoluminescence Response In Molybdenum Disulfide Thin Films Deposited Via Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition, Wesley Jen, John D. Hues, Icelene Leong, Nolan H. Olaso, Ravindra K. Kanjolia, Mansour Moinpour, Steven M. Hues, Elton Graugnard Sep 2026

Evolution Of Raman And Photoluminescence Response In Molybdenum Disulfide Thin Films Deposited Via Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition, Wesley Jen, John D. Hues, Icelene Leong, Nolan H. Olaso, Ravindra K. Kanjolia, Mansour Moinpour, Steven M. Hues, Elton Graugnard

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

In order to enable further advances in microelectronics, new processes capable of precisely depositing films are required. This is especially true of processes meant for depositing two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides, such as MoS2, a material of particular interest due to its high potential mobility even at a thickness of a few atoms. In this work, we report industry-compatible processes for depositing crystalline MoS2 with a high degree of precision. We demonstrate the successful conversion of both MoOx and MoSx films deposited via thermal atomic layer deposition using bis(tert-butylimido)bis(dimethylamino)Mo(VI) and H2O or H2S, respectively, into crystalline MoS2 films after an …


Probe Cytotoxic And Oxidative Stress Effects Of Nanoplastics On Caco-2 Cells: Insights From Raman Spectroscopy And Machine Learning, Bryan Gustafson, Negar Kosari, Emily Brothersen, Morgan Mosher, Anhong Zhou Aug 2026

Probe Cytotoxic And Oxidative Stress Effects Of Nanoplastics On Caco-2 Cells: Insights From Raman Spectroscopy And Machine Learning, Bryan Gustafson, Negar Kosari, Emily Brothersen, Morgan Mosher, Anhong Zhou

Biological Engineering Student Research

Nanoplastics and microplastics have become an increasing ecological and health concern due to their widespread presence in the environment and food chain. In this study, Caco-2 cells were used as an in vitro model of the human intestinal epithelium to investigate the cytotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and microparticles of varying sizes, concentrations, and surface modification. Oxidative stress and apoptosis were evaluated following particle exposure. Raman spectroscopy, combined with machine learning analysis, was employed to detect and characterize biochemical alterations in the cells. Several peak ratios were selected to cluster data depending on size. A correlation between apoptosis and both …


Enhancing Algae Biofilm Quantity And Value Through Controlled Light Intensity For Treatment Of Municipal Anaerobic Digestor Effluent, Joshua D. Wintch, Ronald C. Sims Aug 2026

Enhancing Algae Biofilm Quantity And Value Through Controlled Light Intensity For Treatment Of Municipal Anaerobic Digestor Effluent, Joshua D. Wintch, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Student Research

Rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABRs) have been shown to remove nutrients from wastewater and to cultivate algae for bioproducts. Another key variable in RABR technology for cultivating microalgae biomass is light intensity. The goal of this study was to address a gap in the design and operation of algae biofilm reactors by analyzing the effects of light intensity on biomass quality and quantity, chemical precipitation of phosphorus, and phosphorus uptake into biomass. This study utilized a triplicate laboratory-scale experiment with PAR intensities from 10 to 2000 µmol m−2·s−1. Municipal wastewater anaerobic digester effluent (ADE) was utilized …


Single Fluorogens And Orientation-Localization Microscopy For Quantifying Chemical And Biomolecular Dynamics At The Nanoscale, Yiyang Chen, Yuanxin Qiu, Matthew D. Lew Aug 2026

Single Fluorogens And Orientation-Localization Microscopy For Quantifying Chemical And Biomolecular Dynamics At The Nanoscale, Yiyang Chen, Yuanxin Qiu, Matthew D. Lew

Electrical & Systems Engineering Publications and Presentations

Many chemical systems look uniform only because ensemble measurements average over their most interesting molecules. Electron-transfer rates vary across electrode surfaces; lipid membranes contain nanodomains with distinct packing and fluidity; peptide aggregates exhibit local polymorphism; and biomolecular condensates contain transient networks of interactions that are blurred in ensemble images. A central challenge in chemical imaging is not simply to see smaller structures, but to measure chemical variables such as polarity, redox potential, and molecular confinement at the single-molecule level. In this Account, we describe how fluorogens, molecules whose brightness, blinking, spectral shifts, orientation, rotational mobility, and motion are directly shaped …


Upar-Guided Dendrimer Gel Nanoparticles Reprogram Inflammation To Stabilize Atherosclerotic Plaques, Hsin Yin Chuang, Huari Kou, Yue-Wern Huang, Hu Yang Jul 2026

Upar-Guided Dendrimer Gel Nanoparticles Reprogram Inflammation To Stabilize Atherosclerotic Plaques, Hsin Yin Chuang, Huari Kou, Yue-Wern Huang, Hu Yang

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Atherosclerosis is characterized by lipid deposition, chronic inflammation, and apoptosis within the arterial wall, leading to plaque progression and instability. Current lipid-lowering therapies fail to fully address residual cardiovascular risk driven by local inflammation and cell death. Here, we report the development of uPA-functionalized, rapamycin-encapsulated dendrimer nanoparticles (G5PM-uPA/RA) that preferentially accumulate in urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR)-enriched atherosclerotic plaque, including macrophage- and apoptosis-rich lesion microenvironments. G5PM-uPA/RA was constructed by cross-linking reaction-enabled flash nanoprecipitation in a custom-made multi-inlet vortex mixer, followed by thiol-maleimide conjugation of uPA for uPAR-guided targeting. The nanoparticles demonstrated uniform morphology, favorable stability, and efficient rapamycin loading. In …


Purification And Concentration Of Model Viruses Using Single-Pass Tangential Flow Filtration, Luis Alberto Mejía-Manzano, Lynn M. Manchester, Grace Wallis, Kan Wang, Bruce Lee, Michael Betenbaugh, Caryn Heldt Jul 2026

Purification And Concentration Of Model Viruses Using Single-Pass Tangential Flow Filtration, Luis Alberto Mejía-Manzano, Lynn M. Manchester, Grace Wallis, Kan Wang, Bruce Lee, Michael Betenbaugh, Caryn Heldt

Michigan Tech Publications

The vaccine and viral vector industry is growing at an accelerated rate. To improve harvest and purification processes, the development of continuous membrane-based operations, such as normal flow filtration (NFF) and single pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) for concentration were explored. This work was conducted using two model viruses, non-enveloped porcine parvovirus (PPV) and enveloped Suid herpesvirus (SuHV). The viruses are in the same family as the gene therapy vectors adeno associated virus and herpes simplex virus, respectively. SPTFF design started with batch TFF for membrane selection. Hollow fiber membranes with a 100 and 300 kDa molecular weight cut off …


Interpretable Machine Learning Of Plasma Proteomics Reveals Stage-Specific Signatures Across The Alzheimer's Disease Continuum, Hemshankar Laugi Jul 2026

Interpretable Machine Learning Of Plasma Proteomics Reveals Stage-Specific Signatures Across The Alzheimer's Disease Continuum, Hemshankar Laugi

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

Alzheimer’s pathology begins years before clinical symptoms, starting early with amyloid-β accumulation, followed by tau deposition and neurodegeneration. Although existing tools, such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) screening and PET/MRI imaging, can accurately track disease progression, they are invasive, expensive, and not scalable for population-level screening. So, there is a growing interest in using blood-based plasma biomarkers as a scalable alternative. While recent studies demonstrate strong predictive performance with plasma biomarkers, most rely on a small set of canonical blood-based protein biomarkers such as amyloid-β, p-tau, and neurofilament light. These biomarkers primarily reflect downstream brain pathology and may fail to capture …


Objective Biomarker Development For Parameter Optimization In Neuromodulation Using High-Density Emg Temporal And Spatial Features, Shirin Madarshahian, Nikoo Javadpour, Michael Trakhtorchuck, Tatiana Guerrero-David, Kristin Gustafson, James Harrop, Caio Matias, M. J. Mulcahey, Alessandro Naopli, Alex R. Vaccaro, Mijail Serruya Jun 2026

Objective Biomarker Development For Parameter Optimization In Neuromodulation Using High-Density Emg Temporal And Spatial Features, Shirin Madarshahian, Nikoo Javadpour, Michael Trakhtorchuck, Tatiana Guerrero-David, Kristin Gustafson, James Harrop, Caio Matias, M. J. Mulcahey, Alessandro Naopli, Alex R. Vaccaro, Mijail Serruya

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a promising neuromodulation approach for motor recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI), yet clinical programming remains largely dependent on subjective parameter selection. This study evaluated high-density surface EMG (HD-sEMG)–derived spatial and temporal features as objective biomarkers for tSCS optimization in three adults with chronic cervical SCI. A 64-channel electrode array recorded stimulation-evoked responses across five cervical stimulation levels, four pulse widths, and graded amplitudes. Features describing activation magnitude, spatial distribution, cluster morphology, and temporal dynamics were extracted from epoch-based activation maps. Of the three enrolled participants, two demonstrated measurable stimulation-evoked responses and contributed to …


Force-Feedback And Load Sharing Mechanisms In Cardiac Myosin Ii Ensembles Revealed By Motor-Specific Perturbations, Omayma Alazzam, Md. Amzadul Hoque Chowdhury, Heath M. Stevens Jun 2026

Force-Feedback And Load Sharing Mechanisms In Cardiac Myosin Ii Ensembles Revealed By Motor-Specific Perturbations, Omayma Alazzam, Md. Amzadul Hoque Chowdhury, Heath M. Stevens

Faculty and Student Publications

Myosin II motors within ensembles exhibit emergent force-generating behavior that varies based on ensemble size and makeup. However, the mechanisms by which myosins within ensembles sense and modulate behavior due to local and systemic changes in motor behavior, and concomitantly mechanics, remains unclear. To understand how myosin kinetics alter ensemble-level force generation, we employ myosin inotropes, specifically Mavacamten (MAVA) and Omecamtiv Mecarbil (OM), to pointedly alter myosin behavior in a concentration-dependent manner. MAVA has been shown to reduce the number of active myosin heads participating in crossbridge formation and force generation, while OM is recognized for prolonging motor attachment to …


Oriented Electrospun Fibers Of Poly(Pro-Curcumin/Peg) Sequester Reactive Oxygen Species And Promote The Growth Of Schwann Cells, Jack W. Devlin, Payton R. O'Connor, Conrad H. Cheung, John T. Leman, Martin Oudega, Edmund F. Palermo, Ryan J. Gilbert Jun 2026

Oriented Electrospun Fibers Of Poly(Pro-Curcumin/Peg) Sequester Reactive Oxygen Species And Promote The Growth Of Schwann Cells, Jack W. Devlin, Payton R. O'Connor, Conrad H. Cheung, John T. Leman, Martin Oudega, Edmund F. Palermo, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the biological injury microenvironment, pathologically elevated oxidative stress hinders healthy cell migration. Aligned electrospun fibers are used as tissue engineering scaffolds to support and guide the directionality of cell migration. The ability of cells in the central nervous system to sequester and quench reactive oxygen species is limited, and most electrospun fibers do not exert any antioxidant activity on contact. Thus, the challenge remains in designing a scaffold that can both guide cells to the injury site as well as sequester and quench excess free radicals, allowing cells to thrive and potentially regenerate. Curcumin is a well-known, potent antioxidant, …


Investigation Of Electrochemical Transport, Gate Leakage, And Transconductance Behavior In Pedot:Pss Organic Electrochemical Transistors, Vinay Bhudhraja, Bilal Khan, Abijeet Mehta Jun 2026

Investigation Of Electrochemical Transport, Gate Leakage, And Transconductance Behavior In Pedot:Pss Organic Electrochemical Transistors, Vinay Bhudhraja, Bilal Khan, Abijeet Mehta

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) are promising candidates for low-voltage bioelectronic systems due to their high transconductance, mixed ionic–electronic transport, and compatibility with flexible substrates. In this work, we investigate the electrochemical transport, gate leakage, and transconductance behavior of screen-printed PEDOT:PSS OECTs, with emphasis on the relationship between ionic coupling and output characteristics. Key electrical and electrochemical parameters—including drain current modulation, transconductance evolution, gate current behavior, and capacitance–voltage response—were systematically analyzed to elucidate the mechanisms governing device operation. The results reveal clear trade-offs between parasitic resistance, volumetric electrochemical capacitance, and effective gate control, which in turn influence signal integrity and amplification …


Comparative Analysis Of Leaflet Materials, Stent Materials, And Stent Cell Density For Bileaflet Transcatheter Mitral Valve Design, Joseph Chibuike Nwokeafor, Joshua D. Hofmeister, Breandan B. Yeats, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, Charanjit S. Rihal, Juan A. Crestanello, Leigh Griffiths, Mohamad A. Alkhouli, Hoda Hatoum Jun 2026

Comparative Analysis Of Leaflet Materials, Stent Materials, And Stent Cell Density For Bileaflet Transcatheter Mitral Valve Design, Joseph Chibuike Nwokeafor, Joshua D. Hofmeister, Breandan B. Yeats, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, Charanjit S. Rihal, Juan A. Crestanello, Leigh Griffiths, Mohamad A. Alkhouli, Hoda Hatoum

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: The biomechanical performance of bileaflet transcatheter mitral valves (TMVs) depends on complex interactions between leaflet material behavior and stent design. However, the contributions of leaflet materials and constitutive models, stent materials, and stent geometry to valve function and durability remain poorly understood. Methods: A parametric finite element study was conducted using a CAD model of a bileaflet TMV subjected to physiological pressure loading. Five leaflet material models were evaluated: 3 glutaraldehyde-fixed tissues—bovine pericardium (BP; FBP1, FBP2) and porcine pericardium (PP; FPP)—and 2 unfixed tissues—bovine (UBP) and porcine pericardium (UPP). BP was modeled as a linear elastic (FBP1) and Ogden …


Evaluating Chest-Worn Light Logger Adherence: Development And Application Of A Wear/Non-Wear Model, Carlyn Patterson Gentile, Adah Thomas, Ryan Shah, Blanca Marquez De Prado, Nichelle Raj, Christina Szperka, Geoffrey Aguirre Jun 2026

Evaluating Chest-Worn Light Logger Adherence: Development And Application Of A Wear/Non-Wear Model, Carlyn Patterson Gentile, Adah Thomas, Ryan Shah, Blanca Marquez De Prado, Nichelle Raj, Christina Szperka, Geoffrey Aguirre

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Light exposure plays an important role in overall health because it entrains circadian rhythms. Recent technological advances in wearable light loggers allow measurement daily light exposure habits. Using a chest-worn light logger, our goal was to (1) develop methodology for differentiating adherent versus non-adherent use, and (2) define differences in lighting intensity in indoor and outdoor environments, to improve data reliability in future clinical studies using this technology. Four testers used a 10-channel chest worn light logging device under different conditions of wear and non-wear (experiment 1), and another tester made measurements with the light logger across a variety of …


Emerging Biomaterials For Next-Generation Wound Healing: From Infection Control To Tissue Regeneration, Unqa Mustafa, Aiman Kaleem, Syeda Zunaira Bukhari, Hamna Riaz, Maryam Iftikhar, Muhammad Usman Munir, Xianghao Xiao, Mingwu Shen, Xiangyang Shi, Mostafa Yazdi, Ayesha Ihsan Jun 2026

Emerging Biomaterials For Next-Generation Wound Healing: From Infection Control To Tissue Regeneration, Unqa Mustafa, Aiman Kaleem, Syeda Zunaira Bukhari, Hamna Riaz, Maryam Iftikhar, Muhammad Usman Munir, Xianghao Xiao, Mingwu Shen, Xiangyang Shi, Mostafa Yazdi, Ayesha Ihsan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wound healing is a multifactorial biological process that regenerates damaged tissues through a series of molecular and cellular events in a coordinated manner. An interruption in this cascade can lead to impaired healing, especially in diabetic complications, where effective treatment is crucial for controlling infections and promoting tissue regeneration. Recent advances in bioengineering and digital health have catalyzed the development of next-generation wound therapies capable of actively modulating the wound microenvironment, promoting regeneration, and enabling real-time clinical assessment. This review summarizes the fundamentals of physiological wound healing and highlights the significant developments in biomaterial dressings and scaffolds, 3D bioprinting, as …


Effects Of Overcorrection On Mitigating Uncontrolled Tipping During Incisor Retraction Using Clear Aligners: Finite Element Analysis And In Vitro Experiment, Jianing Wang, Niko Burger, Bo Wang, Linxia Gu, Pengfei Dong Jun 2026

Effects Of Overcorrection On Mitigating Uncontrolled Tipping During Incisor Retraction Using Clear Aligners: Finite Element Analysis And In Vitro Experiment, Jianing Wang, Niko Burger, Bo Wang, Linxia Gu, Pengfei Dong

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Uncontrolled tipping during incisor retraction with clear aligners continues to limit orthodontic treatment. Different countermeasures have been proposed to improve the predictability of aligners, such as power ridges and attachments, while their efficacy requires further investigation. This work investigated the biomechanics of the overcorrection in reducing the tipping angle and moment during incisor retraction with a clear aligner, through in vitro experiments and finite element analysis (FEA). Specifically, the influence of overcorrection angle (1 deg), retraction distance (0.15 mm), and the combination of both were assessed through in vitro experiments and the finite element simulation. Further computational simulations were conducted …


Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds For In Vitro 3d Tissue Engineering, Victoria E. Santillan, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao, Stephanie Bule, Ronish M. Shrestha, Carter Rodzik, Alan Mendoza Estrada, Stephen L. Farias, Marina Tanasova, Smitha Rao May 2026

Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffolds For In Vitro 3d Tissue Engineering, Victoria E. Santillan, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao, Stephanie Bule, Ronish M. Shrestha, Carter Rodzik, Alan Mendoza Estrada, Stephen L. Farias, Marina Tanasova, Smitha Rao

Michigan Tech Publications

Tissue engineering is widely used in research for investigating cellular proliferation, behavior, and responses to various stimuli. However, the predictive value of preclinical studies using cell culture plates is limited by the inability to recapitulate the complexity of the physiological microenvironment. Synthetic three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds can be engineered to mimic the complex morphology of the extracellular matrix of native tissues and can serve as physiologically relevant platforms for preclinical studies. In this study, 3D electrospun scaffolds were characterized to aid in breast cancer research. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on scaffold fabrication or cell viability, this work systematically evaluates …


Accelerating Wound Healing Rates With Cucurbita Pepo Leaf Extract Loaded Electrospun Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)/Halloysite/Chitosan/ Caco₃ Composite Nanofibers Through In Vitro And In Vivo Assessments, Samar A. Salim May 2026

Accelerating Wound Healing Rates With Cucurbita Pepo Leaf Extract Loaded Electrospun Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)/Halloysite/Chitosan/ Caco₃ Composite Nanofibers Through In Vitro And In Vivo Assessments, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Cucurbita pepo leaf extract (CPE) was incorporated into electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate)/ halloysite/chitosan/ CaCO₃ (PMMA/Hal/CS/CaCO₃) composite nanofibers to develop a novel biomaterial for accelerating wound healing rates. The different nanofibrous scaffolds were successfully fabricated and characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM analysis revealed uniform, smooth nanofibers, while FTIR and XRD confirmed the integration of CPE into nanofiber matrix, indicating an amorphous structure and effective dispersion of the extract. In vitro agar well-diffusion and antibiofilm assays revealed that the optimized formulation exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against wound-associated pathogens. The nanofibers composite based on …


Characterizing Stiffness Dynamics Of Normal And Malignant Breast Spheroids Using Brillouin Microscopy, Razanne Rafat Zaghloul, Karlin Hilai, Chenjun Shi, Jitao Zhang May 2026

Characterizing Stiffness Dynamics Of Normal And Malignant Breast Spheroids Using Brillouin Microscopy, Razanne Rafat Zaghloul, Karlin Hilai, Chenjun Shi, Jitao Zhang

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Breast cancer progression and metastasis are closely linked to alterations in the mechanical properties of tumor cells and their microenvironment. Softer, more deformable cells are often associated with higher metastatic potential. While atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the current gold standard for mechanical characterization, it is limited to surface measurements and can damage 3D cultures. It remains unclear how the mechanical properties evolve over time in normal versus malignant spheroids. This study utilizes Brillouin light-scattering microscopy, a non-contact and label-free optical technique, to assess stiffness changes in normal and malignant breast epithelial spheroids over time. Understanding these mechanical signatures …


A Novel Machine-Learning Based Method For Resolving Secondary Structure Topology In Medium-Resolution Cryo-Em Density Maps, Bahareh Behkamal, Mohammad Parsa Etemadheravi, Ali Mahmoodjanloo, Amin Mansoori, Mahmoud Naghibzadeh, Kamal Al Nasr, Mohammad Reza Saberi May 2026

A Novel Machine-Learning Based Method For Resolving Secondary Structure Topology In Medium-Resolution Cryo-Em Density Maps, Bahareh Behkamal, Mohammad Parsa Etemadheravi, Ali Mahmoodjanloo, Amin Mansoori, Mahmoud Naghibzadeh, Kamal Al Nasr, Mohammad Reza Saberi

Computer Science Faculty Research

Medium-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) density maps preserve substantial information about protein secondary-structure organization; however, accurately recovering the topology and connectivity of α-helices and β-strands remains challenging due to noise, structural heterogeneity, and the intrinsic resolution limitations that obscure residue-level detail. Topology determination is a key intermediate step toward building atomic protein models from medium-resolution cryo-EM density maps. It requires identifying the correct correspondence and orientation between secondary-structure elements (SSEs), i.e., α-helices and β-strands, predicted from the amino-acid sequence and those detected in the three dimensional (3D) density map. Despite significant advances in cryo-EM reconstruction and molecular modelling, this correspondence problem …


A New Electroencephalography Electrode Design For Curly And Kinky Hair Types, Elena Butler May 2026

A New Electroencephalography Electrode Design For Curly And Kinky Hair Types, Elena Butler

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Medical discrimination and implicit bias are present in both societal systems and into the design and validation of medical devices. Traditional electroencephalography (EEG) systems often fail to provide reliable physiological recordings on curly and kinky hair types (3B–4C), associated typically with Black American and others of African descent. EEG on these hair types often results in high electrode-scalp impedance, poor signal quality, and participant discomfort. Consequently, such technical biases contribute to the underrepresentation of these populations in neuroscience research and clinical diagnostics, while simultaneously limiting equitable access to EEG-based medical care.

To address this gap, a novel conductive electrode attachment …


Beyond Local Pathology: Exploring The Role Of Gut Microbiota In Chronic Low Back Pain Using An Integrated Behavioral And Microbiological Approach, Adan L. Redwine May 2026

Beyond Local Pathology: Exploring The Role Of Gut Microbiota In Chronic Low Back Pain Using An Integrated Behavioral And Microbiological Approach, Adan L. Redwine

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chronic low back pain (LBP) affects millions worldwide, often originating from intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. While the gut microbiome modulates musculoskeletal pain, prior studies of the gut-disc axis have focused entirely on structural changes. This leaves a critical gap: does the microbiome influence the experience of discogenic pain? To answer this, an integrated approach using longitudinal gut microbiome profiling, machine learning-based behavioral phenotyping, and structural disc assessments in a rat model of discogenic LBP was utilized.

Female Sprague Dawley rats underwent one of four conditions: sham surgery, IVD injury, antibiotic-mediated microbiome depletion + IVD injury, or IVD injury + treatment …


Preclinical Animal Modeling To Investigate Redox-Mediated Molecular Dysfunction In Traumatic Brain Injury, Brandon Z. Mcdonald May 2026

Preclinical Animal Modeling To Investigate Redox-Mediated Molecular Dysfunction In Traumatic Brain Injury, Brandon Z. Mcdonald

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Impacts associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) induce a multitude of neurological morbidities mediated by a spread of biochemical dysfunction. Redox stress is a significant contributor to TBI pathophysiology and several redox stress markers have substantial evidence to support their role in diagnosing preclinical and clinical TBI. However, there is a critical need to verify their translational utility through correlations with behavioral, imaging, and molecular modalities. In chapter two, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of an antioxidant treatment (NPC3) using a controlled cortical impact (CCI) mouse model of TBI. NPC3 alleviated glial expression and reactivity while influencing the expression of …


A Webcam Eye Tracking Infrastructure For Software Engineering Tasks, Zachary M. Kozak May 2026

A Webcam Eye Tracking Infrastructure For Software Engineering Tasks, Zachary M. Kozak

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Performing eye tracking utilizing commodity webcams has been explored for over a decade, but limited camera quality and sensitivity to head movements have hindered its adoption in research settings. Recent advances in consumer-grade webcams and machine learning methods present an opportunity to improve the accuracy of webcam eye tracking and extend the feasibility of studies beyond controlled laboratory environments.

Current popular webcam eye tracking methods restrict implementations to the browser and rely on continuous user interactions for calibration, limiting the kinds of studies that can be conducted. This thesis presents a feature-based gaze prediction system that incorporates eye geometry and …


An Evaluation Of Total Navicular Implants: A Scoping Review, James Mcclure Hughes, Nicholas Belardo Obias, Amanda Killeen Apr 2026

An Evaluation Of Total Navicular Implants: A Scoping Review, James Mcclure Hughes, Nicholas Belardo Obias, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety profile of total navicular implants based on current literature.

Navicular insults such as high-energy trauma, osteonecrosis, and Muller-Weiss syndrome may result in avascular necrosis or a critical sized bone defect, conditions that are highly difficult to manage given current treatment modalities. Total navicular implants may offer a solution to these problems. While 3D printing of implants remains investigational, its use in highly individualized cases involving the talus has had promising results with conditions like avascular necrosis, tumors, trauma, and arthritis. The navicular is unique in its attachments to …


Vitasense: Noninvasive Physiological Signal Measurement From Video Data, Ava Dorow, Justin Mcparland, Ashley Schindler Apr 2026

Vitasense: Noninvasive Physiological Signal Measurement From Video Data, Ava Dorow, Justin Mcparland, Ashley Schindler

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

  • Heart rate monitoring enables proactive patient care
  • Imaging Photoplethysmography (iPPG) enables noncontact measurement 
  • Improves access to remote and virtual care


Biopulse: Split Hopkinson (Kolsky) Bar, Andrew Carr, Sebastian Deniz, Rachel Hizon, Stefan Paton Apr 2026

Biopulse: Split Hopkinson (Kolsky) Bar, Andrew Carr, Sebastian Deniz, Rachel Hizon, Stefan Paton

Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications

A Split Hopkinson (Kolsky) Bar is a device used to find a material’s mechanical response under high strain rate loading scenarios (10² – 10⁴ s⁻¹) [1]. It is commonly used to simulate vehicle crashes or ballistic impacts. The novelty of the device is its size and cost of its components compared to other SPHBs on the market. The motivation is to further the capabilities on campus by providing the first dynamic material testing device.