Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Overexpression And Biophysical And Functional Characterization Of A Recombinant Fgf21, Phuc Phan, Jason Hoang, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine FGF that plays a vital role in regulating essential metabolic pathways. FGF21 increases glucose uptake by cells, promotes fatty acid oxidation, reduces blood glucose levels, and alleviates metabolic diseases. However, detailed studies on its stability and biophysical characteristics have not been reported. Herein, we present the overexpression, biophysical characterization, and metabolic activity of a soluble recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21). The far-UV circular dichroism spectra of rFGF21 show a negative trough at 215 nm, indicating that the protein’s backbone predominantly adopts a β sheet conformation. rFGF21 shows intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence at 305 nm. Thermal …

Engineering Pamam Dendrimers For Optimized Drug Delivery, Amin Aleebrahim Dehkordi, Shirin Mollazadeh, Amirreza Talaie, Mostafa Yazdimamaghani

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dendrimers, first introduced by Fritz Vögtle in 1978, have emerged as promising nanocarriers for drug delivery due to their unique branched architecture, large internal cavities, and numerous surface amine groups. These dendrimers efficiently load various drugs through electrostatic interactions, covalent bonding, or encapsulation, owing to their high density of terminal amine groups. However, the inherent cationic nature of PAMAM dendrimers can lead to cytotoxicity and limited systemic circulation due to interactions with negatively charged biomolecules. To address these limitations, surface modification strategies have been developed to enhance targeting, trigger-controlled drug release, and decrease cytotoxicity. This review critically examines recent advancements …

Computational Model Of Coarctation Of The Aorta In Rabbits Suggests Persistent Ascending Aortic Remodeling Post-Correction, Ashley A. Hiebing, Matthew A. Culver, John F. Ladisa, Colleen M. Witzenburg

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a common congenital cardiovascular lesion that presents as a localized narrowing of the proximal descending aorta. While improvements in surgical and catheter-based techniques have increased short-term survival, there is a high long-term risk of hypertension and a reduced average lifespan despite correction. Computational models can be used to estimate aortic remodeling and peripheral vascular compensation, potentially serving as key tools in developing a mechanistic understanding of the interplay between pre-treatment dynamics, post-treatment recovery, and long-term hypertension risk. In this study, we developed a lumped-parameter model of the heart and circulation to simulate CoA. After …

Hagfish Protein Models Of Heart Tissue Reveal Processes Of Diabetes, Maelyn Andreasen

Research on Capitol Hill

Diabetic cardiomyopathy impairs and damages heart tissue through chronic exposure to hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, in diabetic individuals. 

Studying the disease in heart tissue is difficult, so we set out to create a three-dimensional heart model that we can study under these hyperglycemic conditions.

Genetic Engineering In Alpacas May Unlock Cures For Currently Incurable Human Disease, James Cisneros

Research on Capitol Hill

We aimed to establish laparoscopic ovum pickup (L-OPU) techniques in alpaca to retrieve oocytes for in vitro maturation and fertilization. Our project successfully retrieved and matured alpaca oocytes in vitro, a crucial step toward genetic engineering. Next, we will apply CRISPR-Cas9 to deactivate the IGM gene in fertilized embryos, aiming to enhance HCAb production. This will lay the foundation for humanizing these antibodies, making them viable for therapeutic use in human medicine.

There May Be A Safer Treatment Against A Virus That Can Cause Birth Defects And Hearing Loss, Kade Robison

Research on Capitol Hill

CMV is the leading cause of non-genetic birth defects and hearing loss.

Recent Developments In Heterologous Expression Of Cellulases Using The Pichia Pastoris Expression System: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Nazish Muzaffar, Abdur Raziq, Muhammad Waseem Khan, Niaz Muhammad Khan, Bushra Shahid, Anbareen Gul, Hayat Ullah

Biological Engineering Student Research

Cellulosic biomass is considered an important and sustainable source of renewable energy, which needs a complex mixture of different enzymes for its degradation. After amylase, cellulases are the second most important enzymes, gain more importance due to their broad range of applications at the industrial level, and are considered more economical and environmentally friendly; researchers have focused more on the production of cellulase with its higher expression rate and low cost. Pichia pastoris, a methylotrophic yeast strain, has a more effective and well-established system for the production of heterologous proteins, particularly for industrial enzymes. Moreover, its readily achievable high-density …

Anxiety Reduction In Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Novel Deep-Pressure Cutaneous Stimulation Therapy, Aaron Andrews, Jordyn Huecker, Kennedy Madrid, Lorissa Thorpe, James Fini, Josilyn Zamora, Victoria Oyeniyi, Maura Hart, Amanda Page, James Barber, Chase Taylor, Halah Khan, Spencer Willardson, Kyle Bills Phd, Christina Small

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Trpv4 Dominates High Shear-Induced Initial Traction Response And Long-Term Relaxation Over Piezo1, Mohanish Chandurkar, Manli Yang, Majid Rostami, Sangyoon J. Han

Michigan Tech Publications

Modulation of endothelial traction is critical for the responses of endothelial cells to fluid shear stress (FSS), which has profound implications for vascular health and atherosclerosis. Previously, we demonstrated that under high FSS, endothelial cells rapidly increase traction forces, followed by relaxation, with traction aligning in the flow direction. In contrast, low shear preconditioning induces a modest short-term increase in traction (min), followed by a secondary long-term (>14 hr) rise, with traction/cells aligning perpendicular to the flow. The upstream mechanosensors driving these responses, however, remain unknown. Here, we sought the roles of Piezo1 and TRPV4 ion channels in shear-induced …

Identifying Breathing, Swallowing, And Speech Biosignatures In Parkinson’S Disease Patients With Wearable Devices, Amanda Brandaris, Katherine Shishido, Rohaan Manzoor, Ethan Hampton, Karthik Jasty, Kelvin Guo, Anna Fish, Spencer Peterson, Ulrike H. Mitchell Phd, Phillip Sechtem Phd, Ccc-Slp, Paula Johnson Phd, Anton E. Bowden Phd, Miriam Cortez-Cooper Pt, Phd, Pamela I. Barney Msrt, Rrt, Ae-C, Nps, John A. Kriak Pharmd

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Hemodynamics Of Slip Surfaces For Thrombosis Control In Implanted Cardiovascular Devices, Kieun Choi, Weiguang Yang, On Shun Pak, Jongmin Seo

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Percutaneous medical devices are preferred for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases due to their minimal intervention compared to surgery. However, complications such as thrombosis remain significant challenges. This study aims to investigate the hemodynamic effects of slip surfaces on pacemaker leads and coronary stents using computational fluid dynamics under physiological conditions. Two computational models were developed: a venous anatomical model with a pacemaker lead and a coronary artery model with a stent. Slip boundary conditions were applied to these devices, and we quantitatively analyzed critical hemodynamic parameters, including wall shear stress (WSS) and residence time (RT), which are associated with …

Connecting Developed Pressure – Preload Relationship In Ex-Vivo Beating Heart With Cellular Sarcomere Length – Tension Relationship, Lei Fan, Vahid Ziaei-Rad, Jason Bazil, Lik Chuan Lee

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The heart’s developed pressure (DP) in Langendorff heart experiments increases with preload via the Frank-Starling mechanism up to a critical transition point at which DP starts to decrease with preload. A similar behavior is found at the cellular level, where the tension developed by skinned cardiac fibers or myocytes in isometric tension test increases with sarcomere length up to a transition point beyond which, the tension decreases. This cellular-level behavior is termed myofilament length dependent activation. While these two behaviors are similar, they occur at vastly different scales. Specifically, the DP – preload and sarcomere length – tension relationships occur, …

High Shear Stress Reduces Erg Causing Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition And Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Tsutomu Shinohara, Jan-Renier Moonen, Yoon Hong Chun, Yannick C. Lee-Yow, Kenichi Okamura, Jason M. Szafron, Jordan Kaplan, Aiqin Cao, Lingli Wang, Weiguang Yang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Computational modeling indicated that pathological high shear stress (HSS; 100 dyn/cm2) is generated in pulmonary arteries (PAs; 100-500 µm) in congenital heart defects causing PA hypertension (PAH) and in idiopathic PAH with occlusive vascular remodeling. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a feature of PAH. We hypothesize that HSS induces EndMT, contributing to the initiation and progression of PAH.

Methods: We used the Ibidi perfusion system to determine whether HSS applied to human PA endothelial cells (ECs) induces EndMT when compared with physiological laminar shear stress (15 dyn/cm2). The mechanism was investigated and targeted to prevent PAH in a mouse with …

Pancreatic Cancer Extracellular Vesicles Stimulate Schwann Cell Activation And Perineural Invasion In Vitro Via Il-8/Ccl2, Emory Gregory, Isabel Powers, Azemat Jamshidi-Parsian, Robert J. Griffin, Younghye Song

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and perineural invasion (PNI), in which cancer cells infiltrate nerves, enables metastasis in most patients. PNI is largely attributed to Schwann cells (SC) that, when activated, accelerate cancer cell migration towards nerves. However, this cancer-associated reprogramming is generally under-appreciated. Additionally, tumor extracellular vesicle (EV) facilitation of cancer aggravation is well documented, but more investigation is required to better understand their role in PNI. Here, we assessed whether PDAC EVs mediate PNI via SC activation using tissue-engineered in vitro platforms and PANC-1 and HPNE human cell lines as models. …

Comparison Of Milling Cutting Forces In Synthetic And Biological Cancellous Bone, Matthew Christopher Hartwell

Masters Theses

In many orthopedic and dental interventions, the cutting and removal of bone is necessary. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the tools used during these procedures are designed and tested with biological bone or a bone surrogate material that machines the same way as biological bone. To avoid the cost, hazard, and inconsistency of biological cadaveric bone or animal models, many biological engineering firms use bone surrogate material made of glass fiber filled epoxy and polyurethane foam. Although these materials may mimic the elongation of cortical and cancellous bone, respectively, the match of machinability of the bone is …

Fast 3d Printing Of Fine, Continuous, And Soft Fibers Via Embedded Solvent Exchange, Wonsik Eom, Mohammad Tanver Hossain, Vidush Parasramka, Jeongmin Kim, Ryan W. Y. Siu, Kate A. Sanders, Dakota Piorkowski, Andrew Lowe, Hyun Gi Koh, Michael F. L. De Volder, Douglas S. Fudge, Randy H. Ewoldt, Sameh H. Tawfick

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nature uses fibrous structures for sensing and structural functions as observed in hairs, whiskers, stereocilia, spider silks, and hagfish slime thread skeins. Here, we demonstrate multi-nozzle printing of 3D hair arrays having freeform trajectories at a very high rate, with fiber diameters as fine as 1.5 µm, continuous lengths reaching tens of centimeters, and a wide range of materials with elastic moduli from 5 MPa to 3500 MPa. This is achieved via 3D printing by rapid solvent exchange in high yield stress micro granular gel, leading to radial solidification of the extruded polymer filament at a rate of 2.33 μm/s. …

Chemical Damping Of The Motion Of A Piston: Irreversibilities Arising From Nonequilibrium Conditions On The Chemical Potential, David S. Corti, Mark J. Uline

Faculty Publications

We revisit the thermodynamic analysis of an isothermal ideal gas mixture enclosed within a cylinder and separated from the surrounding atmosphere by a movable and frictionless piston. When equilibrium conditions based on the chemical potentials of one or more species in the mixture are not satisfied at all times, which occurs for example for a chemical reaction with finite and non-zero reaction rates in the forward and reverse directions and for mass transfer of one species across a permeable membrane occurring at a finite and non-zero rate, an irreversibility is necessarily introduced into the system with a resulting increase in …

Calcium Phosphate Formation And Deposition In Ischemic Neurons, Shu Q. Liu, John B. Troy, Jeremy Goldman, Roger J. Guillory

Michigan Tech Publications

Ischemic stroke causes acute brain calcium phosphate (CaP) deposition, a process involving primarily the injured neurons. Whereas the adverse impact of CaP deposition on the brain structure and function has been recognized, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This investigation demonstrated that the neuron-expressed, plasma membrane-associated Ca2+-binding proteins annexin (Anx) A2, AnxA5, AnxA6, and AnxA7 contributed to neuronal CaP deposition in the mouse model of ischemic stroke. These Anxs were released from the degraded plasma membrane of the ischemic neurons and were able to form Anx/CaP complexes, a nanostructure capable of binding to the β actin filaments via Anx–actin interaction …

Associations Between Social Determinants Of Health And Mental Health Disorders Among U.S. Population: A Cross-Sectional Study, S. Tanarsuwongkul

Faculty Publications

Aims

The impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on mental health is increasingly realized. A comprehensive study examining the associations of SDOH with mental health disorders has yet to be accomplished. This study evaluated the associations between five domains of SDOH and the SDOH summary score and mental health disorders in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed data from a diverse group of participants enrolled in the All of Us research programme, a research programme to gather data from one million people living in the United States, in a cross-sectional design. The primary exposure was SDOH based on Healthy …

Improving Rupture Status Prediction For Intracranial Aneurysms Using Wall Shear Stress Informatics, Jingfeng Jiang, Mostafa Rezaeitaleshmahalleh, Jinshan Tang, Joseph Gemmette, Aditya Pandey

Michigan Tech Publications

BACKGROUND: Wall shear stress (WSS) plays a crucial role in the natural history of intracranial aneurysms (IA). However, spatial variations among WSS have rarely been utilized to correlate with IAs' natural history. This study aims to establish the feasibility of using spatial patterns of WSS data to predict IAs' rupture status (i.e., ruptured versus unruptured). METHODS: "Patient-specific" computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed for 112 IAs; each IA's rupture status was known from medical records. Recall that CFD-simulated hemodynamics data (wall shear stress and its derivatives) are located on unstructured meshes. Hence, we mapped WSS data from an unstructured …

Advancing Prosthetic Technology: 3d-Printed Robotic Arm With Micro Linear Actuators, Vu Tran, Nathan Reed, Mahdi Yazdanpour

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The increasing demand for affordable and accessible prosthetic solutions has driven innovation in the field of robotics. In this project, we present the design and development of a 3D-printed robotic prosthetic arm aimed at addressing the challenges faced by individuals with upper limb amputations. Our prosthetic arm utilizes five micro linear actuators to achieve precise and naturalistic movement. The design of the prosthetic arm prioritizes affordability and accessibility, with a focus on leveraging 3D printing technology to reduce manufacturing costs and enable customization. The use of micro linear actuators offers advantages in terms of compactness, lightweight construction, and efficient power …

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 …