Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Neonatal Intraocular Injection And Delivery System, Nina Treacher, Cory Ramsey, Marie Kosco, Jackson Carrell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The proposed project is a way to deliver liquid medicine into the neonatal eye to prevent retinal detachment with lower risk for bacterial infection and drug misplacement. Currently, ophthalmologists use diabetic needles to introduce medication to the neonate eye. They estimate the injection location with hand-held calipers. This may allow the medicine to be misplaced from poor needle placement and introduce preventable error. The goal is to improve the delivery system ophthalmologists currently use by investigating ways to alter or enhance commonly used injection systems to make the procedure safer and more effective.

Making Sense Of Big (Kinematic) Data: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Movement Parameters In A Diverse Population, Naomi Wilma Nunis

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine how kinematic, big data can be evaluated using computational, comprehensive analysis of movement parameters in a diverse population.

METHODS

Retrospective data was collected, cleaned, and reviewed for further analysis of biomechanical movement in an active population using 3D collinear resistance loads. The active sample of the population involved in the study ranged from age 7 to 82 years old and respectively identified as active in 13 different sports. Moreover, a series of exercises were conducted by each participant across multiple sessions. Exercises were measured and recorded based on 6 distinct biometric …

Nanomaterial Payload Delivery To Central Nervous System Glia For Neural Protection And Repair, Jayant Saksena, Adelle E. Hamilton, Ryan J. Gilbert, Jonathan M. Zuidema

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Central nervous system (CNS) glia, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, play prominent roles in traumatic injury and degenerative disorders. Due to their importance, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are being developed to modulate CNS glia in order to improve outcomes in traumatic injury and disease. While many of these APIs show promise in vitro, the majority of APIs that are systemically delivered show little penetration through the blood–brain barrier (BBB) or blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) and into the CNS, rendering them ineffective. Novel nanomaterials are being developed to deliver APIs into the CNS to modulate glial responses and improve outcomes in …

Modeling Of Transport In Anatomic Respiratory Airways: Applications In Targeted Drug Delivery And Airborne Pathogenic Transmissions, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan Akash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore the potential of improving the efficacy of drugs for treatment of viral infections by targeting the nasopharynx, which is commonly the first site of infection for many viral pathogens. Currently, intranasal sprays are used, but the standard protocol (“Current Use” or CU) results in suboptimal drug deposition at the nasopharynx. To address this issue, an “Improved Use” or, IU protocol has been proposed, which involves pointing the spray bottle at a shallower angle and aiming slightly towards the cheeks. The IU delivery is also robust to perturbations in spray direction, which highlights the practical utility …

Breast Density Classification Using Deep Learning, Conrad Thomas Testagrose

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast density screenings are an accepted means to determine a patient's predisposed risk of breast cancer development. Although the direct correlation is not fully understood, breast cancer risk increases with higher levels of mammographic breast density. Radiologists visually assess a patient's breast density using mammogram images and assign a density score based on four breast density categories outlined by the Breast Imaging and Reporting Data Systems (BI-RADS). There have been efforts to develop automated tools that assist radiologists with increasing workloads and to help reduce the intra- and inter-rater variability between radiologists. In this thesis, I explored two deep-learning-based approaches …

โครงเนื้อเยื่อกินได้ไร้ผลิตภัณฑ์จากสัตว์สำหรับเพาะเลี้ยงเนื้อเทียม : อัลจิเนต/อะกาโรส/คาร์บอกซีเมทิลเซลลูโลส, เกรียงไกร เจษฎางกูร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การเพาะเลี้ยงเนื้อสัตว์เป็นแนวทางในการลดทรัพยากรที่ใช้ในการผลิตเนื้อสัตว์แบบดั้งเดิม ซึ่งไม่ต้องฆ่าสัตว์และลดผลิตภัณฑ์ที่ไม่ต้องการ วิธีกระบวนการนี้ต้องการโครงเนื้อเยื่อ 3 มิติ เพื่อให้เซลล์สามารถยึดติดบนโครงสร้างและขึ้นรูปเป็นก้อนเนื้อได้ นอกจากนั้น วัสดุของโครงเนื้อเยื่อต้องไม่ทำจากสัตว์อีกด้วย วัตถุประสงค์ของการศึกษานี้เพื่อตรวจสอบสมบัติเชิงกล รีโอโลยี ความเข้ากันได้ทางชีวภาพ และการปรับปรุงพื้นผิวสำหรับการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ของไฮโดรเจล 2% w/v อัลจิเนต, 0.8% w/v อะกาโรส และ 1.5% w/v คาร์บอกซีเมทิลเซลลูโลส โครงสร้าง 3 มิติถูกพิมพ์ด้วยเงื่อนไขการพิมพ์ที่เหมาะสม การทดสอบทางรีโอโลยีและความสามารถการพิมพ์แสดงถึงไฮโดรเจลมีพฤติกรรมของของไหลที่ไม่ใช่แบบนิวโทเนียน ซึ่งเหมาะสำหรับวิธีการพิมพ์แบบอัดรีดสำหรับขึ้นรูปสามมิติ ผลการทดลองแสดงว่าไฮโดรเจลมีค่าความสามารถการพิมพ์สูงสำหรับระยะห่างระหว่างเส้นภายในโครงสร้างที่แตกต่างกัน การทดสอบรับแรงกดของชิ้นงานแสดงถึงเนื้อสัมผัสของไฮโดรเจลว่ามีความคล้ายคลึงกับความนุ่มของเนื้อหมูและเนื้อวัว ไฮโดรเจลมีอัตราการละลายต่ำในสภาวะการเพาะเลี้ยงเซลล์ การทดสอบความเป็นพิษต่อเซลล์บ่งชี้ว่าไฮโดรเจลไม่แสดงความเป็นพิษต่อเซลล์และไม่ส่งผลต่อการเพิ่มจำนวนเซลล์ ไฮโดรเจลต้องการการปรับเปลี่ยนพื้นผิวสำหรับการยึดเกาะของเซลล์เนื่องจากวัสดุไม่สนับสนุนการเจริญเติบโตและการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ ผลการทดลองแสดงว่าอัลจิเนตปรับปรุงเปปไทด์ RGD มีการยึดเกาะของเซลล์ต่ำกับทั้ง L929 และเซลล์ต้นกำเนิดกล้ามเนื้อหมู ในส่วนของการเคลือบสารละลาย Poly-L-ornithine แสดงผลลัพธ์การยึดเกาะของเซลล์ที่ดีกับ L929 แต่มีผลที่ไม่ดีสำหรับเซลล์ต้นกำเนิดกล้ามเนื้อหมู

Development Of A Vr-Based System For Detecting Strabismus In Patients With Refractive Errors, Salisa Buapong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Strabismus is an ophthalmic condition affecting approximately 2% to 5% of the global population, with a pediatric prevalence rate of about 2% to 4%. If left uncorrected and untreated for an extended period, it can lead to impairment of binocular vision and eventual vision loss. Thus, early detection and correction of ocular deviations are crucial in mitigating these risks. However, primary clinical tests, such as the Alternate Prism Cover Test (APCT) and the Hirschberg Test (HT), have several limitations. These include reliance on operator skills and experience, prolonged examination time, and an unbalanced range of prism diopters. Furthermore, previous studies …

Silk Fibroin-Platelet Rich Plasma Injectable Hydrogel With Controlled-Release Of Growth Factors For Knee Osteoarthritis, Suvinai Jiraboonsri

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Currently, there is no treatment that can stop the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a promising therapy. However, significant challenges remain for the effective use of PRP in OA treatment, namely its burst-like release of growth factors and its short-acting time due to rapid synovial clearance. Silk fibroin is a safe biomaterial for drug delivery system. Therefore, in this study, Silk-Fibroin-Platelet-Rich Plasma injectable hydrogels with the ability to controllably release growth factors were developed and characterised. Two silk fibroin-platelet-rich-plasma (SF-PRP) hydrogel with silk fibroin concentrations of 1% w/v (1% SF-PRP) and 2% w/v (2% SF-PRP) were …

Development Of Molecular Imprinted Polymer Coated Single Mode-Multi Mode-Single Mode Optical Fiber Sensor For Diabetes Voc Biomarker Detection, Pannathorn Jitpratak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This work demonstrates a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) coated optical fiber sensor for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which is a biomarker for non-invasive diabetes diagnosis by using patient’s breath as a sample. MIP template is acetone, ethanol, and isopropanol on purpose to target these VOCs for the detection due to the ability of specific binding site in the cavity of polymer matrix achieved from template removal. A MIP coated multi-mode fiber (MMF) connected to single mode fiber (SMF) at both ends to achieve MIP coated SMS structure on purpose to enhance sensitivity due to the evanescent field emitting from MMF …

Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis Of Gut Microbiome And Host Transcriptome To Identify Novel Biomarkers For Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Jakkrit Khamjerm

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

An imbalance in gut microbiome is strongly linked to liver inflammation disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via the gut-liver axis. However, the understanding of how gut microbiota interacts with the host gene expression is still limited. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between gut microbiome profile and transcriptomic profile in patients with HCC. In this study, 17 patients with viral-related HCC, 13 non-viral-related HCC, and 10 healthy controls were recruited. We investigated gut microbiome profile from fecal samples using 16S rRNA sequencing and host transcriptomic profile from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using RNA sequencing method. …

Radiomics-Based Prediction Of Radiation-Induced Hypothyroidism In Nasopharyngeal Cancer Patients, Napat Ritlumlert

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

When planning radiation therapy, late-effect complications due to radiotherapy should be considered. One of the most common complications of head and neck radiotherapy is hypothyroidism. Although clinical and dosimetry data are usually used to assess the risk of hypothyroidism after radiation for nasopharyngeal cancer, the outcome is still unsatisfactory. Medical imaging can provide additional information and increase prediction accuracy. The aim of this study was to predict hypothyroidism in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer using CT radiomics combined with clinical and dosimetric data. The study included 220 participants who were diagnosed with hypothyroidism within 2 years after radiotherapy. Manual segmentation covered …

Development Of Technetium-99m Labeled Psma For Spect Prostate Cancer Imaging, Kalapaphuk Tachatumvitoon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) is the most employed radionuclide in nuclear imaging diagnosis because of its ideal physiochemical properties and ready availability. It particularly suitable for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), leading to cost-effective compared to other radionuclides. This study consists of two aims to expand the utilization of Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical for prostate cancer which is one of the highest incidence rates and mortality cancer among men. Currently, Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical for SPECT diagnosis is not clinically available for prostate cancer. Firstly, the new formulation for Tc-99m complexation with PSMA-617, a current ligand for radionuclide therapy of prostate cancer with lutetium-177 (Lu-177), …

Soft X-Ray And Susceptibility Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging To Map Iron Distribution In Apples: Initial Results To Model Iron Storage In Water-Deficient Or Dehydrated Biological Tissue, Subhendra Sarkar, Eric Lobel, Evans Lespinasse, Zoya Vinokur, Analia Basilicata, Sonia Orellana, Maria Orellana, Aaliyah Salmon, Joanna Syska, Aravis Mcbroom, Jian Wang, Anam Riaz, Jody-Ann Douglas

Publications and Research

Radiology departments have contributed significantly to greenhouse gases including release of toxic imaging contrast media to environment. We feel Radiology also has several spectroscopy and imaging tools that may apply to monitor and support cleaner environmental goals. The current manuscript is one of the firsts to prompt Radiology to move in that direction by non-invasive imaging of bio metals that are less abundant in biological tissues but play key roles as co-factors in tissue structure and function. Conventional analytical tools are mostly invasive and cannot characterize the native oxidation states of bio metals. We chose carbohydrate matrix of metal-rich fruits …

Modeling The Production Of Microalgal Biomass In Large Water Resource Recovery Facilities And Its Processing Into Various Commodity Bioproducts, James Pierson, Gopi Raju Makkena, Sandeep Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Vivekanand Vivekanand, Hasan Husain, Muhammad Ayser, Venkatesh Balan

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Algae are capable of sequestering nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates from wastewater in the presence of sunlight and carbon dioxide (CO₂) to build up their body mass and help combat climate change. In the current study, we carried out different case studies to estimate the volume of algal biomass that could be produced annually using the rotating algal biofilm (RAB) method in three large-scale water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) in Texas: Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston. We calculated the total amount of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins that could be fractionated from the algal biomass while using the …

Integrating Shear Flow And Trypsin Treatment To Assess Cell Adhesion Strength, Antra Patel, Bhavana Bhavanam, Trevor Keenan, Venkat Maruthamuthu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Cell adhesion is of fundamental importance in cell and tissue organization and for designing cell-laden constructs for tissue engineering. Prior methods to assess cell adhesion strength for strongly adherent cells using hydrodynamic shear flow either involved the use of specialized flow devices to generate high shear stress or used simpler implementations like larger height parallel plate chambers that enable multihour cell culture but generate low wall shear stress and are, hence, more applicable for weakly adherent cells. Here, we propose a shear flow assay for adhesion strength assessment of strongly adherent cells that employs off-the-shelf parallel plate chambers for shear …

Ultrasensitive Tapered Optical Fiber Refractive Index, Erem Ujah, Meimei Lai, Gymama Slaughter

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Refractive index (RI) sensors are of great interest for label-free optical biosensing. A tapered optical fiber (TOF) RI sensor with micron-sized waist diameters can dramatically enhance sensor sensitivity by reducing the mode volume over a long distance. Here, a simple and fast method is used to fabricate highly sensitive refractive index sensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Two TOFs (l = 5 mm) with waist diameters of 5 µm and 12 µm demonstrated sensitivity enhancement at λ = 1559 nm for glucose sensing (5-45 wt%) at room temperature. The optical power transmission decreased with increasing glucose concentration due …

Ultra-Low Intensity Post-Pulse Affects Cellular Responses Caused By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields, Kamal Asadipour, Carol Zhou, Vincent Yi, Stephen J. Beebe, Shu Xiao

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

High-intensity nanosecond pulse electric fields (nsPEF) can preferentially induce various effects, most notably regulated cell death and tumor elimination. These effects have almost exclusively been shown to be associated with nsPEF waveforms defined by pulse duration, rise time, amplitude (electric field), and pulse number. Other factors, such as low-intensity post-pulse waveform, have been completely overlooked. In this study, we show that post-pulse waveforms can alter the cell responses produced by the primary pulse waveform and can even elicit unique cellular responses, despite the primary pulse waveform being nearly identical. We employed two commonly used pulse generator designs, namely the Blumlein …

On The Chronological Understanding Of The Homogeneous Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Xinpei Lu, Zhi Fang, Dong Dai, Tao Shao, Feng Liu, Cheng Zhang, Dawei Liu, Chunqi Jiang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) are widely utilised non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas with a diverse range of applications, such as material processing, surface treatment, light sources, pollution control, and medicine. Over the course of several decades, extensive research has been dedicated to the generation of homogeneous DBD (H-DBD), focussing on understanding the transition from H-DBD to filamentary DBD and exploring strategies to create and sustain H-DBD. This paper first discusses the influence of various parameters on DBD, including gas flow, dielectric material, surface conductivity, and mesh electrode. Secondly, a chronological literature review is presented, highlighting the development of H-DBD and the …

Conductive 3d Nano-Biohybrid Systems Based On Densified Carbon Nanotube Forests And Living Cells, Roya Bagheri, Alicia K. Ball, Masoud Kasraie, Aparna Chandra, Xinqian Chen, Ibrahim Miskioglu, Zhiying Shan, Parisa Pour Shahid Saeed Abadi

Michigan Tech Publications

Conductive biohybrid cell-material systems have applications in bioelectronics and biorobotics. To date, conductive scaffolds are limited to those with low electrical conductivity or 2D sheets. Here, 3D biohybrid conductive systems are developed using fibroblasts or cardiomyocytes integrated with carbon nanotube (CNT) forests that are densified due to interactions with a gelatin coating. CNT forest scaffolds with a height range of 120–240 µm and an average electrical conductivity of 0.6 S/cm are developed and shown to be cytocompatible as evidenced from greater than 89% viability measured by live-dead assay on both cells on day 1. The cells spread on top and …

Advancing Prosthetic Design Using Neural And Mechanical Dynamics, Kacie E. Hanna

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Limb loss poses a significant challenge to mobility and the performance of daily activities. Currently, nearly half of the amputees using powered prosthetics abandon their device due to inadequate limb coordination and movement control abilities. In the healthy system, passive and neural dynamics facilitate the synchronized activation of muscles necessary for coordinated movement. However, in the amputee, the system is disrupted. The goal of this research is to use neural and mechanical dynamics to inform the design of prosthetic devices in order to restore intuitive control and coordinated limb movement.

The first aim of this research is to investigate neural …

Material Characterization Of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Tpu) And Thermoplastic Elastomers (Tpe) For Development Of 3d-Printed Surrogate Organs For Medical Training, Anastasia Elizabeth Lucci

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cadaveric specimens are a necessary, albeit limited, resource for training medical students on basic surgical skills. The availability of surrogate 3D-printed organs would readily allow access to resources that could reduce or potentially eliminate the need for cadaveric specimens or, at a minimum, provide students the opportunity to practice with 3D-printed surrogates before transitioning to those specimens. This research focuses on determining which thermoplastic material most closely mimics mechanical properties such as hardness and stiffness of human organs and allows 3D printing surrogate organs to be used as safe, educational tools. Relatively “soft” materials such as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and …

Ultra-High Field Mri Methods For Precise Anatomical And Spectroscopic Measurements In The Brain And Application To Neurological And Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Judy Alper

Dissertations and Theses

Neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders are a major burden on society, impairing the health and functioning of millions of people every year. There is a need to define the biological bases of these diseases and identify potential biomarkers to improve diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment efficacy across multiple diseases.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive imaging technique which facilitates detection of brain lesions and visualization of the brain overall. However, limitations in contrast and resolution at clinical field strengths may hinder investigation of the underlying biological mechanisms of these diseases. Ultra-high field MRI scanners, such as those at 7-Tesla, …

Measurement Of Fluid Movement Throughout The Brain Via Multiple Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques During High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Jack W. Beaty Mr

Dissertations and Theses

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method of neuromodulation with applications in neuroscience, clinical care, and biomedical engineering. tDCS has been well established as a safe method of applying low amplitude current between two or more electrodes to alter excitation thresholds and neuroplasticity. Recently, in-vitro and clinical studies have suggested that DC stimulation can induce a transient, polarity-specific, effect of increased water exchange across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The electroosmotic effect, the proposed phenomenon driving water exchange, is a biophysical response of charged ions moving across an oppositely-charged surface, i.e., the tight junction, when subjected to an electric …

Use Of Bioheat Modeling To Characterize And Optimize Implantable Medical Devices And Neuromodulation Technologies, Adantchede Louis Zannou

Dissertations and Theses

Medical device development includes prototyping, benchtop characterization, preclinical studies, and clinical trials. Understanding the limitations and potential adverse effects of medical devices prior to their administration in humans is a crucial first step. Optimizing medical devices is essential to employing technology and improving patients care. Computational modeling is widely adopted as a powerful tool to predict stimulation/recording parameter optimization, rapid electrode/device prototyping, investigating novel mechanism of action, and testing working principles of any medical devices. Many implantable neuromodulation technologies including Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), which provide substantial therapeutic benefit for patient population with lower back pain, produces heat via the …

Tdcs Effects On Synaptic Plasticity And Motor Skill Learning, Forouzan Vasheghani Farahani

Dissertations and Theses

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that involves the application of low-intensity constant current to the brain through electrodes placed on the scalp. Its potential to enhance brain function and treat brain-related disorders has led to its increasing popularity due to its safety, simplicity, and affordability. However, its effectiveness remains a topic of debate.

Mechanically Driven In Vivo Osteocyte Ca2+ Signaling: Aging And Pharmacologic Effects, James Padgett

Dissertations and Theses

Bone’s ability to respond and adapt to mechanical loading declines significantly with age which is a major contributor to bone fragility. It is widely accepted that osteocytes are the key cells responsible for orchestrating the development of the “ideal” skeleton. This ability is attributed to osteocyte’s role as the primary mechanosensing cell that is responsible for maintaining the skeleton’s integrity throughout life. Recent work from our laboratory has shed light into how osteocytes respond to mechanical loading in vivo. The breakthrough approaches that enabled these discoveries were development of: (1) the first ever reporter mouse model with a genetically encoded …

Optimization Of Optical Nanosensor Response For The Detection Of Anthracyclines Using A Binary Machine Learning Classifier, Myesha Thahsin

Dissertations and Theses

Pharmacokinetic variables such as interindividual variation in metabolizing and eliminating drugs makes dose selection of chemotherapeutic anthracyclines difficult. One potential solution to determining dosing levels of an anthracycline is the development of non-invasive sensors to monitor their pharmacology in vivo. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have substantial potential for in vivo sensor development, as they exhibit near-infrared fluorescence in the tissue-transparent window and a robust response to their local environment. An emerging method for evaluating and optimizing SWCNT sensor response is through machine learning. In this study, anthracyclines Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Mitoxantrone and Idarubicin, were used to interrogate 12 SWCNT preparations …

Improving The Stimulation Selectivity In The Human Cochlea By Strategic Selection Of The Current Return Electrode, Ozan Cakmak

Dissertations

The hearing quality provided by cochlear implants are poorly predicted by computer simulations. A realistic cochlear anatomy is crucial for the accuracy of predictions. In this study, the standard multipolar stimulation paradigms are revisited and Rattay’s Activating Function is evaluated in a finite element model of a realistic cochlear geometry that is based on µ-CT images and a commercial lead. The stimulation thresholds across the cochlear fibers were investigated for monopolar, bipolar, tripolar, and a novel (distant) bipolar electrode configuration using an active compartmental nerve model based on Schwartz-Eikhof-Frijns membrane dynamics. The results suggest that skipping of the stimulation point …

A Novel Biomaterial Platform For Cardiac Tissue Engineering, Andrew House

Dissertations

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. With a growing demand for in vitro cardiac models that can recapitulate the complex physiology of the cardiac tissue, there is a desire to create novel therapies and treatments. However, due to a lack of fundamental understanding of the heart's inflammatory response to myocardial infarction, the development of new therapies is both time consuming and costly. In this work, a novel approach to fabricating a dynamic hydrogel cardiac platform is reported. This platform better mimics the dynamic changes occurring in the native cardiac tissue microenvironment during cardiac …

Angiogenic Supports For Microvascular Engineering, Zain Siddiqui

Dissertations

Ischemic tissue disease is caused by a lack of circulation / blood supply to tissue. This can be treated by introducing a number of angiogenic (pro-blood vessel forming) factors into the tissue. This work presents strategies for ischemic tissue treatment utilizing a novel proangiogenic self-assembling peptide hydrogel platform. To demonstrate the utility of this platform, its use alone as an angiogenic therapeutic (both alone as a self-assembling hydrogel and with two-component systems), and its ability to vascularize implants is explored. Due to these angiogenic scaffolds demonstrating efficacy to regenerate microvasculature, this work evaluates diseases that can be treated by the …