The Biomedical Engineering Department at The City College of New York holds weekly seminars in topics related to BME from world-renowned faculty and researchers. If you are interested in learning more and attending these seminars, please contact Dr. Alessandra Carriero at acarrieroATccny.cuny.edu
May 3rd, 2023
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-402 3:00 PM ET
Bioinspired Materials for Tissue Regeneration
Treena Livingston Arinzeh, PhD
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Director of the Tissue Engineering and Active bioMaterials (TEAM) Laboratory, Columbia University
Abstract: Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches for rebuilding damaged or diseased tissues have shown promise. This presentation will describe studies examining the influence of biomaterials on stem cell behavior with an emphasis on identifying biomaterial properties and designs that impart appropriate cues to stem cells and other cell types to affect their behavior both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro models using stem cells were also utilized to improve the design of functional biomaterials to be used alone to recruit endogenous cells for tissue repair. Recent results using bioinspired materials, specifically piezoelectric materials that provide electromechanical cues to stem cells and other cell types, will be presented. Findings demonstrating stem cell differentiation and tissue formation using novel glycosaminoglycan mimetics, which are polysaccharides that sequester and prolong the bioactivity of growth factors, will also be presented. The studies demonstrate the potential of these biomaterials for use in orthopaedic and neural applications.
Bio: Treena Livingston Arinzeh, PhD is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. She is also a co-leader of an Integrated Research Thrust (IRT) and the Director of Diversity of the NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology (CEMB), which is a multi-institutional center led by the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Arinzeh received her B.S. from Rutgers University in Mechanical Engineering, her M.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. She was a project manager at the stem cell technology company, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. and joined the faculty of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) as one of the founding faculty members of the department of Biomedical Engineering. She served as interim chairperson and graduate director, and was promoted to Distinguished Professor in 2020, which is the highest faculty rank at NJIT. Dr. Arinzeh has been recognized with numerous awards for her research, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).
April 26th, 2023
Join Zoom Meeting
Type I collagen homotrimer in musculoskeletal and age-related disease
Elizabeth Canty-Laird, PhD
Reader, Associate Professor University of Liverpool
Abstract: Type I collagen is the major structural component of vertebrate tissues and organs, where it is present as fibrils formed from arrays of trimeric collagen molecules. Type I collagen molecules are predominantly heterotrimers of two alpha-1(I) and one alpha-2(I) polypeptide chain, encoded by the COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes respectively. However, abnormal homotrimeric collagen (I) derived from COL1A1 alone is genetically and biochemically associated with age-related human musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and fibrotic diseases, as well as being produced by cancer cells. A mouse model (‘oim’ osteogenesis imperfecta murine) comprising solely homotrimeric type I collagen, due to a COL1A2 mutation has bone fragility, implicating the homotrimeric form in bone disease. We compared the oim to a Col1a2 null model and showed the homotrimer does not itself cause bone fragility but potentiates the phenotype of the oim allele. The homotrimer did affect Mendelian inheritance in males of both lines and around half of Col1a2 null male mice over 6 months of age showed rapid deterioration in condition. These findings likely relate to the known cardiovascular phenotype of human Col1a2 null individuals who have cardiac-valvular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Epigenetic Col1a2 silencing and SNP-induced COL1A1 overexpression can lead to type I collagen production. We used molecular dynamics to investigate post-translational trimerization mechanisms and found that reduced calcium levels are predicted to favour homotrimerisation, even when the alpha-2(I) chain is present. ER calcium depletion is itself observed in diabetes mellitus, neurologic disorders, cancer, and kidney disease and may hence contribute to aberrant homotrimer production. Our group has also studied the collagenous tissue produced by MSCs cultured in a bioreactor to produce a tendon-like structure and developed a musculoskeletal epigenetic clock. If time permits these aspects will also be presented.
Bio: Liz Canty-Laird is a Reader in Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science at the University of Liverpool. She holds a BSc in Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry from the University in Nottingham and a PhD from the University of Manchester. She worked as a post-doctoral researcher in the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Matrix Research, during which time she won the biennial Rupert Timpl Award for the best paper published in the field of Matrix Biology, which elucidated a cell-based mechanism for collagen fibril alignment in tendon. Since appointment to an academic post at the University of Liverpool in 2010 she has led two UK Medical Research Council project grants, an invited research award from Versus Arthritis and supervised >10 PhD students. She has published on tendon/ligament derived stem cells, tendon development, bioengineering, biomarkers, ageing and disease. Working with the Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA) her group has furthermore developed a human musculoskeletal epigenetic clock. Liz is currently principal investigator and Director of the UK BBSRC/MRC Extracellular Matrix ageing across the life course interdisciplinary research network: ECMage.
March 29th, 2023
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-402 3:00 PM ET
Design of ECM-like Matrices for Guided Tissue Formation
Hongjun Wang, PhD
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Affiliated Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of technology
Abstract: Numerous progresses have been made in attempt to create tissues or organs following the tissue engineering approach. However, it remains a great challenge to fabricate the tissue with the complexity of structure and functions similar to its native counterpart. Increasing evidence has shown that cell-growing microenvironment plays a pivotal role in regulating the cellular responses and consequently tissue formation. In this regard, creation of cell-friendly microenvironment by mimicking the native tissue matrix can better guide the cellular behaviors and therefore lead to desired tissue formation. We have explored a variety of fabrication approaches to design and develop three-dimensional cell growing environment for guided regeneration of tissues with heterogeneous cells and composition.
Bio: Dr. Hongjun Wang is Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Affiliated Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. He is also currently holding the director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation. The research interests of the Wang lab (www.stevens.edu/wanglab) mainly focus on biomimetic materials design, 3D tissue reconstruction, in vitro tissue-on-a-chip and nanomedicine. His group has contributed a dozen of book chapters and invited reviews, a number of patent applications, over 100 invited talks and seminars and more than 120 peer-reviewed papers. He is also a recipient of several awards including Provost’s Award for Academic Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (2017), New Jersey Innovators Award (2016), Jess N. Davis Award for Excellent Research (2015), Jess N. Davis Award for Exemplary Research (2010), etc. Prior to joining Stevens, he was a research fellow at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston. Dr. Wang received his 1st Doctorate in Polymer Chemistry & Physics with honour from the Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China and his 2nd Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering from the Institute for Biomedical Technology, University of Twente, Netherlands.
March 7th, 2023
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-402 3:00 PM ET
Smart Biomaterials for Improved Wound Healing
Dr. Mary Beth Monroe, PhD
Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and the Syracuse Bioinspired Institute at Syracuse University
Abstract: Despite extensive research efforts aimed at improving wound healing, traumatic and chronic wounds are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current treatment options generally serve as static wound covers and therefore fail to progress these wounds through the full spectrum of healing, from hemostasis to remodeling. In the Monroe Biomaterials (MBM) Lab, we employ dynamic biomaterials to address the spectrum of healing. We have built three biomaterial platforms with varied architectures and functionalities to address specific problems that hinder healing in traumatic and chronic wounds. These dynamic wound dressing materials (1) improve wound infection surveillance, prevention, and treatment; (2) promote hemostasis and healing in traumatic wounds; and (3) enable stem cell delivery to aid in wound healing. This research spans fundamental studies on healing processes and biomaterials design while engineering new technologies that augment healing.
Bio: Dr. Mary Beth Monroe, Ph.D., joined the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and the Syracuse BioInspired Institute at Syracuse University in August 2018. She received her B.S. in Engineering Science from Trinity University in 2009 and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2013. Her dissertation research on tissue engineered vascular grafts was recognized by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the PEO Scholar Award. Dr. Monroe conducted postdoctoral research on protein engineering for wound healing at the Texas A&M Health Science Center in Houston, Texas, which was supported by the NIH National Research Service Postdoctoral Award. Prior to joining Syracuse University, Dr. Monroe served as a laboratory manager and research scientist in the Biomedical Device Lab at Texas A&M, where she worked on shape memory polymer-based medical devices. Her current research on using smart materials to improve wound healing is supported by a talented team of undergraduate and graduate student researchers and has received funding from the U.S. Air Force and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
December 7th, 2022
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-161 3:00 PM ET
SerpinA1 in spine homeostasis and disc-bone crosstalk with injury
Dr. Nilsson Holguin
Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
BIO: Dr. Nilsson Holguin is Assistant Professor in the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics and a Biomedical Laureate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Holguin joined Mount Sinai in 2022 to promote translational spine research and serves as the Director of the MicroCT Core. The focus of Dr. Holguin’s research is the clarification of the adaptation of the spine on a molecular-, cellular- and tissue-level to aging, injury, genetics and biological sex in order to develop therapeutics for spinal degeneration and subsequent back pain. Dr. Holguin’s research has received numerous federal grants and awards. Awards he has received include the Harold Frost Young Investigator Award, the NRSA Postdoctoral Award, NASA’s Harriett G. Jenkins Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, among other awards. In addition, Dr. Holguin serves as an ad hoc reviewer for NIH (SBSR), the education chair for the ORS Spine Section and the Chair for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
ABSTRACT: Aging increases the risk of intervertebral disc degeneration, a leading cause of low back pain, and clarifying its underlying mechanisms will potentiate the development of prophylactics for an underserved, aged population. Loss of canonical Wnt/β-catenin (Wnt) signaling in the disc, as occurs with aging or in an injury-based model of disc degeneration, switches disc cell phenotype and breaks down the extracellular matrix but, for unclear reasons, reduces inflammatory cytokines. SerpinA1 is a serine proteinase inhibitor that encodes alpha-1 anti-trypsin (AAT) protein, inhibits elastase and suppresses cytokines. Based on our findings, suppression of serpinA1 genes by aged and Wnt signaling-deficient discs during injury limit cytokine expression and macrophage recruitment, and suppression of serpinA1 genes in bone cells may impair bone structure.
November 30th, 2022
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-161 3:00 PM ET
Re-engineering life: Designing Stem Cells with Synthetic Gene Circuits as Novel Therapeutics for Arthritis
Farshid Guilak, Ph.D.
Mildred B. Simon Profesor, Director
Center of Regenerative Medicine & Shriners Hospital for Children, St Luis
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Material Science,
Washington University, St. Luis
BIO:Farshid Guilak, Ph.D. is the Mildred B. Simon Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University, Director of Research for the St. Louis Shriners Hospitals for Children, and co-director of the Washington University Center of Regenerative Medicine. His laboratory focuses on multidisciplinary approaches that combine biology and bioengineering to study arthritis, with the goal of developing new stem cell therapies or pharmacologic treatments for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. He is the past president of the Orthopaedic Research Society and has served as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Biomechanics for the past 20 years. He has won numerous national and international awards for his research, including winning Kappa Delta Award 3 times, and he has received 5 different mentoring awards. This past year,he was elected in the National Academy ofEngineering and the National Academy of Medicine for advances in the fields of regenerative medicine and mechanobiology
ABSTRACT:Arthritis represents a painful and debilitating family of joint diseases characterized by progressive degeneration of the articular cartilage; however, there are currently few disease-modifying treatments available. Our lab has focused on tissue engineering approaches for resurfacing entire joints using adult stem cells and biomimetic 3D woven fiber scaffolds. In addition, we use combinations of gene therapy and tissue engineering to develop tissue replacements with the capability for biologic drug delivery. Recently, the advent of synthetic biology and gene-editing methods has allowed for precise modifying gene networks that control cell behavior. We use principles from these fields to rewire gene circuits in stem cells to create a unique, custom-designed cell type that can sense and respond to its biochemical environment in a pre-programmed way. We have used these cells to develop engineered tissue replacements with tunable, inducible or feedback-controlled, auto-regulated biological responses. Furthermore, we developed synthetic “mechanogenetic” gene circuits that express therapeutic transgenes in response to mechanical signals. In addition to recapitulating the biochemical and biomechanical properties of a tissue, these “smart” cells and constructs can provide controlled drug delivery and immunomodulatory responses to the joint as therapies for cartilage repair or arthritis.
October 12th, 2022
Steinman Lecture Hall ST-161 3:00 PM ET
Handheld Terahertz Spectroscopic Scanners for Biomedical Diagnostic Imaging Applications Through Physics-Based Deep Learning Models
Hassan Arbab, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University
ABSTRACT: In this seminar, I will describe recent technological advancements in our laboratory to translate the terahertz technology from the laboratory to the bedside. We will discuss a new variation of the celebrated terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) technique, recently invented in our group, dubbed the Terahertz Time-Domain Polarimetry (THz-TDP), which allows for real-time detection of the polarization direction of the terahertz electric-field without the need for any external polarizers. Finally, we will explore applications of both THz-TDS and THz-TDP techniques in biomedical imaging. These applications range from diagnostic imaging of skin burns, melanoma and breast cancer to early diagnosis of corneal diseases such as Fuchs' dystrophy, and early detection of Glaucoma. My goal is to introduce the audience to the diverse set of biomedical applications of terahertz imaging being pursued today.
BIO: Dr. Arbab received his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology in 2012 from the University of Washington (UW). In his dissertation, he focused on developing the terahertz spectroscopy technique as a new diagnostic modality for triage of burn injuries. He was then awarded the inaugural Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Director's Distinguished Post-Doctoral Fellowship, designed as a path to independence for young investigators. He held a senior research scientist position at the APL-UW until September 2016, when he moved to the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University (SBU). His research at SBU has continued to focus on the invention and application of portable and handheld terahertz scanners for various imaging applications under funding support from the NIH, NSF, DOD and industry. His research interests also include millimeter-wave polarimetry, non-linear and ultrafast optics, and modeling the propagation and scattering of terahertz waves in biological tissue. He is a co-inventor of 4 patents and patent applications, and recently received the 2022 Young Scientist Award from the International Society of Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz).
May 6th, 2022
BME DAY 2022 "Continuing The Tradition of Excellence!"
The CCNY Department of Biomedical Engineering and The New York Center for Biomedical Engineering hosted BME DAY 2022 on May 6, 2022. This event included poster and device presentations by graduating seniors. Grove School of Engineering faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates participated. Following the various presentations, Professors Mitchell Schaffler, Chair of BME, Steven Nicoll, Awards Committee Chair, and Jeffrey Garanich, MTM Director presented awards for academic excellence and research performance. To view pictures of Poster Presentations ,click here!! To view pictures of BME Award Recipients, click here !!!
Imaging, Physiology and Biomechanics of Hearing
Sunil Puria, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, Harvard Medical School
ABSTRACT: The great sensitivity and frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing originates in the mechanical properties of the cochlea. Cochlear motions in response to sound are amplified using metabolic energy. The motor element of this cochlear amplification is the outer hair cell (OHC), that expands and contracts lengthwise in response to a change in receptor potential at audio frequencies. How thousands of OHCs, acting through the local cytoarchitecture of the organ of Corti, work to achieve cochlear amplification is not fully understood. Our lab uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) and finite element models to study structure function relationships of cochlear function. OCT was employed to obtain volumetric images of the high-frequency hook region of the gerbil cochlea, as viewed through the round-window membrane. The in vivo morphology of key anatomical structures and fluid spaces of the organ of Corti were obtained. OCT is also used to make in vivo vibrometry measurements through the gerbil round window membrane with a bandwidth of 80 kHz, sub nano-meter noise floor, and a spatial resolution that is better than what any other group has published. These results are being incorporated into new finite element models.
BIO: Sunil Puria received his bachelor’s degree from the City College of New York (BEEE, 1983), his master’s degree from Columbia University (MS, 1985), and his doctoral degree from the City University of New York (PhD, 1991), all in the field of Electrical Engineering. His doctoral thesis, A theory of cochlear input impedance and middle ear parameter estimation was the foundation for his later career.He currently studies the biomechanics of the middle ear and cochlea using imaging modalities such as OCT and uCT and physiology using laser 3D Doppler vibrometers that are incorporated into finite element models. Dr. Puria is the Associate Director of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, is an Amelia-Peabody Scientist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-HNS at Harvard Medical School. He is also the Director of Admissions for the Harvard Graduate program on Speech and Hearing & Bioscience Technology, is a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, and Chair of the International Hearing Aid Research Conference (IHCON). He served on the NIH AUD study section for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). He has published over 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals, holds over 50 US patents, and has co-edited two books. Dr. Puria is an Associate Editor for the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) and was on the editorial board for the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology (JARO).
April 6th, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Engineered Blood Vessels as Platforms for Understanding Vascular Diseases
Abdul I. Bakarat, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Professor, Department of Mechanics, Ecole Polytechnique, France
ABSTRACT: Vascular diseases are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. For instance, diseases of medium and large arteries lead to heart attacks and strokes, while microvascular disease is associated with hypertension, thrombosis, and neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease. Although it is now well recognized that mechanical factors play a critical role in the development and progression of both macrovascular and microvascular diseases, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Therefore, the development of physiologically relevant platforms within which the mechanical environment can be finely controlled and cellular events monitored with high spatial and temporal resolution is of great interest. This talk will describe our efforts aimed at engineering large and small blood vessel mimics that can be used to study important events in vascular disease development. The presentation will begin by describing a coronary artery mimic that has physiological dimensions, flow conditions, and cellular composition and within which endovascular devices can be deployed and cellular responses monitored in real time. This will be followed by a description of our “smartery” system, a “smart” artificial artery instrumented with an array of machine learning-enabled impedance sensors capable of continuous and non-invasive detection of cell type and density. The presentation will conclude with a description of engineered microvessels that provide exciting opportunities for studying various physiological and pathological settings.
BIO: Abdul Barakat is CNRS Director of Research and the AXA Professor of Mechanics and Biology at Ecole Polytechnique in France. He is also an adjunct professor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Prof. Barakat obtained a Ph.D. in biofluid mechanics from MIT in 1994. He subsequently spent a year as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Chicago. In 1995, he was recruited as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2001 and to Full Professor in 2006. At UC Davis, he was also on the faculty of the Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, and Applied Mathematics graduate programs. He relocated to France in 2010. In 2014, Prof. Barakat co-founded the startup company Sensome, which develops state-of-the-art sensor technologies to equip medical devices. Prof. Barakat has published over 250 journal and conference papers and has delivered over 165 invited presentations. He is a recipient of a Pfizer-Parke Davis Atorvastatin Research Award (2001), a permanently endowed Chair from the AXA Research Fund (2010), and the Eugenio Beltrami Senior Scientist Prize from the International Research Center on Mathematics and Mechanics of Complex Systems (2020). He is also an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2014). His research interests are in vascular biomechanics and bioengineering, cellular mechanobiology, and endovascular devices.
March 23rd, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Bioengineering Strategies to Improve the Performance of Osseointegrated Prosthetic Devices
Isha Mutreja, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, School of Dentistry of the University of Minnesota
ABSTRACT: The absence of an impervious seal at the skin-percutaneous implant interface results in implant loosening (13-29%) and surrounding soft tissue infection (29-38%). These are common complications of upper and lower extremity bone-anchored implants and dental implants. Different surface modification strategies for improving the attachment of skin to the metal abutment have been employed with limited success. This talk will cover different strategies that we have been working on under the realm of two Department of Defense-funded projects. These approaches either rely on designing an interface that closely resembles the extracellular matrix (ECM) in terms of its chemistry and biomolecular content of percutaneous organs/tissues like tooth and nails. Alternatively, a cell-based therapeutic approach is being tested where the therapeutic cells are combined with an adhesive scaffold to provide a transient interface that can support epithelial tissue attachment.
BIO:Isha Mutreja is a Research Assistant Professor at the School of Dentistry of the University of Minnesota. She is a material scientist by training with expertise in nano-biotechnology and surface engineering for different biomedical applications. Her main research activities focus on combining nanomaterials and cell-therapy based approaches for different biomedical applications. Currently, she is looking at different strategies for forming an impervious seal at skin percutaneous implant interface. Additionally, her work focuses on designing multifunctional nanostructures for different biomedical applications like bone regeneration.
March 16th, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Understanding Mechanisms of Aphasia Recovery to Improve Neuromodulation Treatments
Peter E. Turkeltaub, MD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine
Medical Director, Center for Aphasia Research and Rehabilitation
ABSTRACT: Noninvasive neuromodulation methods have the potential to improve recovery for the 1-2 million Americans living with post-stroke aphasia. Improving our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of aphasia recovery may lead to more effective neuromodulation treatments. In addition, developing reliable neuroimaging biomarkers of post-stroke plasticity will be important for measuring the biological effects of neuromodulation in clinical trials. In this talk, I will present recent work from my lab that challenges conventional thinking about the neurobiological mechanisms of aphasia recovery, as well as a new MRI analysis technique that provides a reliable measure of anomalous brain function even in tissue that was not directly damaged by stroke.
BIO: Dr. Turkeltaub is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine at Georgetown University and the Director of the Aphasia Clinic at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital. He received his MD and PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University and completed a residency in Neurology and fellowship in Cognitive Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on understanding the brain basis of language, plasticity in language networks after brain injury, and developing new treatments to improve recovery from aphasia and related disorders.
March 9th, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Introduction to Regulation of Medical Devices at the FDA
Je Hi An, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of the Obesity and Hepatobiliary Devices Team in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA
ABSTRACT: The Center for Devices and Radiologic Health at the US Food and Drug Administration evaluate safety and effectiveness before and after reaching the market. The presentation will provide high level overview of medical device classification, types of premarket and postmarket submissions, and examples of devices and regulations. It will also discuss the role of a FDA lead reviewer with an engineering background.
BIO: Je Hi An started at FDA in 2015 as a reviewer then in 2021 she became the Assistant Director for the Obesity and Hepatobiliary Devices Team. Prior to joining FDA, Je Hi was in healthcare consulting. She received her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Duke University, where she studied brain-machine interfaces, and her B.E. from The City College of New York and Macaulay Honors College.
February 23rd, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Mechanobiology of Smooth Muscle Contractions: Implications for Asthma Therapy
Harikrishnan Parameswaran, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University
ABSTRACT: Agonist-induced force generation by smooth muscle cells is currently understood in terms of an agonist molecule binding to a receptor on the cell surface, triggering a chain of intracellular signaling pathways that lead to force generation proportionate with the applied agonist dose. In this talk, I will demonstrate the existence of a communication system in human smooth muscle cells that uses mechanical forces to frequency modulate long-range calcium waves. An important consequence of this mechanical signaling is that changes in stiffness of the underlying extracellular matrix can interfere with the frequency modulation of Ca2+waves, causingsmooth muscle cells from healthy human donors to falsely perceive a much higher agonist dose than they actually received. This aberrant sensing of contractile agonist dose on stiffer matrices is completely absent in isolated smooth muscle cells, although the isolated cells can sense matrix rigidity. We show that the intercellular communication that enables this collective Ca2+response in smooth muscle cells does not involve transport across gap junctions or extracellular diffusion of signaling molecules. Instead, our data support a collective model in which mechanical signaling among smooth muscle cells regulates their response to contractile agonists. Our findings suggest that pathological remodeling of the extracellular matrix can be a critical driver of disease progression in diseases like asthma.
February 9th, 2022
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Engineering Antibodies as One-Step Protein Biosensors
Simon Corrie, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Monash University, Australia
ABSTRACT: Biosensors based on fluoro-labelled antibody fragments combine the recognition and transduction element into the same molecule leading to real-time result detection and reducing the need for laborious, multi-step assays. The key challenge is the efficient site-specific modification of antibodies with environmentally-sensitive fluorescent dyes, without affecting binding functionality. Fluorescence labelling via unnatural amino acids (UAAs) is a highly efficient method for 100% efficient site-specific fluorescence labelling, and can be genetically incorporated into any permissible site during protein synthesis. Although over 100 UAAs have been incorporated into various proteins for diverse applications including antibody drug conjugates and bispecific antibody production, to date none of the UAAs has been incorporated into scFv for biosensing applications nor has this been used for detection of large biomolecules (e.g. protein).
We demonstrate that incorporation of environmentally sensitive fluorescent UAA (Anap) into a permissible site of antibody fragments (e.g. anti-EGFR scFv) can be used for detection of target binding by monitoring the wavelength and/or intensity changes in emission spectra. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that antibody fragments can be engineered to bind analytes reversibly, facilitating continuous monitoring. We found that, across two different protein/antibody case studies, that only relatively hydrophobic amino acids within the binding interface could be mutated to generate optically-reactive species, and that the affinity of the mutants was not significantly affected. Phage library screening after site-directed mutagenesis was employed to extract fast off-rate mutants, and surprisingly we observed minimal non-specific binding in comparison to wild-type, but excellent reversibility. Here we will present the strategy for producing and characterising these biosensors, and discuss future strategies, opportunities and devices.
BIO: Simon Corrie completed his undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Physical Chemistry at the University of Queensland, before undertaking postdoctoral studies at the HPV Research Laboratory at the University of Washington, Seattle. After further postdoctoral studies in Australia developing microneedle arrays for wearable immunoassays, he joined the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at Monash University in mid-2016 to establish the Nanosensor Engineering Lab (www.nanosensor-eng.net). He is a recipient of the Australian Research Council's DECRA Award and the 2018 Churchill Fellowship. His research interests lie in developing nano-particles and proteins for applications in bio-sensing, bio-assays and medical devices.
December 8th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Micro/Nanoscale Interface with the Brain Using Light and Advanced Nanomaterials
Zhenpeng Qin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Texas at Dallas
ABSTRACT: Brain is the most complex organ in the human body and brain diseases are highly challenging to diagnose, monitor and treat. Nanomaterials have emerged as a unique wireless interface with the brain in the micro/nanoscale. Here I will discuss our recent efforts on developing new tools using advanced nanomaterials and photonics to provide new understanding and access to the brain. These include exciting capabilities to remotely control protein activity, study neuromodulation and change the blood-brain barrier permeability. These new tools provide insights into the brain microenvironment, the unique opportunity to develop strategies to treat brain diseases.
BIO: Zhenpeng Qinis an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, a founding member of the Center for Advanced Pain Studies, and an adjunct faculty of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Qin lab focuses on developing new nanotechnologies to better understand and treat diseases in the nervous system, and develop highly sensitive and multiplexed methods for infectious disease diagnostics. Dr. Qin has received numerous awards including 2022 ASME Y.C. Fung Early Career Award, NIH MIRA/R35 award for early-stage investigators for his pioneering work on the development of molecular hyperthermia to optically control protein activity, DOD/CDMRP Discovery Award, Collaborative Sciences Award and Research Leaders Academy from American Heart Association (AHA), CPRIT Individual Research Award, and Faculty Research Award from UT Dallas Jonsson School. His lab has received generous support from NSF, NIH, DOD/CDMRP, AHA, and CPRIT. He actively serves on review panels at NSF, NIH and DOD, and his research has been licensed into three startup companies.
December 1st, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Enabling Technologies for Implementing Liquid Biopsy:CTCs to EVs
Sunitha Nagrath, Ph.D. (Fellow of AIMBE)
Professor of Chemical Engineering, Co-Director, Single Cell Analysis Core, Rogel Cancer Center,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
ABSTRACT: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that are shed from the primary tumor along with extracellular vesicles (EV) have emerged as a potential avenue for liquid biopsy. The molecular and genetic profiling of CTCs and EVs is a viable alternative to painful, costly, and invasive biopsies. Owing to the recent advances in microfluidics, CTC and EV isolation is becoming increasingly efficient, sensitive, and feasible. Although CTCs are more established, EVs are emerging as important biomarkers with high clinical relevance. Emerging microfluidic technologies are promising for not isolating CTCs but also for isolating tumor derived EVs. We present novel integrated microfluidic technologies that enable both functional and genomic assays beyond isolation and quantification. We demonstrated liquid biopsy using CTCs and EVs as a resource to identify genomic alterations in cancer and present the opportunities for diagnosis, therapy and surveillance
BIO: Dr. Sunitha Nagrath is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at University of Michigan. She received her Ph.D. in 2004 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY in Mechanical Engineering. She did her postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Dr. Nagrath is the leading scientist who designed the MEMS based technology, “CTC-Chip” for the sensitive isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood of cancer patients. She joined University of Michigan in 2010, where she established her laboratory focused on engineering innovative microfluidic devices and nanomaterials for implementing personalized precision medicine via liquid biopsy. Dr. Nagrath’s major focus of research is on understanding cell trafficking in cancer through isolation, characterization and study of circulating cells and extracellular vesicles in peripheral blood of cancer patients.
November 17th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Translational Research in Hemodialysis Vascular Access
Yan-Ting Shiu, Ph.D.
Research Professor, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Utah
ABSTRACT: Surgically-created blood conduits used for chronic hemodialysis, including native arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and synthetic AV grafts (AVGs), are the lifeline for kidney failure patients. Unfortunately, each has its own limitations: AVFs often fail to mature to become useful for dialysis and AVGs often fail due to stenosis as a result of neointimal hyperplasia. No clinical therapies are currently available to significantly promote AVF maturation or prevent neointimal hyperplasia in AVGs. Central to devising strategies to solve these problems is a complete mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiological processes. The pathology of arteriovenous access problems is likely multi-factorial. This presentation focuses on the roles of fluid-wall shear stress (WSS) and endothelial cells (ECs). In arteriovenous access, shunting of arterial blood flow directly into the vein drastically alters the hemodynamics in the vein. These hemodynamic changes are likely major contributors to non-maturation of an AVF vein and/or formation of neointimal hyperplasia at the venous anastomosis of an AVG. ECs separate blood from other vascular wall cells and also influence the phenotype of these other cells. In arteriovenous access, the responses of ECs to aberrant WSS may subsequently lead to AVF non-maturation and/or AVG stenosis. This presentation provides an overview of the methods we have developed for characterizing blood flow and calculating WSS in arteriovenous access, discusses EC responses to arteriovenous hemodynamics, and presents potential therapeutic strategies that have been used in animal models.
BIO: Dr. Shiu received her B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the National Taiwan University in 1994 and received her Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering from the Rice University in 1999. She received her postdoctoral research training in bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, from July 1999 to December 2001. Her Ph.D. thesis advisor was Dr. Larry V. McIntire and her postdoctoral research advisor was Dr. Shu Chien.Dr. Shiu’s research work draws from her engineering talents and strong knowledge in vascular biology. Her laboratory uses experimental and computational techniques to conduct clinical and laboratory research related to (i) hemodialysis vascular access, (ii) vascular dysfunctions and pathomechanics in patients with CKD, CVD and PVD, and (iii) mechanobiology. She has received research funding as a PI from the National Institutes of Health (R01), Department of Veterans Affairs (Merit Review), Western Institute for Biomedical (Veterans) Research, American Heart Association, National Kidney Foundation of Utah & Idaho, other funding agencies, and the industry. Since 2002, we have trained over 50 trainees (visiting scholars, PhD students, MS students, undergraduate students) and are actively recruiting new students and postdocs to join us.
Effects of Aging and Hearing Loss on the Processing of Sounds
Brian C. J. Moore,
Professor, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge
ABSTRACT: About 7% of the population in developed countries have hearing loss sufficient to cause problems in everyday life. Hearing loss is especially common among older people, and it is difficult to find a person aged 75 or more who does not have a hearing loss. Hearing loss is associated with a reduced ability to detect weak sounds, especially at high frequencies, but also with various other “distortions” in the way that sound is perceived, among which are reduced frequency selectivity (the ability to “hear out” frequency componts of complex sounds), abnormal growth of loudness with increasing sound level, and reduced sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Simulations of some of these effects will be presented. Finally, evidence will be presented that age has adverse effects on hearing even when the traditional measure of hearing, the audiogram, remains within normal limits
BIO: Brian Moore is Emeritus Professor of Auditory Perception in the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the perception of sound by people with normal and impaired hearing, and on the design and fitting of hearing aids. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Acoustical Society of America, the British Society of Audiology, and the Audio Engineering Society. He has received major awards from the Acoustical Society of America, the American Academy of Audiology, the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, and the American Auditory Society. He has an Honorary Doctorate from Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland. He has published over 620 refereed journal articles.
October 27th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Intelligent Protein Biomaterials for Medicine
Jin Kim Montclare, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry,
Department of Biomaterials and Department of Radiology, NYU
ABSTRACT: Inspired by nature’s biopolymers, we engineer artificial protein materials with entirely new properties and function. We employ synthetic and chemical biology to construct our materials and endow them with stimuli-responsiveness. In particular, we have fabricated protein-derived nanomaterials: coiled-coil fibers, helix-elastin block polymers, and supercharged coiled-coil•lipid complexes (or lipoproteoplexes). We investigate the fundamental self-assembly and molecular recognition capabilities of these systems. More importantly, we are able to harness these structure as well as others to interface with small molecule therapeutics, genes, and cells.
BIO: Jin Montclare is a Professor in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry, Biomaterials and Radiology at New York University. She is performing groundbreaking research in engineering proteins to mimic nature and, in some cases, work better than nature. She exploits nature’s biosynthetic machinery and evolutionary mechanisms to design new artificial proteins. Her lab focuses on two research areas: (1) developing protein biomaterials and (2) engineering functional proteins/enzymes for particular substrates with the aim of targeting human disorders, drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Dr. Montclare leads the multidisciplinary Convergence of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Institute. She has garnered several awards and honors including but not limited to the Air Force Young Investigator Award, ACS Women Chemists Committee Rising Star Award, AIMBE College of Fellows, the AAAS Leshner Fellowship on Human Augmentation and most recently inducted into the National Academy of Inventors.
October 13th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Regulatory Mechanisms in Load-Induced Bone Formation
Alesha Castillo, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering,
New York University
ABSTRACT: Bone adapts to its mechanical environment by optimizing its size and shape to meet mechanical demands. Accordingly, mechanical loading (e.g., walking, running, weight lifting) has long been a strategy to maintain bone mass and mechanical integrity of the skeleton throughout life, though its effectiveness decreases with aging and disease leading to osteoporosis and increased fracture risk. Our work is focused on identifying key targetable signaling mechanisms regulating load-induced bone formation. We previously demonstrated that mechanical loading led to a significant upregulation of C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 12 (CXCL12) in osteocytes, the master regulators of bone metabolism, and we have extended this work to determine its role in load-induced osteogenesis. Here we show that CXCL12 deletion in osteocytes, driven by the DMP-1 promoter, and in late-stage osteoblasts, driven by the Col1a1 promoter, significantly attenuates load-induced osteogenesis. We further demonstrate that exogenous CXCL12 treatment can rescue the bone loading phenotype and appears to exert its effect via crosstalk with the Wnt signaling axis. In related studies, single-cell RNA-Seq analyses suggest that mechanical loading may directly regulate differentiation of CXCL12+ osteoprogenitors by modulating activation of the Wnt signaling axis. Ongoing work will further characterize load-induced changes in specific skeletal cell populations with the long-term goal of developing novel pharmacologics for the treatment of osteoporosis and fracture nonunion.
October 6th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Polymer-based Microfabricated Implants
Ellis Meng, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biomedical and Electrical Engineering,
Biomedical Microsystems Laboratory, University of Southern California
ABSTRACT: The Biomedical Microsystems Laboratory at the University of Southern California focuses on developing novel translational microtechnologies and microdevices for biomedical applications, in particular medical implants. Often the last line of defense for combating a wide range of challenging medical conditions, implants help extend and improve the quality of life for many. This industry continues to be fueled by the growing number of elderly and increased prevalence of chronic diseases. The application of microelectromechanical systems technology and medical polymer micromachining will enable the next generation of advanced medical implants that are needed to address urgent unmet clinical needs. This talk will present an overview of current research topics in the laboratory starting with invasive polymer interfaces to nervous tissue and then transition to electrochemical sensor systems for treating hydrocephalus
BIO: Ellis Meng is the Shelly and Ofer Nemirovsky Chair of Convergent Biosciences and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California where she has been since 2004. She is also the Vice Dean of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She was previously Dwight C. and Hildagarde E. Baum Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering from 2015-2018 and an inaugural holder of a Gabilan Distinguished Professorship in Science and Engineering from 2016-2019. She received the B.S. degree in engineering and applied science and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1997, 1998, and 2003, respectively. Her research interests include biomedical microelectromechanical systems (bioMEMS), implantable biomedical microdevices, microfluidics, integrated microsystems, microsensors and actuators, biocompatible polymer microfabrication, and packaging. Her honors include the NSF CAREER award, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation Early Career Award, 2009 TR35 Young Innovator Under 35, Viterbi Early Career Chair, ASEE Curtis W. McGraw Research Award, 2018 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Technical Achievement Award, and 2019 IEEE Sensors Council Technical Achievement Award. She is a fellow of NAI, IEEE, ASME, BMES, and AIMBE. She serves as the North American representative on the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society AdCom. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering and Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, Micro- and Nano-mechanical Systems. She was co-chair of the 2017 IEEE MEMS conference. She is also an inventor, co-founder of two companies based on her research, and author of a textbook on bioMEMS.
September 29th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Synthetic Designer Matrices for Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell and Therapeutics Delivery
Woojin Han, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics,
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
ABSTRACT: Function and regenerative potential of skeletal muscle decline with trauma, aging, and diseases, where the loss of muscle quality is attributed to reduced muscle stem (satellite) cell number and function.Inadequate regeneration of muscle in these conditions leads to debilitating consequences, including long-term disabilities and reduced quality of life. Although transplantation of muscle satellite cells is emerging as a promising strategy to enhance muscle regeneration, direct intramuscular injection of cells is limited by sub-optimal survival, retention, and engraftment. In some contexts, cell delivery by intramuscular injection is also not feasible. In this seminar, I will discuss approaches to systematically engineer a synthetic cell-instructive matrix that promotes primary muscle stem cell function, including survival, proliferation, migration, and differentiation, as well as strategies to efficiently delivery muscle stem cells and therapeutic proteins for treating traumatically injured limb muscles and dystrophic diaphragms.
September 22nd, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Insights in skeletal mechanobiology
Bettina Willie, PhD
Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGill University, Canada
BIO: Bettina Willie, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at McGill University and an investigator at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada. She is an Associate Member of McGill's Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Surgery. Dr. Willie earned a doctoral degree in Bioengineering from the University of Utah and performed postdoctoral training at the University of Ulm and the Hospital for Special Surgery. She led a research group at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin for eight years prior to her appointment at McGill in 2015. Her research focuses on how the mechanical environment influences bone adaptation and regeneration during chronological and premature aging. Her research involves preclinical and clinical studies using advanced imaging techniques to correlate cellular function with tissue-level changes.
May 5th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Microbial Tryptophan Metabolites and Gut Health
Arul Jayaraman, PhD
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
ABSTRACT: The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is colonized by approximately 1014 bacterial cells that co-exists with the host. The GI tract microenvironment contains a broad range of range molecules, including quorum sensing signals and metabolites produced by the resident microbiota, as well as hormones like norepinephrine and dopamine that are synthesized locally in the GI tract by the enteric nervous system. The close proximity of bacteria and the host cells, as well as the abundance of the signals they secrete, has led to the emergence of a new paradigm in which molecules produced by the host are recognized by the bacteria and vice-versa. The microbiota and the host not only recognize non-canonical molecules but can also further modify them to generate small molecules with a broad range of structural and functional diversity. Our central hypothesis is that inter-domain signaling between bacteria and host cells is a key determinant of homeostasis and disease in the GI tract. Specifically, we are investigating the role of these interactions in the sensing and migration of pathogens during infections, in the spatial organization and localization of bacterial communities, and in the modulation of host inflammatory signaling. In this talk, I will discuss our recent work on elucidating the role of microbiota-derived small molecules on modulating inflammatory signaling in the liver and metabolomics approaches for discovery of bioactive microbiota-derived molecules in the GI tract.
BIO: Dr. Arul Jayaraman is the Ray B. Nesbitt Endowed Chair and Department Head of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology & Sciences, Pilani (India) and obtained a Masters from Tufts University, where he worked with Prof. Edward Goldberg on folding of Phage T4 tail fibers. He completed his doctoral work at the University of California at Irvine with Prof. Thomas Wood and worked on engineering biofilms for excluding sulfate-reducing bacteria. He joined Prof. Martin Yarmush’s group at Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow in 1998 to work on modulation of the acute phase response in the liver. He was promoted to Instructor in Bioengineering at Harvard Medical School in 2000 and developed a new thrust in living cell microarrays. Dr. Jayaraman joined Texas A&M in 2004, was tenured in 2010, and promoted to Professor in 2013. His lab works on investigating the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and immune cells in the intestinal tract. He has won numerous awards including the Association of Former Students Distinguished Teaching award and the Engineering Genesis award at Texas A&M. He is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and was recently named as a Texas A&M University Presidential Impact Fellow. Dr. Jayaraman’s research is funded by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).
April 28tht, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Bioengineering of Human Tissues Using “Biomaterialess” Strategies
João F. Mano
CICECO — Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal
ABSTRACT: Tissue Engineering (TE) has been integrating principles of materials science and engineering, chemistry, biology and health sciences in order to develop regenerative-based therapeutic strategies combining stem cells and biomaterials. Biomaterials have been widely used in many TE solutions, as a structural support for adherent cells and as a vehicle to provide relevant biochemical and biophysical signals to control cell behavior. In bottom-up TE, cells and biomaterials are combined at a lower length scale, being then integrated into larger structures that could lead to more complex tissues controlled in time and space. In our group we are proposing possibilities of using less relative amount of biomaterials in the hybrid constructs in order to: (i) increase cell density and to minimize any harmful effect of degradation products or (ii) maintain a low cell density in liquified compartments to increase cell mobility and self-assembly capability. We proposed some conceptual possibilities to engineering or assembling cells in different dimensions using low quantities of biomaterials but where the biomaterials component is highly relevant, including partial coating of individual cells, fibres (fiberoids), membranes (cell-sheets) and liquified compartments. Examples are given on how such bioengineered constructs could be obtained and applied, mainly focusing on bone tissue regeneration.
BIO:João F. Mano is a full professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro (Portugal). He is the director of both Master and Doctoral Degrees in Biotechnology at the Univ. of Aveiro. He belongs to the associate laboratory CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials where he is directing the COMPASS Research Group. His current research interests include the use of biomaterials and cells towards the development of transdisciplinary concepts especially aimed at being used in regenerative and personalised medicine. João F. Mano is author of 670+ papers in international journals. He filed 8 patents as senior inventor. He is the co-founder and chairman of METATISSUE, a company developing human-derived hydrogels for 3D cells culture. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Bio (Elsevier), and belongs to the editorial board of about 10 in other international journals. He has been coordinating many national and European research projects, including two advanced grants from the European Research Council. He was invited to present more than 100 invited talks in international conferences. João F. Mano has received different honours and awards, including an honoris causa doctorate from Univ. of Lorraine (2019) and was elected (2020) fellow of the European Academy of Sciences (FEurASc) and Biomaterials Science & Engineering (FBSE).
April 21st, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Engineering applications for research and treatment of craniosynostosis
Alessandro Borghi, PhD
Senior Research Associate, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital
ABSTRACT:Craniosynostosis is characterised by the premature fusion of skull sutures. This early fusion prevents the skull from growing normally and affects the shape of the head and face. Craniosynostosis affects 1 in 2,000 births. Children with craniosynostosis are likely to need a series of operations to help improve both the medical and cosmetic aspects of their condition: the Craniofacial Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital specialises in the treatment of children born with skull, mid-face and mandibular deformities using advanced surgical techniques and innovative medical devices. Dr Alessandro Borghi’s research focuses on the analysis and engineering of the devices used in craniofacial surgery: he has applied numerical modelling to understand and predict the outcome of procedures such as spring cranioplasty and fronto-facial distraction, and is currently investigating the use of novel materials, such as shape memory alloys and biodegradable metals, for the design and prototyping of novel devices for distraction osteogenesis.
BIO: Dr. Alessandro Borghi was awarded a Master degree from Politecnico di Milano and a PhD degree from Imperial College London. His PhD project focused on numerical modeling of fluid-solid interaction in pathological arteries. Dr. Borghi then worked as R&D engineer in a medical device company on a project for the design of novel cardiovascular devices for the treatment of heart failure. In 2009 he returned to academia as a Research Fellow of Wellcome Trust at Imperial College London to investigate the mechanical optimization of the delivery of a novel pressure sensor for wireless pressure monitoring. While at Imperial College, he also collaborated with the Heart Science Centre - working on mechanical testing of heart valves to understand the effect of extracellular matrix components on their tensile and viscoelastic properties.
In 2013 Dr. Borghi joined the Institute of Child Health as Senior Research Associate on the project FACEVALUE. Here he develops numerical modeling of craniofacial surgical procedures and designs novel distractors for the treatment of congenital craniofacial abnormalities. Dr. Borghi's computational models are used for preoperative planning of craniosynostosis procedures. He is currently funded by the National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre and the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.
April 14th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Assessment of Multifactorial and Multiscale Causes of Atypical Femoral Fracture Using Fracture Mechanics-Based Finite Element Modeling
Ani Ural, PhD
Associate Professor and Assistant Chair Department of Mechanical Engineering Villanova University
Abstract:Atypical femoralfracture (AFF) is a potential rare side effect of long-term osteoporosis drug treatments. Despite its rare occurrence, AFF has had a disproportionately adverse impact on society because of its high morbidity and mortality outcomes. In addition, osteoporotic patients decline treatment due to fear of this potential side effect perpetuating the problem and increasing osteoporotic fracture rates across the population. There is a lack of understanding of mechanisms of AFF that can lead to prediction and prevention of its occurrence. This talk will present new computational approaches to assess the multifactorial causes of AFF that has the capability to isolate the individual and combined effects of multiscale factors that experiments or population-based studies alone cannot achieve. Specifically, the novel microscale computational models of human bone that assess the influence of tissue material heterogeneity and cortical bone microstructure on fracture resistance will be presented. In addition, coupled macro-to-microscale models of femur will be presented that evaluate the interaction of microscale tissue level modifications and macroscale geometrical properties of femur on AFF risk.
Bio:Ani Ural is an Associate Professor and the Assistant Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Villanova University. She obtained her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University. She also held a postdoctoral research associate position at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Department of Biomedical Engineering before she joined Villanova University in 2007. Her research interests include computational biomechanics, fracture mechanics, and solid mechanics. Her research is funded by National Science Foundation.
March 17th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Bone quality at the nanoscale: a contribution from synchrotron quantitative scanning-SAXS imaging
Aurélien Gourrier
Research Fellow at the French National Center for Scientific Research
ABSTRACT: Bone quality has been actively investigated since over two decades, with the idea that this rather elusive term may account for a large part of unexplained clinical observations of bone malfunctions. Bone tissue ultrastructure, the organization of collagen microfibrils and mineral nanocrystals, in particular, received considerable attention. This represents an important bioimaging challenge since nanoscale resolution is required over full biopsies for statistical significance. We will present an emerging alternative to traditional methods based on synchrotron X-ray scattering microimaging which has the potential to meet these requirements. This tool already prooved useful to identify the structural determinants of micromechanical properties at the lamellar level of osteonal bone and was shown to allow discrimination of pathological ultrastructure in a limited set of conditions. More importantly, we were recently able to determine a baseline for nanoscale mineral dimensions and organization against which pathological cases can be compared to, thus paving the way for more systematic nanoscale anatomopathological examination of bone biopsies. In this presentation, we will review a number of important results obtained with this method in the light of recent electron microscopy findings and discuss the significance of the fundamental nanocrystals structure and organization beyond biomechanics.
BIOGRAPHY: Aurélien Gourrier is a research fellow from the french National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and is currently leading the Optics and Imaging team and Bone Structural Bioimaging group of the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Physics (LIPhy) of the Grenoble Alpes University. Material scientist by training with a specialization in structural biology, he took his PhD at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, where he implemented new instruments for in situ studies of local deformation mechanisms by X-ray microbeam scattering and diffraction methods. He then joined the group of Oskar Paris and Peter Fratzl for postdoctoral studies at the Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces where he continued developing quantitative synchrotron X-ray scattering imaging of bone and biominerals. Since then, he has actively continued to explore new methods in X-ray, electron microscopy and optics for ultrastructural and multiscale studies of biomineralized tissues .
March 10th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
ATTL in Japan and Carribean: One Virus, Two Diseases
Ye Bihui Hilda
Associate Professor of Cell Biology,Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York
ABSTRACT: Adult T cell leukemia lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare and aggressive T-cell neoplasm caused by a retrovirus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1). Due to the endemic pattern of HTLV-1, ATLL is often diagnosed in Japan, the Caribbean region and Latin America. Most ATLL patients diagnosed in North America (NA-ATLL) are of Caribbean descent, characterized by high rates of chemo-refractory disease and worse prognosis compared to the Japanese patients (J-ATLL). Recent studies conducted by the Einstein/Montefiore ATLL research group have provided some of the earliest insights into the mutational landscape, altered molecular pathways, and chemoresistance mechanism in this disease. In particular, we found that mutations in epigenetic regulators are prognostic and occur much more frequently among the NA-ATLL patients relative to their J-ATLL counterparts. Our ongoing work focuses on the histone acetyl transferase p300, as the majority of our patient samples show reduced expression of this protein either due to inactivating mutations or post-transcriptional regulation. The impact of reduced p300 activity on its downstream effector pathways such as p53 (chemo-sensitivity) and BCL6 (lymphoid development) will be discussed in this seminar. We have developed unique preclinical models for this disease including patient derived cell lines and PDX models. Our ultimate goals are to uncover key pathogenic mechanisms in this disease and develop mechanism-based, targeted therapies for the NA-ATLL patients.
PERSONAL STATEMENT: The long term goal of research in my laboratory is to understand how transcription regulation and signal transduction events govern lymphocytes differentiation and development of B/T cell lymphomas. I have a long-standing interest in this research field, dating from my Postdoctoral work at Columbia P&S where I cloned the proto-oncogene BCL6 based on lymphoma-associated chromosomal translocations. Over the past 20 years, my laboratory has made a number of important discoveries that improved our understanding of molecular pathogenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). We revealed novel mechanisms that govern the expression and activity of BCL6, demonstrated the importance of functional interactions between BCL6 and several cell signaling pathways including RhoA, NF-B, and Jak/STAT3, and took our basic science findings into the translational arena. In more recent years, our DLBCL work focused on the IL-6/Jak/STAT3 signaling pathway. With the help of our collaborators, we characterized expression regulation of STAT3, the cause and consequences of its aberrant activity in DLBCL pathogenesis and the role of STAT3 in DLBCL therapeutic response and normal plasma cell development.
The current proposal focuses on the characterization of EP300 mutations and a previously unrecognized role of BCL6 in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). The genetic landscape of ATLL prominently features somatic mutations that target the antigen receptor (TCR) signaling pathway and immune surveillance, two cardinal features of ABC-DLBCL. Thus, the genetic and cell signaling characteristics of ATL have strong resemblance to ABC-DLBCL. In addition, this project will capitalize on our previous research expertise studying BCL6 in B-cell lymphomas while taking the functional assays into exciting new directions (DNA replication and repair, PARPi-based therapies). We have worked on molecular pathogenesis of ATLL for the past 4 years, and have since developed a number of patient derived cell lines and PDX models in my laboratory. This unique resource combined with our experience in molecular and pathway analysis of lymphomas will provide strong laboratory support to the proposed project. Access to clinical samples and disease treatment expertise will be provided by Drs. Amit Verma and Murali Janakiram, the other two investigators in the Einstein-Montefiore ATLL Translational Program. Additional scientific support will be provided by Dr. Advaitha Madireddy (Co-investigator, Rutgers Cancer Institute), and Drs Winfried Edelmann and Matthew Gamble, both faculty members in my department.
March 3rd, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Engineering Fluorescent Carbon Nanotubes For The Biomedical Field
Daniel Roxbury, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of Rhode Island
Department of Chemical Engineering
ABSTRACT: A challenge of particular interest in the fields of in vivo biosensing and bioimaging is the acquisition of real-time readouts of localized bioanalyte concentration through live tissue in a minimally-invasive fashion. The intrinsic fluorescence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which exhibits exceptional photostability, near-infrared (NIR) tissue-penetrating emission, and microenvironmental sensitivity, makes them ideal candidates for a variety of biomedical imaging and sensing applications. By functionalizing SWCNTs with appropriate biopolymers, we can simultaneously impart biocompatibility and sensitivity for certain biomolecules of interest. Using novel spectroscopy and microscopy approaches, this talk features our recent advances in the characterization and biomedical implementation of such engineered nanomaterials. In particular, we probe the solution-phase and intracellular stability of DNA-functionalized SWCNTs in addition to the creation of microfiber-encapsulated SWCNTs for the real-time optical detection of oxidative stress in a wearable device.
BIOGRAPHY: Prof. Daniel Roxbury is currently an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island where he leads the URI NanoBio Engineering Laboratory. Prior to joining URI, Prof. Roxbury received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA) and subsequently conducted postdoctoral work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY), where he was externally funded through an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2019, Prof. Roxbury earned the NSF CAREER Award for his work in the hyperspectral imaging of fluorescent nanomaterials.
February 24th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Wearable technology: from menstrual cycles to electrodermal activity
Dr. Belen Lafon, Staff Researcher Algorithms Scientist at Fitbit
ABSTRACT: Wearable devices are becoming more accessible every day, offering the capability of measuring biometrics 24/7 with minimal effort at an affordable price. Doing research with wearable technologies opens a window of opportunities and challenges that go from developing new sensors to analyzing data from millions of users and extracting information from it. In this talk, I will share the process of creating an experience featuring an electrodermal activity sensor and developing a menstrual health tracking app.
BIOGRAPHY: As a staff research scientist Belén leads research teams in the development of new features and algorithms. She works closely with the product teams to shape how Fitbit devices can continue to empower consumers to take control of their health. Belén has a master’s in physics from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina followed by a Biomedical engineering Ph.D. at The City College of New York. Her research was focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms of electrical brain stimulation. Belén is passionate about dancing and advancing technology that empowers people who menstruate.
February 17th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Illuminating the Relation between Fibrillar Structure and Biomechanical Function in Bone and Cartilage using Synchrotron X-ray Scattering and in situ Nanomechanics
Dr. Himadri S. Gupta, Reader in Bioengineering and Biophysics
School of Engineering and Materials Science and Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London
ABSTRACT: The rising incidence of noncommunicable disorders linked to musculoskeletal degeneration (e.g., osteoarthritis and osteoporosis) brings with it a need to understand how disease-related changes at the molecular- and supramolecular length scales in the extracellular matrix (ECM) contribute to loss of biomechanical function. For example, understanding the fibrillar-level deformation mechanisms in articular cartilage would help understand how the key age-related changes in ECM structure involved in osteoarthritis. Similarly, identifying structural changes in the mineralized collagen matrix in osteoporosis could help determine key metrics of bone quality changes increasing fracture risk. Experimental analysis at this scale, however, is significantly challenging to carry out in situ due to the hierarchical nature of such tissues. In this seminar I will review recent work by our group [1-4] on applying high brilliance synchrotron X-ray scattering combined with in situ mechanics to address these questions. Starting with an overview of how small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) can measure fibrillar strain, degree of alignment, and intrafibrillar structure in bone and cartilage, I will then describe three recent case studies: a) identification of fibril pre-strain/order gradients in bovine cartilage and their disruption under load or enzymatic degradation [1-2] b) alteration of the inter- and intrafibrillar mineralized collagen fibril structure and mechanics in a murine model of Cushing’s syndrome (linked to steroid-induced osteoporosis) [3] and c) time-dependence of fibrillar-level nanomechanics in bone as a function of strain-rate [4]. Finally, I will highlight current opportunities in application of such techniques to musculoskeletal degeneration and bioengineering challenges more broadly.
References: [1] S.R. Inamdar et al, ACS Nano 2017, 11:9728 [2] S.R. Inamdar et al, Acta Biomater. 2019, 97:437 [3] L. Xi et al, Acta Biomater. 2018, 76:295 [4] L. Xi et al, Bone 2020, 131:115111
BIOSKETCH: Himadri S. Gupta is Reader in Bioengineering and Biophysics at the Institute of Bioengineering (IoB), Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), whose lab investigates ultrastructure/mechanical function relations in biological materials. He has pioneered in situ synchrotron X-ray nanomechanical methods for connective tissues, with papers on nanoscale mechanics in bone, tendon, cartilage, invertebrate collagens, and novel 3D X-ray diffraction reconstruction methods for ultrastructural tissue biophysics. He is deputy-PI of ImagingBioPro, a UKRI network bringing together biomedical scientists, engineers/physical scientists, and synchrotron experts to develop new multiscale imaging techniques for hierarchical biological tissues and organs.
February 10th, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Biomechanics of Twisted Blood Vessels
Hai-Chao Han, University of Texas at San Antonio
ABSTRACT:Twisted arteries are commonly seen in images of vasculature and are associated with aging, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and degenerative diseases, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Though blood vessels are commonly considered to be stable under internal pressure, our studies have showed that arteries and veins can buckle under increased lumen pressure and/or reduced axial tension. This talk will summarize our recent work on the buckling of arteries and veins under various loads, including both the theoretical models and experimental results. We propose that mechanical buckling could be a mechanism for the initiation and development of tortuous blood vessels.
BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Han is the Zachry Endowed Chair Professor and Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He received his Ph.D. in Solid Mechanics/Biomechanics from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China with joint training from the University of California at San Diego under the tutelage of Professor YC Fung. Dr. Han was an Associate Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University and a Research Engineer II at Georgia Institute of Technology before joining UTSA in 2003. Dr. Han’s research interests are in the area of cardiovascular biomechanics with focus on arterial wall stress and instability, cardiac mechanics, and tissue remodeling. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed journal papers. He received a CAREER award from NSF in 2007. He is a Fellow of American Heart Association (AHA), College of Fellows of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
February 3rd, 2021
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
A Nano-Bioengineering Frontier for Next-Generation Optical Devices
Ardemis A. Boghossian
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015-Lausanne, Switzerland
ABSTRACT:The vast expansion of available synthetic biology tools has led to explosive developments in the field of materials science. No longer confined to engineering just synthetic materials, the increased accessibility of these tools has pushed the frontier of materials science into the field of engineering biological and even living materials. By coupling the tunability of nanomaterials with the prospect of re-programming living devices, one can re-purpose biology to fulfill needs that are otherwise intractable using traditional engineering approaches. Optical technologies in particular could benefit from capitalizing on untapped potential in coupling the optical properties of nanomaterials with the specificity and scalability of biological materials. This presentation highlights specific applications in optical biomedical sensing as well as light-harvesting energy technologies that exploit the synergistic coupling of nano-bio-hybrid materials. We discuss the development of bio-conjugated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for near-infrared fluorescence sensing and the application of these nano-bioptic sensors for continuous measurements in living cells and organisms. We further explore the development living photovoltaics based on bioengineered, photosynthetic organisms with augmented capabilities.
BIOGRAPHY: Ardemis Boghossian was a Carls Scholar at the University of Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) in Chemical Engineering. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as an NDSEG Fellow with a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering under the supervision of Michael S. Strano. Her graduate work focused on applied nanotechnology, where she engineered nanoparticles for optical biosensing and light-harvesting energy applications. She pursued her research career as an NIH postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Frances H. Arnold. Working as a protein engineer, she applied methods of directed evolution to engineer cells that can electronically interface with electrodes. Ardemis Boghossian has been appointed Tenure-Track Assistant Professor at the Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC) of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 2015. At EPFL, Professor Boghossian implements a highly interdisciplinary approach to addressing fundamental challenges and developing novel technologies that exploit the synergy between nanotechnology and synthetic biology. Through her focal points in the fields of optoelectronics and protein engineering, she contributes new biological and biochemical methods for the production of durable hybrid nanomaterials for energy and biosensing applications. She has since received several young investigator awards for her research, including the Roger Taylor Award, the Assistant Professor (AP) Energy Grant, and NanoResearch Young Investigator in NanoEnergy Award. She was also named a Rising Star in Frontiers of Chemistry and is most recently the recipient of an ERC Starting Grant.
December 9th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Massively Parallel Simulations of Hemodynamics in the Human Vasculature
Amanda Randles, PhD
Alfred Winborne Mordecai and Victoria Stover Mordecai Assistant Professor of Biomedical Science,
Duke University
ABSTRACT: The recognition of the role hemodynamic forces have in the localization and development of disease has motivated large-scale efforts to enable patient-specific simulations. When combined with computational approaches that can extend the models to include physiologically accurate hematocrit levels in large regions of the circulatory system, these image-based models yield insight into the underlying mechanisms driving disease progression and inform surgical planning or the design of next generation drug delivery systems. Building a detailed, realistic model of human blood flow, however, is a formidable mathematical and computational challenge. The models must incorporate the motion of fluid, intricate geometry of the blood vessels, continual pulse-driven changes in flow and pressure, and the behavior of suspended bodies such as red blood cells. In this talk, I will discuss the development of HARVEY, a parallel fluid dynamics application designed to model hemodynamics in patient-specific geometries. I will cover the methods introduced to reduce the overall time-to-solution and enable near-linear strong scaling on up to 1,572,864 cores of the IBM Blue Gene/Q supercomputer. Finally, I will present the expansion of the scope of projects to address not only vascular diseases, but also treatment planning and the movement of circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream
December 2nd, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
MetabolicAbnormalities and Mutualism in Tumors
Deepak Nagrath, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
University of Michigan
ABSTRACT: Our lab is focused on answering two major questions. (1) What are the critical metabolic regulators of cancer growth and metastasis? and (2) What is the role of tumor microenvironment in modulating cancer cell metabolism? We have developed several metabolic isotope tracing and 13C-based metabolic flux analysis developed in our lab and their usage has been shown in recent articles in Nature Metabolism, eLife, Cell Metabolism and Nature. Reactive stromal cells are an integral part of tumor microenvironment (TME) and interact with cancer cells to regulate their growth. Although targeting stromal cells could be a viable therapy to regulate the communication between TME and cancer cells, identification of stromal targets that make cancer cells vulnerable has remained challenging and elusive. We have identified a previously unrecognized mechanism whereby metabolism of reactive stromal cells is reprogrammed by cancer cells, thereby helping cancer cell growth. This dysfunctional stromal metabolism confers atypical metabolic flexibility and adaptive mechanisms in stromal cells, allowing them to harness carbon and nitrogen from noncanonical sources to synthesize nutrients in nutrient-deprived conditions existing in TME. I will present a synthetic lethal approach to target tumor stroma and cancer cells simultaneously for desirable therapeutic outcomes.
November 18th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Neuroimaging in Human Drug Addiction: an Eye Towards Intervention Development
Rita Z. Goldstein, PhD
Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neuroscience
Chief, Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions (NARC) Research Program Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
ABSTARCT: Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug use despite catastrophic personal consequences (e.g., loss of family, job) and even when the substance is no longer perceived as pleasurable. In this talk, I will present results of human neuroimaging studies, utilizing a multimodal approach (neuropsychology, functional magnetic resonance imaging, event-related potentials recordings), to explore the neurobiology underlying the core psychological impairments in drug addiction (impulsivity, drive/motivation, insight/awareness) as associated with its clinical symptomatology (intoxication, craving, bingeing, withdrawal). The focus of this talk is on understanding the role of the dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic circuit, and especially the prefrontal cortex, in higherorder executive dysfunction (e.g., disadvantageous decision-making such as trading a car for a couple of cocaine hits) in drug addicted individuals. The theoretical model that guides the presented research is called iRISA (Impaired Response Inhibition and Salience Attribution), postulating that abnormalities in the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, as related to dopaminergic dysfunction, contribute to the core clinical symptoms in drug addiction. Specifically, our multi-modality program of research is guided by the underlying working hypothesis that drug addicted individuals disproportionately attribute reward value to their drug of choice at the expense of other potentially but no-longer-rewarding stimuli, with a concomitant decrease in the ability to inhibit maladaptive drug use. In this talk I will also explore whether treatment (as usual) and 6-month abstinence enhance recovery in these brain-behavior compromises in treatment seeking cocaine addicted individuals. Promising neuroimaging studies, which combine pharmacological (i.e., oral methylphenidate, or RitalinTM) and salient cognitive tasks or functional connectivity during resting-state, will be discussed as examples for using neuroimaging in the empirical guidance for the development of effective neurorehabilitation strategies (including cognitive reappraisal and transcranial direct current stimulation) in drug addiction.
November 11th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Machine Learning in Radiology
Maciej A. Mazurowski, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics,
Duke University
The terms artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, or computer vision are mentioned increasingly often in the radiology community. In this talk, Dr. Mazurowski will talk about how these methods can be used in radiological clinical practiceas well as how they can advance science by improving our understanding of cancer. The talk will be concluded with general thoughts on the future of the radiology profession in the advent of human-level artificial intelligence. If you would like to connect, please follow on Twitter @MazurowskiPhD.
October 28th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
Biomechanical Measurement and Modeling of Blast Wave Transmission through the Ear
Rong Z. Gan, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
ABSTRACT: Blast overpressure (BOP) is a high intensity disturbance in the ambient air pressure. When exposed to blast, the human auditory system is vulnerable to both peripheral and central damage from the BOP. Blast-induced ear injuries include the tympanic membrane (TM) rupture, ossicular chain disruption, and inner ear damage. To understand how blast waves are transmitted from the ear canal to the TM, middle ear, and cochlea and result in hearing impairment, we have conducted a series of experiments in human cadaver ears or temporal bones and the animals to measure the blast overpressure transmission through the ear, the injuries of the middle ear tissues and cochlear hail cells, and the hearing function damage in our lab. The 3D finite element (FE) model of the human ear, consisting of the ear canal, TM, middle ear, and cochlea, has been expanded to simulate the BOP wave transduction through the ear and the damage in the peripheral auditory system. Using the experimental data, the FE model of the human ear was validated and used as a tool for auditory blast injury prediction and protective function evaluation for hearing protection devices. This talk will cover both biomechanical measurement and modeling studies on blast-induced auditory injuries and hearing protection mechanisms.
BIO: Position Title: Presidential Research Professor
Charles E. Foster Chair
Professor of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering
School of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
University of Oklahoma
Education: Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, 1992, University of Memphis, USA
M.S., Applied Mathematics, 1988, University of Alberta, Canada
M.S., Biomechanics, 1981, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST), China
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1968, HUST, China
Honors: Fellow of AIMBE (American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering)
Co-Chair for the 8th International Symposium on Middle Ear Mechanics in Research and Otology (MEMRO)
Member of Scientific Committee of the 5th-9th MEMRO (2009 – 2022)
Research Summary:
Dr. Gan’s experience in hearing research began in 1995 as the Director of Biomedical Engineering at Hough Ear Institute in Oklahoma City. She led the research team to complete the design and functional tests of a middle ear implantable hearing device (Soundtec®) for FDA approval. Since joining the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1999, she has developed a truly transformational, well-funded research program in Biomechanics for Protection and Restoration of Hearing.
As PI for all the research projects funded by NIH, DOD, NSF, Whitaker Foundation, and State of Oklahoma ($9.1M), she has developed multiple research directions through the integration of experimental measurements of sound transmission in human and animals, biomechanical tests of ear tissues, 3D reconstruction and computational modeling of the ear or auditory system, measurement and modeling of blast-induced hearing damage, and the design and evaluation of implantable hearing devices. Two patents have been granted: the totally implantable hearing devices and the 3D computational modeling of the human ear.
Dr. Gan’s research supported by the Department of Defense (DOD) in recent years has extended into new areas of biomechanical modeling and experimental measurement of blast injury and hearing protection mechanisms for the US military priority research on hearing protection and restoration for Service members and Veterans.
October 7th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
CORRELATIVE ELECTRON AND ION MICROSCOPY TO PROBE OSSEOINTEGRATION AND BIOMINERALIZATION
Kathryn Grandfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Material Science and Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering,
McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
ABSTRACT: Uncovering the mechanisms of biomaterial-tissue interactions is complicated by the complex and 3D hierarchical structure of bone. Our work explores the structure, formation, and attachment of bone to biomaterials with advanced microscopy approaches. This talk will introduce a range of correlative, 3D, and real-time high resolution approaches to probe both biomineralization and osseointegration by electron tomography, focused ion beam microscopy, in situ liquid TEM, or atom probe tomography. These correlative microscopies provide a foundation for understanding the structure and chemical nature of inorganic and organic hierarchical materials, including shedding light on the titanium-bone interface, collagen-mineral arrangement, and new approaches for visualizing osteocyte networks in bone.
BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Kathryn Grandfield is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University where her research interests include development of biomaterials and correlative multi-scale microscopies for biointerfaces and mineralized tissues. Before joining McMaster in 2013, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Preventative and Restorative Dental Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. She received her PhD in Engineering Sciences from Uppsala University, Sweden, and her Bachelors of Engineering and Masters of Applied Science from McMaster University. She is the recipient of the 2017 Petro Canada Young Innovator Award, a 2018 Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Research Fund, and the 2019 McMaster Faculty of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award. She has served on the board of the Canadian Biomaterials Society and as inaugural Director of User Operations for the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy. She is currently Vice-President of the Microscopical Society of Canada.
September 30th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
EVOLUTION OF STENT BIOMATERIALS: A LEARNING CURVE
Donghui (Don) Zhu, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the BME Department at SUNY
Abstract: Cardiovascular stents are life-saving devices and one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of the 21st century. Decades of research and clinical trials have taught us about the effects of material (metal or polymer), design (geometry, strut thickness, and the number of connectors), and drug-elution on vasculature mechanics, hemocompatibility, biocompatibility, and patient health. Recently developed novel bioresorbable stents are intended to overcome common issues of chronic inflammation, in-stent restenosis, and stent thrombosis associated with permanent stents, but there is still much to learn. In fact, some bioresorbable magnesium (Mg)-based stents have obtained regulatory approval or under trials with mixed clinical outcomes. Some major issues with Mg include the too rapid degradation rate and late restenosis. To mitigate these problems, bioresorbable zinc (Zn)-based stent materials are being developed lately with the more suitable degradation rate and better biocompatibility. The past decades have witnessed the unprecedented evolution of metallic stent materials from first generation represented by stainless steel (SS), to second generation represented by Mg, and to third generation represented by Zn. To further elucidate their pros and cons as metallic stent materials, we systematically evaluated their performances in vitro and in vivo through direct side-by-side comparisons. Our results demonstrated that tailored Zn-based material with proper configurations could be a promising candidate for a better stent material in the future.
Biography: Donghui (Don) Zhu is the SUNY Empire Innovation Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Engineering-Driven Medicine, and Neuroscience Graduate Program at SUNY - Stony Brook University. Dr. Zhu earned his Bachelor degree at East China University of Technology and Science, and Doctorate in Bioengineering at University of Missouri-Columbia. His Ph.D. work focused on neuro-engineering for treatment of neurovascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Zhu was trained at University of Rochester medical center on regenerative medicine for vascular applications. He then became an Assistant Professor in 2010 where his research focused on novel biodegradable metallic materials for tissue engineering and regeneration. Dr. Zhu moved to Texas in 2016 as an Associate Professor to continue his research in innovative biomaterials and regenerative medicine. In fall 2019, he was recruited to Stony Brook, and currently he has a research interest in biomaterials, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, as well as neuroscience. He has secured over $6 million total federal research funding in the past several years, co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is an elected Fellow of American Heart Association (AHA). Dr. Zhu also serves as editor or on editorial boards of several scientific journals and numerous grant review panels including NIH, NSF, FDA, and NASA.
September 16th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
ANIMAL MODELS TO SHED LIGHT ON THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA BONE FRAGILITY
Antonella Forlino Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biochemistry,
Department of Molecular Medicine, BIochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Italy
ABSTRACT: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a juvenile form of heritable osteoporosis ranging from mild to perinatal lethal forms. Classical OI is a dominant disease affecting the genes encoding for collagen type I, the most abundant protein of the bone extracellular matrix (ECM). In the last decade new causative genes associated to dominant, recessive and X-linked transmission of the disease and encoding for proteins involved in type I collagen biosynthesis, processing and secretion as well as in osteoblasts differentiation and activity have been described. How mutations in these genes cause the bone fragility phenotype still require further investigation, but already shed new light on bone biology. The molecular basis of OI was historically attributed to the presence of abnormal collagen in the ECM. Nevertheless, mutant collagen is partially retained in the ER and its misfolding and intracellular accumulation had been observed in OI patients’ cells and animal models of classical and new OI forms. A deep understanding of the matrix and intracellular molecular mechanism of the disease as well as the development of new therapeutic approaches for OI and other bone fragility disorders benefit of the use of appropriated animal models. A review of the knowledge acquired in the understanding of the molecular basis of skeletal diseases and in the developing novel therapies using murine and zebrafish animal models will be provided, focusing on the more recent findings. The role of intracellular homeostasis in modulating the diseases outcome will be discussed.
BIO: Dr. Antonella Forlino is Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Biochemistry, University of Pavia. She has a PhD in Biochemistry and the Specialty in Genetics. She spent 5 years of post-doc training in NIH, Bethesda, USA. Her research activity has been focused on the molecular, biochemical and functional study of genetic diseases of the connective tissue in particular Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), using in vitro and in vivo models (mice and Zebrafish). She is combining basic science with translational approaches. She is particularly interested in the intracellular effects of retained aberrant collagen type I in modulating the bone phenotype in both dominant and recessive OI.
September 9th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
NANOMATERIALS FOR GENETIC ENGINEERING
Dr. Markita Landry, Associate Professor at University of California-Berkeley,
Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
ABSTACT: Genetic engineering of plants is at the core of sustainability efforts, natural product synthesis, and agricultural crop engineering. The plant cell wall is a barrier that limits the ease and throughput with which exogenous biomolecules can be delivered to plants. Current delivery methods either suffer from host range limitations, low transformation efficiencies, tissue regenerability, tissue damage, or unavoidable DNA integration into the host genome. Here, we demonstrate efficient diffusion-based biomolecule delivery into tissues and organs of intact plants of several species with a suite of pristine and chemically-functionalized high aspect ratio nanomaterials [1]. Efficient DNA delivery and strong protein expression without transgene integration is accomplished in mature Nicotiana benthamiana, Eruca sativa (arugula), Triticum aestivum (wheat) and Gossypium hirsutum (cotton) leaves and arugula protoplasts [2]. Notably, we demonstrate that transgene expression is transient and devoid of transgene integration into the plant host genome, of potential utility for easing regulatory oversight of transformed crops as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) [3]. We demonstrate that our platform can be applied for CRISPR-based genome editing for transient expression of Cas9 and gRNAs. We also demonstrate a second nanoparticle-based strategy in which small interfering RNA (siRNA) is delivered to mature Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and effectively silence a gene with 95% efficiency. We find that nanomaterials both facilitate biomolecule transport into plant cells, while also protecting polynucleotides such as RNA from nuclease degradation. DNA origami and nanostructures further enable siRNA delivery to plants at programmable nanostructure loci [4], which we use to elucidate force-independent transport phenomena of nanoparticles across the plant cell wall. Our work provides a tool for species independent, targeted, and passive delivery of genetic material, without transgene integration, into plant cells for diverse plant biotechnology applications.
BIO: Markita Landry is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She received a B.S. in Chemistry, and a B.A. in Physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics and a Certificate in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and completed an NSF postdoctoral fellowship in Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her current research centers on the development of synthetic nanoparticle-polymer conjugates for imaging neuromodulation in the brain, and for the delivery of genetic materials into plants for plant biotechnology applications. The Landry lab exploits the highly tunable chemical and physical properties of nanomaterials for the creation of biomimetic structures, molecular imaging, and plant genome editing. She is also on the scientific advisory board of Terramera, Inc, and on the scientific advisory board of Chi-Botanic. She is a recent recipient of 18 early career awards, including awards from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, the DARPA Young Investigator program, the Beckman Young Investigator Program, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is a Sloan Research Fellow, an FFAR New Innovator, and is a Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator.
September 2nd, 2020
Biomedical Engineering ZOOM Seminar at 3:00 PM ET
DYNAMIC MODELING, DECODING, AND CONTROL OF MULTISCALE BRAIN NETWORKS
Maryam M. Shanechi, Assistant Professor and Viterbi Early Career Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California (USC)
ABSTACT: This work will discuss modeling, decoding, and controlling multisite human brain dynamics underlying mood states. I present a multiscale dynamical modeling framework that allows us to decode mood variations for the first time and identify brain sites that are most predictive of mood. I then develop a system identification approach that can predict multiregional brain network dynamics (output) in response to electrical stimulation (input) toward enabling closed-loop control of brain network activity. Further, I demonstrate that our framework can uncover multiscale behaviorally relevant neural dynamics from hybrid spike-field recordings in monkeys performing naturalistic movements. Finally, the framework can combine information from multiple scales of activity and model their different time-scales and statistics. These dynamical models, decoders, and controllers can advance our understanding of neural mechanisms and facilitate future closed-loop therapies for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
BIO: Maryam M. Shanechi is Assistant Professor and Viterbi Early Career Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California (USC). She is also a faculty member in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at USC. She received her B.A.Sc. degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto in 2004 and her S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2006 and 2011, respectively. She held postdoctoral positions at Harvard Medical School and at UC Berkeley from 2011-2013. She directs the Neural Systems Engineering Lab at USC. Her research is focused on developing closed-loop neurotechnologies and studying the brain through decoding and control of brain network dynamics. She is the recipient of various awards including the NSF CAREER Award, ONR Young investigator award, MIT Technology Review’s top 35 innovators under the age of 35 (TR35), Popular Science Brilliant 10, Science News 10 scientists to watch, and an ARO multidisciplinary university research initiative (MURI) award.
February 18th, 2020
Biomedical Engineering Seminar on 19 Feb 2020/ 3:00 PM / Steinman Hall 402
Computational Tools for the Evaluation of Biomechanically Based Treatments of Knee Osteoarthritis
Rajshree Hillstrom Ph.D., MBA, Industry Professor of Biomedical Engineering at New York University,
Visiting Scientist at Hospital for Special Surgery, Visiting Professor at Columbia University
ABSTRACT: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the number one cause of disability in the world, costing $486.4 billion/year in the USA alone. Dr. Hillstrom will introduce her holistic approach to investigating OA from the epidemiological, in vivo, in vitro and in silico approaches. Then she will focus on the development and validation of her finite element knee model. Finally, she will show how the model was used to investigate the effectiveness of different surgical treatment methods including high tibial osteotomy, partial meniscectomy and internally unloading the medial knee compartment.
BIO: Dr. Hillstrom (PhD, MBA) is an Industry Professor of Biomedical Engineering at New York University (NYU), Visiting Scientist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Visiting Professor at Columbia University. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Hillstrom was Associate Professor of Medical Engineering at Anglia Ruskin University (UK) and directed the Medical Engineering Research Group, where she developed the BEng Medical Engineering and MSc Engineering Management programs, and designed and led the development of a state-of-the-art movement analysis laboratory (for in vivo research), a biomechanics/ biomaterials laboratory (for in vitro research) and a computational simulation suite (for in silico research) to advance research in osteoarthritis.
Dr. Hillstrom’s extramural research collaborations with investigators from the Hospital for Special Surgery, Mid-Essex Hospitals Trust, Harvard University, Boston University, and Columbia University has led to a number of international awards and funded grants. Dr. Hillstrom has been the Principal Investigator on 20 OA-related grants, including a three-year study from Versus Arthritis to investigate a less invasive approach towards treating knee OA. She was the primary supervisor for 10 PhD students and 10 research fellows/ associates. Dr. Hillstrom’s research has focused upon computational modeling of human joints by finite element methods to predict the effects of surgical reconstructions on joint stress in the knee, hip, tooth and big toe.
February 3rd, 2020
Biomedical Engineering Seminar on 5 Feb 2020/ 3:00 PM / Steinman Hall 402
Computational Models of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation: Methodology, Optimization and Validations
Yu (Andy) Huang Ph.D. Research Fellow, Radiology Department, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Research Associate CCNY-MSK AI Partnership
ABSTRACT: Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) has been shown as a promising neurological therapy for a number of diseases. Nowadays, design of electrode montages and interpretation of experimental results for TES heavily rely on computational models, which predict the current-flow distribution inside the head. In this talk I will show you methodological details in building individualized TES models from structural magnetic resonance images of human heads, including image segmentation, electrode placement, finite element modeling, and numerical optimization for targeted stimulation. Model validations using intracranial in vivo recordings will also be discussed. I will also briefly talk about translational efforts that converts TES models into neuromodulation software, either open-source or proprietary, that are used for clinical research on stroke recovery. BIO: Dr. Huang received his B.S. in 2007 and M.S. in 2010 from University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, both in Biomedical Engineering. He received his Ph.D from The City College of New York (CCNY) in 2017 with research focusing on computational modeling for transcranial electrical stimulation. After that he was working as a joint post-doc in Soterix Medical Inc. and Parra Lab at CCNY. He recently joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for his 2nd post-doc working on cancer detection from medical images using deep neural networks.
December 5th, 2019
The 2019-20NYC Bone Seminar Series will honor Adele Boskey and her contributions to mineralized tissue research. Before next week’s seminar, there will be socializing at the Heartland Brewery on the SW corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St. starting at ~5:45pm– look for the “bone group” DOWNSTAIRS (and if you're interested in food and/or drink you can open a tab at the bar).
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Wednesday,December 11 @7pm
CUNY Graduate Center, RoomC205 (C-level)
NE corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St.
Multiscale Mechanical and Compositional Characterization of Bone Tissue in Postmenopausal Women with Typical and Atypical Fragility Fractures
Eve Donnelly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University
Antiresorptive treatment is generally effective in reducing fracture incidence in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, identification of a rare atypical subtrochanteric fracture pattern specifically associated with bisphosphonate treatment suggests that long-term bisphosphonate use may degrade bone quality in a subset of patients. To assess the effects of bisphosphonate treatment on bone tissue properties, we spectroscopically characterized subtrochanteric bone tissue from postmenopausal women with both typical and (for the first time) atypical fractures. Analysis of bone tissue using Fourier transform infrared imaging revealed alterations in the composition and fracture properties of bone tissue of patients treated with long-term bisphosphonates. Notably, bisphosphonate treatment increased tissue mineral content and hardness and degraded the fracture-resistance toughening mechanisms inherent to healthy bone. Our observations lend insight into the etiology of atypical subtrochanteric fractures and may inform clinical approaches to management of patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
September 5th, 2019
18 Sep 2019 / 3:00 PM / Steinman Hall 402
Multiscale Mechanical and Compositional Characterization of Bone Tissue in Postmenopausal Women with Typical and Atypical Fragility Fractures
Eve Donnelly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University
The 2018-19NYC Bone Seminar Series is continuing to honor Steve Cowin and his contributions to bone research. Next week, Shelly Weinbaum will talk about his last collaborative project with Steve Cowin. Before the seminar, there will be socializing at the Heartland Brewery on the SW corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St. starting at ~5:45pm– look for the “bone group” DOWNSTAIRS (and if you're interested in food and/or drink you can open a tab at the bar).
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Tuesday,December 4 @7pm
CUNY Graduate Center, Room9207 (9th floor)
NE corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St.
Lymph Formation and Muscle Compressibility in Skeletal Muscle during Contraction and Stretch
Sheldon Weinbaum, Ph.D.
CUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York
In the 17th century Jan Swammerdam placed an isolated frog's thigh muscle in an airtight syringe and observed that the muscle did not change volume when excited. This classic experiment has been used for three centuries as evidence that muscle functions nearly isovolumetrically during stretch and contraction. In 1990 Mazzoni et al. performed key experiments showing that this was not true and that significant changes in muscle volume occurred due to blood flow and that these changes played a crucial role in lymph flow. They provided the first detailed measurements of both blood and lymph volume in a muscle at rest and the dramatic changes in lymph volume that result from muscle contraction and stretch. In Causey, Cowin and Weinbaum PNAS 2012 we have developed the first quantitative model to predict the blood volume changes in both the endomysial and epimysial spaces of skeletal muscle that occur during muscle contraction and stretch. The model also provides the first quantitative predictions of the large changes in lymph volume that result from the blood volume changes that occur in skeletal muscle fascicles. The model predicts a 20% contraction or stretch results in a 6-7% increase or decrease in fascicle volume, respectively, and changes in lymphatic volume that can exceed 30%, and provides strong evidence for the pumping action of the terminal lymphatics.
September 17th, 2018
2018 KATZ lecture presents Paula T. Hammond, David H. Koch Professor of Engineering Head, Department of Chemical Engineering Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"Electrostatic Assembly for Controlled and Tissue Targeted Release" at Steinman Hall ST-161, Monday @ 2PM-3PM
Reception to follow at 3PM-4PM | Exibit Hall
THIS EVENT IS HOSTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AT THE GROVE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
The 2017-18 NYC Bone Seminar Series will honor Steve Cowin and his contributions to bone research.
Tribute to Steve Cowin: Quantitative Assessments of Bone Adaptation and Mechanotransduction, Susannah P. Fritton, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York
“In this seminar I will first give a short overview of my almost 30-year interaction with Steve Cowin, from my time as an undergraduate student in his mechanics course at Tulane University to my 19 years as a colleague at City College. Then I will highlight recent investigations from my lab that have assessed how reduced estrogen levels and disuse conditions affect bone microstructure and interstitial fluid flow. Using high-resolution microscopy and micro-CT imaging, we have assessed changes in the lacunar-canalicular porosity surrounding osteocytes, as well as the vascular porosity that houses the bone vasculature, in animal models of postmenopausal osteoporosis and disuse osteoporosis. We have combined the microstructural assessments with poroelastic finite element modeling to assess interstitial fluid flow through the osteocyte lacunar-canalicular network. Results of the models demonstrate reduced interstitial fluid velocities in both estrogen-deficient and disuse conditions and suggest that a reduced mechanical input could contribute to the bone degradation that leads to osteoporosis. In the spirit of Steve, throughout the seminar I will focus on the quantitative aspects of the work, the tie-in with biology, and how these investigations can help to expand our understanding of bone adaptation and mechanotransduction.”
CUNY Graduate Center, Room C197 (C-level), NE corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St. @ 7pm
Note: Before next week’s seminar, there will be socializing at the Heartland Brewery on the SW corner of Fifth Ave. and 34th St. starting at ~5:45pm – look for the “bone group”
March 29, 2017
SKT Lecture Spring 2016 Seminar by Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., School of Engineering Foundation Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering at Virginis Commonwealth University
" Byophysical Regulation of Bone in Extreme Environments" at Steinman Hall ST-161, Wednesday March 29, 2017 @ 3:00PM.
The New York Center for Biomedical Engineering 2016 Benjamin W. Zweifach (CCNY class 0f 1931) Memorial Lecture
Professor Kam W. Leong, Samuel Y Sheng Professor of Biomedical Engineering & System Biology at Columbia University will present a memorial lecture entitled “Bioengineering of Direct Cellular Reprogramming” at Steinman Hall ST-161, Wednesday November 9, 2016 @ 3:00 PM.
Bio-sketch: Greg Kronberg is currently a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering department at The City College of New York (CCNY), where he works under Lucas Parra. He received his BS in Biology from the University of Maryland and his MS in Biomedical Engineering from CCNY. His research focuses on the use of electrical brain stimulation to improve learning and memory.
Measurements and models of electric fields in the in vivo human brain during transcranial electric stimulation Yu (Andy) Huang, Ph.D.
Biosketch: Yu (Andy) Huang received his Ph.D. from Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York. His research focuses on neuroimaging, image segmentation and computational modeling of image data. He received his B.S. and M.S. from University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, both in Biomedical Engineering.
Regenerative Engineering: The Theory and Practice of a Next Generation Field By Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.:The next ten years will see unprecedented strides in regenerating musculoskeletal tissues We are moving from an era of advanced prosthetics, to what I term regenerative engineering. In doing so, we have the capability to begin to address grand challenges in musculoskeletal regeneration. Tissues such as bone, ligament, and cartilage can now be understood from the cellular level to the tissue level. We now have the capability to produce these tissues in clinically relevant forms through tissue engineering techniques. Our improved ability to optimize engineered tissues has occurred in part due to an increased appreciation for stem cell technology and nanotechnology, two relatively new tools for the tissue engineer. Critical parameters impact the design of novel scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Cellular and intact tissue behavior can be modulated by these designs. Design of systems for regeneration must take place with a holistic and comprehensive approach, understanding the contributions of cells, biological factors, scaffolds and morphogenesis.</p>
Steinman Hall Lecture Hall - ST161 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
May 3 - 2013
BME Day 2013 and Wallace H. Coulter Centennial
This ceremony will include opening remarks, a presentation from Wayne Barlin representing the Coulter Foundation, and a key note speaker.
9:30 – 10:00 Registration / Refreshments -Exhibit Room ST124
1:00 10:00 – 10:15 Opening Remarks: John Tarbell, Chair of BME; Joseph Barba, Dean of
the GSOE; Maurizio Trevisan, Provost of City College
10:15 – 10:30 Brief History of the CCNY BME / Coulter Foundation Relationship:
Distinguished Professor Sheldon Weinbaum
10:30 – 11:00 Wayne Barlin, Vice President and General Council, Wallace H. Coulter
Foundation: Remarks, video, presentation of commemorative plaques
11:00 – 11:45 Elkin Simson, Professor of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine:
Keynote speaker with remembrances of Wallace Coulter
11:45 – 3:00 BME Day poster session in the Steinman Hall Lobby with senior
design projects highlighted
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch
(1:30 Ceremonial cutting of the Wallace Coulter Centennial birthday cake)
2:2:00 -4:30 BME Advisory Board meeting
Steinman Hall Auditorium and Lobby (9:30am - 2:00pm)
April 11 - 2013
Class of 2013 - Theta Psi - Class Picture
-SENIORS: To graduate this June, you must apply for graduation.
-Class Picture
Class of 2013 : Class Name: Theta Psi
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 2013
TIME: 12:15pm
LOCATION: BME Rm. 401
BME Department Rm401 (12:15pm - 1:15pm)
April 11 - May 10 2013
Important Dates and Events
-March 28. 2013 - April 15, 2013 : BME Academic Advising (Summer and Fall 2013)
-April 11, 2013 Theta Psi (BME Class of 2013) Class Picture
-May 3. 2013 Wallace Coulter Centennial and BME DAY 2013
-May 10, 2013 BME Awards Luncheon
Watch your (CCNY) email for additional information on these and other events.
March 28 - April 30 2013
BME Fall 2013 Advising Schedule
To ensure that every BME student completes advisement, an advising stop “EA” has been placed on your SIMS record. Once you have been advised by your designated faculty advisor, the stop will be removed in time for Summer/Fall 2013 web registration.
Below is the Summer/Fall 2013 advisement schedule for the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME).
-Faculty Advising March 28, 2013- April 15, 2013
-EA Stop Removal April 1, 2013 - April 15, 2013
BME Students with 45 or more credits, If your last name begins with:
A March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Parra (ST-403C)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
parra@ccny.cuny.edu
B-C April 8, 2013-April 15, 2013 Kelly (ST-460)
Office Hours: M, W 10:00am -12:00noon starting April 8th :
spkell@gmail.com
D-G March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Cardoso (ST-565)
Office Hours: M,W10:00am -11:00am OR at a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
cardoso@engr.ccny.cuny.edu
H-J March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Wang (ST-434)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
shwang@ccny.cuny.edu
K-L March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Schaffler (ST-564)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
mschaffler@ccny.cuny.edu
M-N March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Fu (ST-435)
Office Hours: W 6:00pm–7:00pm and TH 4:00pm–5:00pm OR at a specific mutually agreed
upon time arranged by email:
fu@ccny.cuny.edu
O-P March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Tarbell (ST-404C)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
tarbell@ccny.cuny.edu
Q-S March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Nicoll (ST-431)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
snicoll@ccny.cuny.edu
T-Z March 28, 2013-April 15, 2013 Bikson (ST-403B)
At a specific mutually agreed upon time arranged by email:
bikson@ccny.cuny.edu
-Town Hall Meeting-April 26, 2012
(BME Conference Room)
-BME Day 2012-May 4, 2012
(BME Department and Conference Room)
-BME Awards Luncheon-Friday, May 11, 2012
(Steinman Lecture and Exhibit Hall)
(9:00am - 5:00pm)
March 1 - 2012
Careers in Biomedical Engineering
Thursday, March 1, 2012
12:30PM-2:00PM
LOCATION: Exhibit Room, Steinman Lecture Hall
Come and find out more about biomedical engineering careers,
and network with the speakers!
Panel Participants:
Eric R. Gustafson— Biomedical Engineer & Senior Clinical Project Manager,
Zoll Medical Corporation
Tricia Duval, RN— Sr. Territory Manager-Hospital Division,
Zoll Medical Corporation
Nick Pinto, CBET— Clinical Engineering Manager (and CCNY alum),
New York Presbyterian Hospital
Presented by CCNY Career Center
in collaboration with Tau Beta Pi and
CCNY Biomedical Engineering Department
TO SIGN UP, stop by The Career Center located in NAC 1/116
Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm, Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm
Telephone: (212) 650-5327
Exhibit Room, Steinman Lecture Hall (12:30pm - 2:00pm)
January 11 - February 10 2012
Welcome New and Returning Students
Stay informed, visit the CCNY BME website regularly (www.bme.ccny.cuny.edu) for :
-Course and Curriculum Changes
-Faculty Research
-Internship Opportunities
-Departmental News and Events
-Updated BME Handbook-FAQ
-And Much More…
10:00 – 11:00 Group Session-Advisory Board and
Students (Grad and Undergraduates)
BME Conference Rm T402
11:00 – 2:00 BME Student Poster Session
Steinman Hall Lobby
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
Steinman Hall Exhibit Room
1:00 – 2:00 Group Session-Advisory Board and Graduate Students
BME Conference Rm T402
1:00 – 4:00 Employment/Internship Session with Select Companies
(Bring Updated Resumes)
Steinman Hall Lobby
1:30 – 4:00 BME Faculty and Advisory Board Meeting
BME Conference/Class Room T402 and Steinman Hall Lobby and Exhibit Room (9:30am - 4:00pm)
April 23 - 2011
NIH Spring 2011 Social
The NIH Scholars will be hosting the NIH Scholars Program Spring Social on Saturday April 23rd, 2011 at 11:30am at Chelsea Piers.
This is a two hour lunch cruise on the Hudson visiting several locations including: The Empire State Building, Governor's Island, Statue of Liberty and more. Your reservation includes vibrant entertainment and a buffet style 3 course meal.
Please RSVP by Wednesday March 30 if you are sure you will be attending. Paying for a no show will not be refunded so be mindful of this.
All NIH Scholars engaged in research are expected to make a 12-15 minute presentation on their work.
Dress Code: Business Attire
TBA (12:45pm - 2:00pm)
December 9 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Bijan Pesaran, PhD. Center for Neural Science, NYU.
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
December 2 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Steve Nicoll, PhD. Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
November 20 - 2009
NIH Scholars Research Day (Fall 2009)
You are expected to make a presentation if you are conducting research. You should prepare a 12-15 minute presentations of your research activities.
-Friday, November 20, 2009
-Time: 10:00 a.m.
-Location: T402 (BME Conference Room)
For additional information, contact Dr. Phillip Payton.
November 18 - 2009
ZWEIFACH MEMORIAL LECTURE
Rebecca Richards Kortum, PhD – Zweifach Lecture. "From Cell Phones to Cell Biology: High Tech, Low Cost Solutions for Global Health". Department of Bioengineering. Rice University
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
November 11 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Guillermo Garcia-Cardena, PhD. Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology, Harvard University
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
November 4 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Ben Ovryn, Ph.D. "Modeling and imaging nouveau adhesions". Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
October 28 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Deanna Thompson, PhD. "Development of a Multi-Cue Guidance Channel for a Long-Gap Peripheral Nerve Injury". Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
October 27 - 28 2009
The 2009 CIMIT Innovation Congress Poster Competition
The 2009 CIMIT Innovation Congress, Accelerating Healthcare Solutions Through Technology, will be held in Boston on October 27 & 28, 2009. We will be having a poster session featuring interdisciplinary work that improves healthcare through technology.
Awards will be given for:
Most Innovative Research $1,500
Potential for Patient Benefit $1,000
Best Student Poster $ 500
Last year, more than 650 attendees viewed the posters and saw the innovative work the competition showcased.
Anyone is welcome to submit a poster abstract for consideration, but all accepted poster competition entrants must register for the Innovation Congress.
Marcy Lender
Assistant to Kirby Vosburgh, Ph.D.
CIMIT
165 Cambridge St., Suite 702
Boston, MA 02114
E-mail:
mlender@partners.org
Phone: (617) 643-3841
Fax: (617) 643-3840
Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology
Boston, MA
October 21 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Edward J. Ciaccio, PhD. "New Methods for Analysis of Heart Arrhythmias". Columbia University Medical Center.
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
September 30 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Adrian Rodriguez, PhD. "Spontaneous generation in sensory systems: calcium action potentials in hair cells pattern auditory neuron activity before hearing onset". Biology, City College of New York
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
September 23 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Peter Canoll, MD, PhD. "Myosin II in Glioma Invasion" Clinical Pathology, Columbia University Medical Center
Conference Room T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
September16 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Stavroula Sofou, PhD. "Lipid membrane heterogeneities controlled by pH: basic studies and potential applications in liposome based immunochemotherapy" Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
(3:00pm - 4:00pm)
September9 - 2009
CCNY BME SEMINAR
Clark T. Hung, PhD. "A Paradigm for Functional Tissue Engineering of Articular Cartilage". Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University.
Conference Romm T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
May 15 - 2009
NIH Scholars Research Day
Research Presentations
BME Conference/Class Room T402 (9:30am - 2:00pm)
May 13 - 2009
Wednesday Seminar Luis Cardoso, PhD Assistant Professor & Stephen C. Cowin, PhD Distinguished Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The City College of New York
BME Graduate and Undergraduate Students
Your attendance is requested at the
2009 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING AWARDS LUNCHEON
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
12:00noon - 2:00pm
Faculty Dining Hall
North Academic Center (NAC) 3rd Floor
(12:00pm - 2:00pm)
May 6 - 2009
Wednesday Seminar
Deepak Vashishth, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Center of Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
The Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department at The City College of New York (CCNY) and the New York Center for Biomedical Engineering (NYCBE) will host our annual Advisory Board Meeting in conjunction with BME Day 2009, Friday, May 1, 2009. The program will begin at 9:30 am and conclude at 4:00 pm.
Biomedical Engineering Conference Room T402 and Steinman Hall Lobby (9:30am - 4:00pm)
April 29 - 2009
Wednesday Seminar
Frances S. Ligler, D.Phil., D.Sc.
Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory,
Washington, DC,USA Frances.ligler@nrl.navy.mil
The Career Workshop is hosted by the NIH Scholars Program and our local BMES Chapter, and is for anyone who may be seeking industry internships/careers or entry into Medical School/Graduate School. This workshop is designed to equip students with the right mindset, tools, and resources to give them a competitive edge during their undergraduate/graduate career and beyond. Food will be served!
Zahi A. Fayad, PhD
Professor of Radiology and Medicine (Cardiology)
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York Director, Translational and Molecular Imaging
Institute
"Enzyme Innovation by Evolution" by Dr. Frances H. Arnold.
Scientists’ dreams of constructing new forms of life—either to enhance human well-being or just to prove that we can do it—are somewhat grander than the reality, because we are profoundly ignorant of the mapping from DNA sequence to biological function. Details of molecular interactions rule function, and we just don’t understand the details. For forward engineering of biological systems, I argue that we should look to the design algorithm that has produced the entire biological world: evolution. This simple algorithm works at all scales of complexity, from single proteins to ecosystems, and can be ‘directed’ by controlling the molecular diversity (mutations) and applying artificial selection.
By emulating evolution in the laboratory we create new, finely-tuned biological molecules that exhibit desired properties. And, by uncoupling evolution from biological function, we can explore what is physically possible versus what is merely biologically relevant at the time. These experiments provide insight into the remarkable ability of biological systems to evolve and adapt, and may help us understand how today’s proteins came about.
Treena Livingston Arinzeh. New Jersey Institute of Technology. Department of Biomedical Engineering
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
May 9 - 2008
NIH Scholars Research Day
Steinman Hall T-402 (10:00am - 2:00pm)
May 7 - 2008
BME Seminar
Ira R. Josephson. City College of New York. Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology.
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
May 6 - 2008
2008 BME Awards Luncheon
Open to all CCNY BME undergraduate and graduate students, this event will highlight the achievements of our faculty, students, and staff.
NAC Faculty Dining Hall (12:00pm - 2:00pm)
May 2 - 2008
2008 CCNY Biomedical Research Day
The 2008 CCNY Biomedical Engineering Research day will be a full day event including participation by member of the BME Industrial Advisory Board and representative from the New York Center for Biomedical Engineering hospital centers.
April 30 - 2008
BME Seminar
Ramesh Visvanathan. Siemens
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
April 16 - 2008
BME Seminar
Cheng Dong. Penn State University. Department of Bioengineering.
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
April 9 - 2008
SKT Memorial Lecture
Michael Sacks. University of Pittsburgh. Engineered Tissue Mechanics Laboratory.
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
April 2 - 2008
BME Seminar
Frederick Silver. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
Steinman Hall T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
March 19 - 2008
BME Seminar
Brad Herman. Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Leny and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics.
Steinman T-402 (3:00pm - 4:00pm)
March 12 - 2008
BME Seminar
Joe Tien. Boston University. Center for Nanoscience and Nanobiotechnology; Micro and Nano Biosystems Laboratory; Organogenesis Laboratory.
Edward A. Fisher Ph.D., M.P.H., M.D., B.A.
Departments of Medicine (Cardiology) and Pediatrics (Cardiology) and Cell Biology (Administration)
New York University Medical Center
Noshir A. Langrana, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University “Strategies to modulate DNA-crosslinked hydrogel stiffness to understand cell behavior.”
February 28 - 2007
BME Seminar
Helen H. Lu , Ph.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Title TBA
February 14 - 2007
BME Seminar
Mary Alpaugh, Ph.D. Department of Biology, CCNY, “A Model of Metastasis that Recapitulates Ontogeny.”
February 7 - 2007
BME Seminar
Lucas Parra , Ph.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering, CCNY, “Does the brain stimulate itself?”
December 13 - 2006
BME Seminar
Stavroula Sofou, Ph.D. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic University, “Surface-active lipid-based vesicles for drug delivery”
December 6 - 2006
BME Seminar
Cameron McIntyre,, PhD. Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Biomedical Engineering “Deep Brain Stimulation: Technology Development through Scientific Understanding”
November 29 - 2006
BME Seminar
Gwendalyn J. Randolph, PhD. Dept. of Gene and Cell Medicine. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine “Tissue engineering to study steps in the human immune response”
November 15 - 2006
BME Seminar
Yuliya Vengrenyuk , Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, CCNY “A new hypothesis for vulnerable plaque rupture due to stress-induced debonding around cellular microcalcifications in thin fibrous caps"
November 8 - 2006
BME Seminar
George Plopper , Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, “Closing the gap between tissue structure and function”
November 1 - 2006
BME Seminar
Herb B. Sun, Ph.D. Department of Orthopaedics. Mount Sinai School of Medicine “CITED2 in skeletal tissue mechanotransduction and homeostasis”
October 25 - 2006
Zweifach Lecture and CCNY/MSKCC Biomedical Engineering Partnership Symposium
Zweifach lecture by Dr. Rakesh K. Jain, Ph.D. Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School "Normalization of tumor vasculature and microenvironment by antiangiogenic therapies: From the bench to bedside and back"
Raymond Tu, Ph.D., Department of Chemical Engineering, CCNY "Peptide-based Self-assemblies"
October 4 - 2006
BME Seminar
Zhong-Dong Shi, BME CCNY “Fluid Shear Stress Plays a Role in Differentiation and Migration of Adventitial Fibroblast”
October 4 - 2006
BME Seminar
Yilin Wang, BME CCNY “A model for the role of integrins in flow induced mechanotransduction in osteocytes".
September 27 - 2006
BME Seminar
Gerard A. Ateshian, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University “Applications of Mixture Theory to Cartilage Mechanics and Tissue Engineering”
September 20 - 2006
BME Seminar
Guillermo A. Ameer, Sc.D. Northwestern University, Biomedical Engineering Department “How novel biomaterial applications will change medicine”
September 13 - 2006
BME Seminar
Paul Frenette, Department of Medicine, Immunobiology Center and Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Icahn Medical Institute. “Identification of leukocyte subsets and microdomains contributing to sickle cell vaso-occlusion in vivo.”
May 3 - 2006
BME Seminar
Dr. Tarek Fahmy, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale, "Biomaterials for immune system diagnostics and modulation, novel vaccine systems, and tissue engineering approach to recapitulate the dynamic microenvironment of lymphoid organs"
April 10 - 2006
BME Seminar
Jeffery D. Zahn, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn. State University, "Microfluidic Devices for Clinical Diagnostics and Health Management"
April 7 - 2006
BME Seminar
Sihong Wang, Harvard Medical School – "Real Time Profiling of Gene and Protein Expression Dynamics"
12:30 - 1:30 pm
April 5 - 2006
BME Seminar
Joonil Seong, “How is molecular structure designed to withstand mechanical forces? - Study of glycosaminoglycan and cell adhesion molecules by atomic force microscopy and optical tweezer”
April 3 - 2006
BME Seminar
Michael J. Jaasma, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland and Trinity College, Dublin, - "Osteoblast Mechanical Behavior and its Adaptation to Mechanical Loading"
2:00 - 3:00 pm
March 29 - 2006
BME Seminar
Dominique Durand, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, “Neural Interfacing with the Peripheral Nervous System”
March 24 - 2006
BME Seminar
Melissa A. Kacena, Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Yale University, "A New Paradigm of Skeletal Homeostasis: The Role of Megakaryocytes"
12:30 - 1:30 pm
March 23 - 2006
BME Seminar
James Cooper, National Institute of Standards and Technology, “Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering”
March 15 - 2006
BME Seminar
Warren Grill, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, “Electrical activation of spinal neural circuits for restoration of motor function”
March 14 - 2006
BME Seminar
Lee Murfee, University of California - San Diego, “Perivascular Cell Dynamics during Adult Microvascular Remodeling: Understanding the Importance of Arterial/Venous Phenotypes”
12:30 - 1:30 pm
March 8 - 2006
BME Seminar
Keith Hanna, President and CEO, Meridian Vision Inc. "Technology Transfer"
March 1 - 2006
BME Seminar
X. Sheldon Wang, Department of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology “An Overview of Immersed Boundary/Continuum Methods”
February 22 - 2006
BME Seminar
Ron Cohen, M.D. President and CEO, Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. Chairman Emeritus of the New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA). "The Two Towers: Academia and Industry in the Quest for Biomedical Innovation"
February 15 - 2006
BME Seminar
Peter S Walker, NYU-Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopedic Program, NYU School of Medicine “Development of a Kinematic Criterion for the Design of Knee Replacements”
February 8 - 2006
BME Seminar
Marcelo Magnasco, Head Mathematical Physics Lab, The Rockefeller University, “Sparse time-frequency representations and the neural coding of sound”
February 1 - 2006
BME Seminar
Kelvin Davies, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "The Biochemistry of the Maxi-K Channel Applied to Gene Therapy and Biotechnology"
December 15 - 2005
Neuroscience Center Seminar
Larry Abbott, Columbia University "Signal propagation in neuronal networks"
Marshak Room 801 (12:30pm)
December 14 - 2005
BME Seminar
Bruce D Gelb, Mount Sinai School of Medicine "Getting to the heart of the matter: Using Genomics to understand congenital heart defects"
December 13 - 2005
BME Senior Design Presentations
Biomedical Engineering Senior design teams present their concepts for their devices.
Room T-401 (11:00am - 12:30pm)
December 7 - 2005
Physics Colloquium
Alexander Gersten, Ben-Gurion University "Scientific abilities of adults and percuiarities in brain's blood flow"
Marshak Building, J418 (4:00pm)
December 7 - 2005
BME Seminar
Ravi Iyengar, Mount Sinai School of Medicie "Analyzing Cellular Regulatory Networks"
November 30 - 2005
BME Seminar
Barclay Morrison, Columbia University "In vitro approaches can increase our understanding of head injury biomechanics using atomic force microscopy and an organotypic slice culture model of traumatic brain injury"
November 29 - 2005
Levich Institute Seminar BME Seminar
Donald Gaver, Tulane University "The importance of surfactant physicochemical hydodynamics in pulmonary atelectrauma"
Steinman Hall, Room #312
November 23 - 2005
BME Seminar
Robert L Smith, Syracuse University "Cochlear Implants: Bringing Sound to the Profoundly Deaf"
November 16 - 2005
BME Seminar
Fortunato Battaglia, CUNY Medical School "Antidepressants, neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity in rodents and humans"
November 2 - 2005
BME Zweifach Lecture
Robert M. Nerum, Georgia Institute of Technology "The Vascular Endothelial Cell: From Basic Research to a Vascular Implant" Sheppard Hall Room Room 95 at 3:00 PM; Reception follows
October 26 - 2005
BME Seminar
Molly D Frame, Stony Brook University "Preconditioning of individual arteriolar networks in vivo"
October 19 - 2005
BME Seminar
Charles Nicholson, NYU School of Medicine "Measuring and modeling diffusion of molecules in brain tissue reveals structure"
October 18 - 2005
Joint BME, ChE, and Levich Institute Seminar
James Grotberg, University of Michigan "BIOFLUID MECHANICS IN LUNGS AND LUNG DEVICES" T-312 at 2:00-3:00 PM
September 22 - 2005
SOE Seminar
Thomas Magnanit, Dean of Engineering, Massachuseets Institue of Technology "Engineering Our Future" Steinman Hall Lecture Hall at 12:00 PM
September 21 - 2005
BME Seminar
Lilianne Mujica-Parodi, Stony Brook University "A complex systems approach to limbic dysregulation: implications for health and patient population"
September 20 - 21 2005
Seventh International Bone Fluid Workshop: Translational Bone Fluid Flow
Sponsored by the New York Center for Biomedical Engineering.
Ofer Tchernichoski, Ph.D., The City College of New York, Department of Biology, "How sleep affects the developmental learning of song birds "
September 7 - 2005
BME Seminar
Luis Cardoso Landa, Ph.D., The City College of New York, Department of Biomedical Engineering, "Bone quality and quantity"
August 31 - 2005
BME Seminar
Sheldon Weinbaum, Ph.D., The City College of New York, Department of Biomedical Engineering, "Finding your voice: a guide for graduate students"
May 9 - 2005
BME NIH Industry Advisory Board Meets Members
Dr. Robert J. Miller, Senior Director Biomat. Sci. & Eng., Genzyme
Dr. George Bourne, Group VP Endosurgery R&D, Boston Scientific
Barbara Davis, VP Human Resources & Organization Dev., Wilson Greatbatch
Sharon R. Daley, VP Human Resources, GE Global Research
Arica Drummond, Human Resources, ALZA - J&J
Dr. Troy Hershberger, Director Hip Prod. Dev., Biomet. Inc.
Darlene Whaley, VP Human Resources, Biomet. Inc.
Howie Rosen, VP Commercial Strategy, Gilead Sciences
Paul Citron, Retired VP Medtronic Inc.
Dr. Gabe Tzeghai, Assoc. Director R&D, Proctor & Gamble
Ms. Ronnie Denes, VP External Affairs, Cooper Union
Dr. Arnold Stancell, Turner Leadership Prof., Georgia Tech.
Dr. Neville Parker, H. Kayser Prof., CCNY
Peter Katona, President, Whitaker Foundation
May 8 - 2005
New Offices for the BME Department
The BME department have moved to its own space on the fourth floor of Steinman Hall. Architect Stephen Ely did a masterful job. See for yourself by taking a Tour of the new facilities.
Erin Sheets, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Chemistry, "Life as a Lipid: Rafts, Dynamics, and Interactions"
March 2 - 2005
Wednesday Seminar
Helen Lu, Ph.D., Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, "Soft Tissue to Bone Integration: A Tissue Engineering Approach"
February 23 - 2005
Wednesday Seminar
Babak Parviz, Ph.D., University of Washington, Department of Electrical Engineering, "Borrowing Tools and Concepts from Biology: Self-assembly for Functional Electronics and Photonics"
February 16 - 2005
Wednesday Seminar
Savio Woo, Ph.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Gene and Cell Medicine, "Gene Therapy for Cancer"
February 9 - 2005
Wednesday Seminar
Peter Caroll, MD, Ph.D., Columbia University, Department of Pathology, "Dynamic Analysis of Glioma Migration and Proliferation in Brain Slices"
February 2 - 2005
Wednesday Seminar
Greetings BME@CCNY! Department of Biomedical Engineering "Dessert Social to Welcome New BME Students and Greet Returning BME Students"
November 10 - 2004
Wednesday Seminar
Laoise McNamara, Ph.D, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, "Biomechanical origins of Osteoporosis"
November 5 - 2004
Inauguration of BME Department
The formal inauguration of the BME department and its new facilities will take place on November 5, 2004.
Yong S. Chang, Ph.D. Bayer Corporation, Sr. Research Scientist, "Title TBA"
October 20 - 2004
Wednesday Seminar
David Christini, Ph.D., Weil Medical College of Cornell University, "Adaptive termination of cardiac arrhythmia precursor events"
October 14 - 2004
CCNY Open House at BMES
Annual Meeting for Prospective Graduate Students & New Faculty at 7:30 PM in Salon 10, Mezzanine Level.
September 29 - 2004
Wednesday Seminar
Kambiz Pourrezai, Ph.D. Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems "Title TBA"
September 22 - 2004
Wednesday Seminar
Edward G. Cape, Ph.D., Managing Partner, The Sapphire Group LLC, "A Wall Street Perspective on Biotechnology and Medical Technology Companies: Venture Capital, IPO’s, Mergers & Acquisitions"
