Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Personalized Model Of Cardiac Fibroblast Signaling Using Patient-Specific Data, Elizabeth A. Schuler

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for both men and women, and cardiac fibroblasts are critical to heart form and function. Essential roles of cardiac fibroblasts include cell-cell communication, cell-cell signaling, and synthesizing and degrading the extracellular matrix (ECM), which controls structural support and tissue repair of the heart. Abnormal fibroblast signaling can lead to negative impacts, including fibrosis, impaired heart function, and inflammation. A computational model of cardiac fibroblast signaling on Netflux and MATLAB software was adapted and utilized to determine the effect of patient-specific levels of cytokines, hormones, growth factors, peptides, and membrane tension on …

Design And Evaluation Of Antibody-Conjugated Microneedle Patch For Early Mrsa Biomarker Detection, Kylee Marie Pop, Alexis Richie, Nicholas Jenkins, Andrew Holmes

Honors Theses

Post-operative orthopedic surgical site infections (SSIs), specifically those caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), present a significant clinical challenge due to delayed detection, increased morbidity, and current rising healthcare costs. Early detection of infection remains limited due to the current methods of diagnosis, which consist of observation of the surgical site and laboratory infrastructure for conformation of infection. To combat these issues, my team and I have designed and evaluated a minimally invasive microneedle diagnostic patch that continuously monitors for the presence of MRSA-associated biomarker PBP2a in interstitial fluids around surgical site incisions. Upon antigen detection, a colorimetric response …

Involvement Of Long Non-Coding Rna (Lncrna) Malat1 In Shear Stress Regulated Adipocyte Differentiation, Justin Caron, Marjan Ghanbariabdolmaleki, Madison Marino, Chong Qiu, Bo Wang, Michael Mak, Shue Wang

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Adipocyte differentiation plays an important role in bone remodeling due to secretory factors that can directly modulate osteoblast and osteoclast, thus affecting overall bone mass and skeletal integrity. Excessive adipocyte differentiation within the bone marrow microenvironment can lead to decreased bone mass, eventually causing osteoporosis. The mechanical microenvironment of bone marrow, including fluid shear, maintains the balance of adipocyte and osteoblast differentiation during bone remodeling. However, how mechanical cues interact with long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and regulate adipocyte differentiation remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the mechanosensitive role of lncRNA MALAT1 during mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) adipocyte differentiation. By …

Cruising On The Beach (Cob), Juan Diego Molina Ii, Ashley Kianna Burga

Biomedical Engineering

This report details the design and development process of Cruising on the Beach (COB), a modular motorized wheelchair intended to improve beach accessibility for high school students with mobility impairments. The project aimed to create an affordable, portable, and sand-capable device using balloon wheels, an adjustable control panel, and a customizable base. Extensive background research, market analysis, design modeling, and test plans were completed. However, final fabrication was not achieved due to financial constraints and limited access to industrial machining tools needed for custom metal components. Despite these setbacks, the project delivered a robust conceptual design and a fully …

Investigating The Effects Of Hepatocyte Growth Factor On Primary Myoblast Proliferation, Grace Heller

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is a progressive vascular condition that affects over 200 million people worldwide and approximately 8 million in the United States. It is characterized by atherosclerotic narrowing of peripheral arteries, leading to reduced blood flow, ischemia, and, in severe cases, tissue loss and limb amputation. Although surgical revascularization is the gold standard, many patients—particularly those with comorbidities like diabetes— continue to experience poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies. One promising strategy is to enhance collateral arteriogenesis, the remodeling and enlargement of collateral arterioles that naturally bypass occluded vessels. Satellite cells (SCs), which give rise …

Understanding The Role Of Ligamentous Constraint In Trapeziometacarpal Pathomechanics, Lizzie Walker

All Dissertations

The trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint is the most common site for osteoarthritis (OA) in the upper limb. This joint is characterized by its wide range of motion and limited bony stability, making it susceptible to OA. The TMC joint relies mostly on ligaments and muscles for its static and dynamic stability, respectively. While importance of both volar and dorsal capsular TMC stabilizers has been demonstrated, the role of TMC ligamentous tissues in the development of thumb basal joint OA remains unclear.

The goal of this work was to identify morphometric and mechanical changes in key TMC ligament stabilizers, including the volar …

The Effects Of Cigarette Smoke Extract On Osteoarthritis In A Primary Joint Tissue Explant Model, Emily Sawvell

All Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease in the world with an economic burden of nearly $140 billion annually. Factors identified to increase the risk of developing OA include age, obesity, sex, race, genetics, and previous joint injury. However, one risk factor that has been scarcely studied in OA etiology is cigarette smoking. While some studies have reported smoking to protect against OA, increasing evidence suggests that cigarette smoking results in more severe and painful OA, increases the rate of developing OA, and reduces the efficacy of pain medications and arthritis-targeting therapies. Despite this, the impact of cigarette …

Understanding Dimensional Stability Of Polymer Surgical Mesh, Simeon J. Mckelvey

All Dissertations

Polymer surgical mesh is a biomedical implant that has revolutionized the repair of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor. Each year, over 1.6 million Americans undergo surgical procedures using polymer surgical mesh to treat conditions where internal organs protrude through weakened tissues. This material is used in approximately 90% of hernia repairs, 80% of stress urinary incontinence procedures, and 30% of pelvic organ prolapse surgeries.

Despite this widespread use of polymer surgical mesh, post-implantation complications have prompted regulatory investigation and scrutiny. These complications stem from the mesh's behavior within the human body, including wrinkling, contraction, and loss of fixation, which …

Deep Learning In Lung Cancer Pre- And Post-Radiation Therapy: Diagnosis Of Malignancy And Radiation-Induced Lung Injury From 3d X-Ray Ct., Benjamin Peter Veasey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with early detection and accurate diagnosis being critical for improving patient outcomes. Additionally, the progression of Radiation-Induced Lung Injury (RILI) following Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer presents a significant diagnostic challenge. This dissertation addresses these challenges by developing deep learning-based diagnostic tools for both pre-treatment lung nodule malignancy classification and post-treatment RILI identification using 3D X-ray CT imaging. The research is divided into two primary objectives. First, for lung nodule malignancy classification, we developed a biopsy-confirmed dataset, called NLSTx, to train and evaluate deep learning models while …

Biomechanical Assessment Of Fracture Risk In Young Children With Healthy Bone And Osteogenesis Imperfecta., Keyonna Mckinsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a group of genetic bone disorders that can range from a mild increase in fractures in one’s lifetime to perinatally lethal. Biomechanical assessment via finite element analysis (FEA) can be used to provide subject specific evaluation of fracture risk and thus aid in furthering understanding of likelihood of fracture due to loading associated with common daily activities. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation research was to characterize the risk of femur fracture in young children with OI compared to that of healthy children when exposed to loading associated with common activities, specifically gait. To accomplish this, …

Computationally Guided Liquid Crystal-Based Competitive Binding Sensing Platform For Optical Detection Of Spike Protein, Homa Ghaiedi, Shubham Pandey, Sophia Ezendu, Tibor Szilvasi, Karthik Nayani

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A liquid crystal (LC)-based sensing platform for the rapid optical detection of SARS-CoV-2 ' s spike protein's receptor binding domain (RBD) domain is introduced. This platform utilizes a thermotropic LC, hosted on metal-cation decorated substrates, onto which the spike protein can competitively bind. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations guide the experiments that reveal a homeotropic-to-planar transition in the LCs upon exposure to SARS-CoV-2 spike-decorated yeast, providing a basis for sensitive virus detection. The sensor's reversibility/specificity is confirmed through antibody-induced orientation recovery of the LCs initial orientation. Strikingly, the sensor can detect approximate to 2000 copies of the spike protein per …

Preclinical Development Of Genome Editing To Treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy By Exon Skipping, Made Harumi Padmaswari, Shilpi Agrawal, Christopher E. Nelson

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by loss-of-function mutations to the gene encoding dystrophin. Restoring the reading frame of dystrophin by removing internal out-of-frame exons may address symptoms of DMD. Therefore, the principle of exon skipping has been at the center stage in drug development for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) over the past two decades. Antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) have proven effective in modulating splicing sites for exon skipping, resulting in the FDA approval of several drugs using this technique in recent years. However, due to the temporary nature of AON, researchers are actively exploring genome editing as a potential long-term, …

A Neuroimmune Circuit Mediates Chemo Brain Pathology, Daniel Ahmadi

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Chemotherapeutic agents, while effective in targeting malignant tumors, often reduce the patients’ quality of life by inducing fatigue, pain, and motivational deficits. These symptoms are collectively referred to as “chemo brain.” The mechanisms underlying these adverse effects, and specifically whether fatigue and motivational impairments share a common etiology, remain poorly understood. The neural–immune substrates of these symptoms remain obscure, in part because standard preclinical regimens either bypass key systemic signals or introduce local toxicity confounds. Here, I establish and validate a three‑day, low‑dose intravenous cisplatin protocol that avoids peritoneal inflammation and severe renal injury yet produces robust, reversible fatigue and …

Minimizing Secondary Spinal Cord Injuries With Hypertonic Saline., Francisco A. Cortez-Thomas

Master of Engineering Theses

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts white matter, causing periaxonal swelling, axonal degeneration, and impaired function. To examine vascular edema’s role, we developed a 3Dprinted dual-compartment imaging chamber to mimic and manipulate interstitial and vascular fluid dynamics in real time. We hypothesized that hypertonic saline (HTS) in the "vascular" chamber would osmotically shift fluid from the periaxonal space and preserve myelinated fibers after SCI. Using two-photon excitation microscopy, we imaged myelin and axons ex vivo in Thy1^YFP+ transgenic mice following C5 contusive SCI and assessed three clinically relevant HTS concentrations versus normal saline for their effectiveness in mitigating periaxonal swelling …

Tumor-Specific Surface Marker–Independent Targeting Of Tumors Through Nanotechnology And Bioorthogonal Glycochemistry, Hyesun Hyun, Bo Sun, Mostafa Yazdimamaghani, Albert Wielgus, Yue Wang, Stephanie Ann Montgomery, Tian Zhang, Jianjun Cheng, Jonathan S. Serody, Andrew Z. Wang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Biological targeting is crucial for effective cancer treatment with reduced toxicity but is limited by the availability of tumor surface markers. To overcome this, we developed a nanoparticle-based (NP-based), tumor-specific surface marker–independent (TRACER) targeting approach. Utilizing the unique biodistribution properties of NPs, we encapsulated Ac4ManNAz (Maz) to selectively label tumors with azide-reactive groups. Surprisingly, while NP-delivered Maz was cleared by the liver, it did not label macrophages, potentially reducing off-target effects. To exploit this tumor-specific labeling, we functionalized anti–4-1BB Abs with dibenzo cyclooctyne to target azide-labeled tumor cells and activate the immune response. In syngeneic B16F10 melanoma and orthotopic 4T1 …

Development Of A Portable Electroencephalogram With Display, Seth D. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this experiment, the goal was to design, build, and test an Electroencephalogram (EEG) circuit that would then be paired with a touchscreen display as a portable unit for use in Schizophrenic research at East Tennessee State University at the Quillen College of Medicine. The requirements for this prototype denoted that the device had to be able to obtain a signal from two electrodes placed on the head of an individual with a third attached to the ankle as a ground, amplify and filter the signal, and display the results on a touchscreen display for recording and analyzing. The circuit …

In Vitro Investigation Of Macrophage Functional And Metabolic Modulation, Shelby Nicole Bess

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are a subset of immune cells with a variety of functions that are abundant in numerous tumor types such as colorectal and breast cancer. It has been suggested that macrophages may serve an important function as immune mediators in tumor behavior; however, macrophage activity is complex and remains not completely understood. The overall goal of this dissertation was to explore and exploit tumor-associated macrophage phagocytic function and the changes in their interactions with cancer cells in an in vitro mouse model and in 2D and 3D in vitro culture models. First, we wanted to better understand macrophage behavior under …

Using Deep Learning And Two-Photon Excitation Fluorescence Microscopy To Predict Breast Cancer Recurrence And Response To Chemotherapy, Nicholas Powell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Accurate prediction of breast cancer recurrence plays a critical role in guiding treatment decisions, particularly regarding the use of systemic therapy for patients. While genomic assays such as the Oncotype DX Recurrence Score offer valuable prognostic information, they are limited in accessibility and application. The work presented in this thesis explores an imaging-based approach for the prediction of breast cancer recurrence that combines multiphoton microscopy (MPM) with deep learning to classify individual breast cancer biopsy samples by risk of recurrence. Genomic differences in tumors with different recurrence potentials may translate to distinct optical and structural information that can be captured …

Locked Dimerized Cxcl12 Exerts Radiosensitizing Effects In Head And Neck Cancer, Oscar Villarreal Espinosa, Musaddiq Awan, Abdullah A. Memon, Anne Frei, Jamie Foeckler, Rachel Kuehn, Jennifer Bruening, Becky Massey, Stuart J. Wong, Monica Shukla, Julia Kasprzak, Amit Joshi, Michael B. Dwinell, Heather A. Himburg, Joseph Zenga

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents significant treatment challenges, particularly in cases unrelated to human papillomavirus (HPV). The chemokine receptor CXCR4, interacting with its ligand CXCL12, plays a crucial role in tumor proliferation, metastasis, and treatment resistance. This study explores the therapeutic potential of engineered monomeric and dimerized CXCL12 variants (CXCL121 and CXCL122, respectively) in HNSCC and evaluates potential additive effects when combined with radiation therapy.

Methods

Clinical HNSCC biopsies were evaluated for CXCR4 expression in both previously untreated and radiorecurrent disease. HNSCC cell lines were then treated with combinations of CXCL12 variants and radiotherapy and interrogated …

The Histological And Mechanical Behavior Of Skin During Puncture For Different Impactor Sizes And Loading Rates, Joseph Lesueur, Jared Michael Koser, William Dzwierzynski, Brian D. Stemper, Carolyn E. Hampton, Michael Kleinberger, Frank A. Pintar

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The hierarchical structure of skin dictates its protective function against mechanical loading, which has been extensively studied through numerous experiments. Viscoelasticity and anisotropy have been defined for skin in tensile loading, but most puncture studies utilized skin simulants, which lacked natural tension and varying skin thicknesses. The purpose of this study was to define the mechanical behavior and failure thresholds of skin during puncture with various blunt impactor sizes and loading rates.

Methods

After determining natural tension of porcine skin, 232 isolated skin samples were loaded in puncture. Pre-conditioning, sub-failure, and failure trials were conducted with an electrohydraulic piston …

Design Of A Teleoperabletendon-Driven Robotic Hand, Zachary Giese, Joseph Gober, Samuel Grisham, Avery Mahan, Aspen White, Brayden May, Aspen White

ATU Scholars Symposium

This work presents the design, implementation, and validation of a 3D-printed tendon-driven robotic hand with a bi-directional wireless control system. The robotic hand emulates human anatomical principles, focusing on replicating flexion and extension mechanisms of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints via a tendon-pulley system. Iterative prototyping resolved initial challenges in joint stiffness, tendon routing, and servo interference, culminating in a design where a single servo drives both flexion and extension for each joint using a bidirectional tendon control mechanism. A reliable bidirectional wireless communication framework, using Arduino Nano Every microcontrollers and NRF24L01 modules, enables …

Dust Analyses In Ventilation Ducts, Karolina Vyhlidalova, Petr Vlček, Olga Rubinová, Jiří Bernard

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The paper describes the importance of monitoring the dust in the atmosphere of human life. It deals with the issue of dust in air ducts, approaching the methods that can be used to detect the amount of dust. For conditions for buildings in the Czech Republic there is created the methodology of quantitative and qualitative evaluation of dust sediment for the needs of HVAC and other building surfaces. The scale for visual evaluation was created and it has been elaborated the assessment of kind of particles contained in dust.

Assessment Of Long Time Approximation Equation To Determine Thermal Conductivity Of High Porous Materials With Nss Probe, Hussein Humaish, Bastien Ruet, Laurent Marmoret, Hassen Beji

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Recent economic changes have increased the focus on energy conservation in buildings. Improve insulation represents one of the biggest challenge to save energy. The TP02 Huksefux® Non Steady State Probe (NSSP) has been used to determine the thermal conductivity of the building insulation materials. Usually, the long term approximation equation (linear form) is applied to determine the thermal conductivity when using hot wire techniques. Long term approximation has been successfully used to characterize glycerol: a fluid which doesn’t present contact resistance and porosity. But, an S-shaped appears for more porous materials. So to generalize the possibility of using this method, …

Analyzing The Chemical Composition & Morphology Of Hydroxyapatite Coating On Magnesium Biomaterials, Khaoula Kamal

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to further explore the capabilities of magnesium metal to serve in biodegradable orthopedic implant applications. Current standards for orthopedic implants involve metals that cause many issues such as high risk of infection due to the need for secondary surgery. Despite magnesium’s biocompatibility, it presents a challenge that will be addressed in this thesis: a fast degradation rate. To combat this problem, hydroxyapatite (HA), an integral component of bone, was used to coat the surface of magnesium scaffolds and offer a slower degradation rate. Previous Priddy Lab studies have confirmed the presence of HA coating …

Enhanced And Interpretable Prediction Of Multiple Cancer Types Using A Stacking Ensemble Approach With Shap Analysis, Shahid Mohammad Ganie, Pijush Kanti Dutta Pramanik, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its early detection is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop and evaluate ensemble learning models, specifically stacking, for the accurate prediction of lung, breast, and cervical cancers using lifestyle and clinical data.

Methods: 12 base learners were trained on datasets for lung, breast, and cervical cancer. Stacking ensemble models were then developed using these base learners. The models were evaluated for accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, AUC-ROC, MCC, and kappa. An explainable AI technique, SHAP, was used to interpret model predictions.

Results: The stacking …

Quantifying Treatment Response To A Macrophage-Targeted Therapy In Combination With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors After Exposure To Conventional Chemotherapy, Shelby N. Bess, Gaven K. Smart, Timothy J. Muldoon

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Conventional chemotherapeutic agents, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), can exert anti-tumor effects through immunogenic cell death (ICD) induction. Researchers have found hallmarks that quantify ICD (such as the translocation of HMGB1 and calreticulin). Although chemotherapeutic agents can induce ICD, they increase the expression of immune checkpoints, limiting their effectiveness. Studies have emphasized the importance of investigating the heterogeneous responses of cells co-localized in a solid tumor (macrophages, tumor cells, etc.) to ICD induction. However, these studies were performed in vivo, which limits the collection of information on cell-cell interactions due to model complexity.

Methods: In this study, we used a …

Development Of 6d Electromagnetic Actuation For Micro/Nanorobots In High Viscosity Fluids For Drug Delivery, Mostafa Abdelaziz, Maki Habib

Mechanical Engineering

This research focuses on the development, design, implementation, and testing (with complete hardware and software integration) of a 6D Electromagnetic Actuation (EMA) system for the precise control and navigation of micro/nanorobots (MNRs) in high-viscosity fluids, addressing critical challenges in targeted drug delivery within complex biological environments, such as blood vessels. The primary objective is to overcome limitations in the actuation efficiency, trajectory stability, and accurate path-tracking of MNRs. The EMA system utilizes three controllable orthogonal pairs of Helmholtz coils to generate uniform magnetic fields, which magnetize and steer MNRs in 3D for orientation. Another three controllable orthogonal pairs of Helmholtz …

Optimizing Hydrogel Performance Composed Of Japanese Pagoda Tree Extract Loaded-Gelatin-Sodium Alginate-Polyethylene Oxide For Biomedical Applications: Influence Incorporated Calcium-Based Metal Organic Frameworks And Zinc Oxide Nps, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Gelatin/sodium alginate/polyethylene oxide hydrogel was synthesized by self-gelation method and utilized to achieve enhanced mechanical strength. Japanese pagoda, tree extracts rich in flavonoids and isoflavonoids was incorporated to enhance tissue repair along with ZnO-NPs to provide the hydrogel with necessary antimicrobial and other desirable biological properties. The inclusion of Ca-BDC MOF enhanced hydrogel matrix by providing more surface area and the presence of calcium ion needed for tissue regeneration. Results revealed that composite hydrogel displayed suitable gelation time and swelling rate that was further improved by incorporating the plant extract, ZnO-NPs, and Ca-BDC MOF. The efficacy of the tested formulations …

Providing A Solution For Active-Duty Servicewomen Facing Chronic Musculoskeletal Injuries Due To Improper Gear Fit, Celia Watson, Denver Tidwell, Hadi Obaji

Honors Theses

As senior biomedical engineering students at the University of Mississippi, we began our academic year brainstorming unmet clinical needs in healthcare intending to provide an innovative solution. After conducting personal inventories, determining a mission, and evaluating internal and external factors, we established acceptance criteria for our strategic focus and clarified our needs statement: develop a prophylactic device for chronic musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) in active-duty servicewomen (ADSW). The average female soldier is at a disadvantage compared to her male counterpart due to anthropometric and physiological differences between men and women in most aspects of physical performance (Epstein et al. 2673). These …

Investigating The Role Of Blood Models In Predicting Rupture Status Of Intracranial Aneurysms, Zonghan Lyu, Mostafa Rezaeitaleshmahalleh, Nan Mu, Jingfeng Jiang

Michigan Tech Publications

Purpose. Selecting patients with high-risk intracranial aneurysms (IAs) is of clinical importance. Recent work in machine learning-based (ML) predictive modeling has demonstrated that lesion-specific hemodynamics within IAs can be combined with other information to provide critical insights for assessing rupture risk. However, how the adoption of blood rheology models (i.e., Newtonian and Non-Newtonian blood models) may influence ML-based predictive modeling of IA rupture risk has not been investigated.Methods and Materials.In this study, we conducted transient CFD simulations using Newtonian and non-Newtonian rheology (Carreau-Yasuda [CY]) models on a large cohort of 'patient-specific' IA geometries (>100) under pulsatile flow conditions to …