{"689378":{"#nid":"689378","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Sara Bitarafan","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Levi B. Wood, Advisor-Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Young Jang, Emory Musculoskeletal Institute, Department of Orthopedics, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Melissa Kemp, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Srikant Rangaraju, Department of Neurology, Yale University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Annabelle Singer, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERewiring CSF1R signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlzheimer\u0027s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, affecting approximately 7 million people in the United States, yet no effective cure exists. The repeated failure of therapies targeting amyloid beta (A\u03b2) underscores the complexity of the disease and has shifted attention toward neuroinflammatory mechanisms, particularly the role of microglia. Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) is the predominant regulator of microglial survival and function in the brain and has been widely used as a tool to deplete microglia. Despite its established role in microglial biology, the mechanisms by which AD pathology alters CSF1R signaling and its downstream consequences for microglial behavior remain poorly understood. Here, I investigated whether the AD microenvironment reshapes CSF1R-mediated signaling in a context-dependent manner and whether this transformation can be therapeutically exploited. Proteomic analysis of postmortem human AD brain tissue revealed that CSF1R co-expressed protein networks are completely distinct from those of age-matched controls, with disease-associated networks enriched for neurodegeneration and inflammatory pathways. Across multiple in vitro systems, A\u03b2 pre-exposure consistently reprogrammed CSF1R signaling, driving sustained MAPK-ERK activation, suppression of Akt-mTOR, and site-specific transformation of CSF1R tyrosine phosphorylation. Notably, CSF1-induced ERK hyperactivation was identified as a primary driver of impaired microglial phagocytosis in the A\u03b2-primed state, establishing a direct mechanistic link between disease-driven CSF1R rewiring and microglial dysfunction. In vivo, CSF1R inhibition with BLZ945 in 5xFAD mice promoted microglial activation, normalized inflammatory proteomic signatures, and fully restored post-synaptic density after just 6 daily doses, effects entirely absent in wild-type animals. These findings demonstrate that CSF1R is not a static on-off switch for microglial activation, but a context-dependent signaling hub whose output is fundamentally shaped by the disease microenvironment. A deeper understanding of how AD pathology transforms CSF1R signaling and downstream microglial function will be essential for developing more targeted and effective therapeutic approaches for AD.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Rewiring CSF1R signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u0022 -Sara Bitarafan\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Rewiring CSF1R signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-04-02 13:13:28","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 13:14:31","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-04-02T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2026-04-09T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-04-09T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-04-02 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-04-09 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-04-09 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689203":{"#nid":"689203","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Chenyu GU","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Jaydev Desai, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Omer Inan, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Yue Chen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesign, Modeling, and Control of a Polymer-Based Continuum Robot\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMinimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is preferred over open surgery because it reduces patient trauma, shortens recovery time, and lowers the risk of complications. However, current MIS tools are typically passive and provide limited dexterity, making it difficult to access target locations within complex and tortuous anatomical structures. To address this limitation, this thesis presents the design of a meso-scale Hydraulic Polymer-based Continuum Robot (HyPo-CR) capable of achieving large, smooth bending motions. The proposed robot has an outer diameter of 2.14 mm and consists of a radially reinforced hydraulic actuator embedded within a laser-micromachined polyimide (PI) tube. Routing blocks are incorporated along the structure to maintain actuator alignment and improve force transmission. To better understand the mechanical behavior, three different design configurations are developed and experimentally evaluated, where the proposed design demonstrates improved planar bending and reduces undesired twisting by up to 58.8% compared to alternative designs. Furthermore, the robot is demonstrated in a two dimensional (2D) aortic arch phantom, where it successfully navigates through confined pathways and achieves bending angles greater than 180\u25e6.To model the nonlinear behavior of the system, a Preisach hysteresis model is used to describe the relationship between the actuation force and the resulting tip deflection, achieving a validation error of 2.26\u25e6. Since accurate knowledge of the robot configuration is critical for control, this work also investigates shape sensing methods. A camera-based approach is first implemented to provide high-resolution reference measurements of the robot shape. To enable more compact and practical sensing, an embedded Direct Laser Writing (DLW)-based resistive strain sensor is developed on the PI tube, along with an amplification circuit and a polynomial model to estimate the bending angle in real time. Building upon the modeling and sensing framework, both open-loop and closed-loop control strategies are implemented.\u0026nbsp;These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed system for MIS applications and provide a foundation for future development of smaller-scale robotic guidewires and micro-catheters with integrated sensing and control capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Design, Modeling, and Control of a Polymer-Based Continuum Robot\u0022 -Chenyu GU\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Design, Modeling, and Control of a Polymer-Based Continuum Robot\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-03-26 15:37:14","changed_gmt":"2026-03-26 15:38:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-04-03T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2026-04-03T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-04-03T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-04-03 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-04-03 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-04-03 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Klaus, Room 1120A","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688414":{"#nid":"688414","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Alisyn Bourque","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, Ph.D. (Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENick Housley, Ph.D., DPT, PT (Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETimothy Cope, Ph.D. (Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExploring the Tumor Targeting Mechanism of Polymer \u201cSANG\u201d Nanoparticles, and Engineering SANGs for Drug Delivery to Treat Cancer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite substantial research into cancer therapies in the last few decades including targeted nanoparticle therapies and antibody drug conjugates, drug delivery specifically to cancer remains challenging, with less than ~1% of the injected drug dose in current cancer treatments ever getting to tumors. High chemotherapy drug doses necessary to overcome this limited delivery cause debilitating off-target toxicity in healthy tissues. A therapy that can be injected systemically and primarily target tumors without significant accumulation in healthy tissues is the main goal of cancer\u0026nbsp;treatment. This work presents a novel polymer self-agglomerating nanohydrogel (SANG) that has shown significant accumulation in multiple types of solid tumors and metastases when injected systemically without any targeting ligands. SANG particles have also exhibited a unique agglomeration behavior in which above a certain concentration, the particles tend to stick to each other, forming larger aggregates. This work aims to better understand the tumor targeting capabilities and mechanism of SANGs, and exploit it by loading chemotherapeutic drugs on SANGs for application as an anti-cancer therapy. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, the vascular mechanisms leading to SANG tumor accumulation are explored, comparing malformed, tortuous tumor vasculature\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;healthy vasculature. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E, chemotherapy drugs are loaded on SANGs and the anti-tumor effects of systemic administration of SANG-drugs are explored in vivo in breast and ovarian cancer models. Together, these efforts aim to advance the understanding of the tumor targeting mechanism of SANGs, and present the use of chemotherapy loaded SANGs as a novel cancer therapy for multiple types of solid tumors.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Exploring the Tumor Targeting Mechanism of Polymer \u201cSANG\u201d Nanoparticles, and Engineering SANGs for Drug Delivery to Treat Cancer\u0022- Alisyn Bourque\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Exploring the Tumor Targeting Mechanism of Polymer \u201cSANG\u201d Nanoparticles, and Engineering SANGs for Drug Delivery to Treat Cancer\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-02-20 14:51:36","changed_gmt":"2026-02-20 14:52:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-03-05T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-03-05T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-03-05T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-03-05 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-03-05 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-03-05 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688315":{"#nid":"688315","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Alumni Symposium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA 1\u00bd-day symposium bringing together alumni, students, and faculty for keynotes, networking, lab and campus tours, professional development sessions, and discussions that strengthen connections and showcase the future of bioengineering.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/iZRy9szbV6\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERSVP Here\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E by Tuesday, March 31, 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAGENDA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDay 1: Thursday, April 23, 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E~ \u003Cstrong\u003EKickoff and Networking ~\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E2:00 p.m. - Opening Remarks from BioE Program Deputy Director, Levi Wood\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E2:30 p.m. - Icebreaker \/ Networking Roundtable Discussions\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E3:30 p.m. - \u003Cstrong\u003EOpening Keynote Presentation:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201cFrom Grad School to Industry: Lessons Learned\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E - Distinguished BioE Alumnus\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E5:00 p.m. - Networking Dinner, Graduate Student Poster Session\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDay 2: Friday, April 24, 2026\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E~ Research, Professional Branding, and Collaborations ~\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E10:00 a.m. - Lab tours led by graduate students\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E11:00 a.m. - Campus tours\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E12:00 p.m. - Lunch and Learn Panel: Academic-Industry Collaborations\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E1:30 p.m. - Interactive Session: Building Your Professional Brand to Increase Impact\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E2:30 p.m. - Reflections on Maintaining Connections within the GT BioEngineering Community\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E3:30 p.m. - \u003Cstrong\u003EClosing Keynote Presentation:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201cThe Future of Bioengineering\u201d \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E- Distinguished BioE Alumnus\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E5:00 p.m. - Closing Dinner Reception - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatechhotel.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Hotel \u0026amp; Conference Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESymposium Organizers:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:lbpriddy@abe.msstate.edu\u0022\u003ELauren Priddy\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:iparker@bme.ufl.edu\u0022\u003EIvana Parker,\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.paige@bioengineering.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA 1\u00bd-day symposium - RSVP by March 31\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A 1\u00bd-day symposium - RSVP by March 31"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2026-02-17 16:56:49","changed_gmt":"2026-02-18 13:01:16","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-04-23T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2026-04-24T19:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-04-24T19:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-04-23 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-04-24 23:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-04-24 23:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Petit Biotechnology Building, 315 Ferst Drive, NW, Suddath Seminar Room 1128, Atlanta, GA 30332 (unless otherwise noted)","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:lbpriddy@abe.msstate.edu\u0022\u003ELauren Priddy\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:iparker@bme.ufl.edu\u0022\u003EIvana Parker,\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.paige@bioengineering.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688309":{"#nid":"688309","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Zhonghao (Eric) Dai","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ankur Singh, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETara Deans, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMark Prausnitz, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Nanowires for FunctionalRejuvenation of Aged T Cell\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003Evia Intracellular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAging impairs T cell\u2013mediated immunity, reducing protection against infection, vaccine efficacy, and immunotherapy responses. Aged CD8\u207a T cells harbor cell-intrinsic defects in signaling, transcription, metabolism, and organelle homeostasis that limit activation, proliferation, and persistence. Most existing interventions act extracellularly and fail to correct these intracellular dysfunctions, and in part due to the lack of cytocompatible platforms capable of manipulating intracellular programs in primary aged T cells without inducing stress, toxicity, or activation artifacts. Nanowire-based biointerfaces offer a unique opportunity to overcome this limitation by enabling direct cytosolic access to hard-to-transfect immune cells. This work aims to develop nanowire-enabled intracellular engineering as a strategy to rejuvenate aged CD8\u207a T cell function. Aim 1 will establish nanowire-mediated delivery of regulatory microRNAs to restore activation dynamics, metabolic fitness, proliferation, and effector function in resting aged CD8\u207a T cells, including validation in antigen-specific and in vivo infection models. Aim 2 will extend this intracellular programming framework to functional proteins and synthetic gene circuits to achieve durable, state-dependent control of aged T cell activation, differentiation, and persistence. Together, these advances will establish new translational strategies to enhance immunity in older and immunocompromised populations.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Engineering Nanowires for Functional Rejuvenation of Aged T Cell via Intracellular Engineering\u0022 - Zhonghao (Eric) Dai\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Nanowires for Functional Rejuvenation of Aged T Cell via Intracellular Engineering\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:30:15","changed_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:31:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-02-27T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-02-27T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-02-27T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-02-27 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-02-27 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-02-27 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688308":{"#nid":"688308","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Brendan Tobin","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdward Botchwey, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhexing Wen, Ph.D. (Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESrikant Rangaraju, M.D.\u0026nbsp;(Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarnessing\u0026nbsp;MAPK\/ERK Signaling with Receptor Tyrosine Kinases to Control Alzheimer\u0027s Disease Associated Microglia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the Alzheimer\u2019s disease brain, a subset of the brain resident immune cells, microglia, transition from a homeostatic population to an activated disease associated microglial (DAM) phenotype. These microglia possess hyperactivation of the ERK signaling protein and some protective functions. Preliminary analysis utilizing a computational model of cell signaling networks identified two receptor tyrosine kinases, CSF1R and TGFBR1\/2,\u0026nbsp;that are upstream of the MAPK\/ERK pathway and\u0026nbsp;have the\u0026nbsp;capacity to modulate the DAM phenotype in vitro and in vivo and alter therapeutically relevant microglial function. Interestingly, despite the convergent signaling through the MAPK\/ERK pathway by these receptors, there is a divergent functional response. CSF1R acts as a pro-DAM receptor, and TGFBR1\/2 acts as a checkpoint on the transition into DAM. This work seeks to provide a clear mechanism of how these receptors signal through the MAPK\/ERK pathway, including the specific temporal dynamics of activation, and determine the therapeutic relevance of targeting these receptors. Specifically, \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;will validate the role of these receptors and their interaction\u0026nbsp;with\u0026nbsp;the MAPK\/ERK pathway using proximity labeling of proteins. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E will deploy a real-time reporter system of ERK phosphorylation to establish the dynamics of ERK activation associated with the DAM phenotype. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;will target these receptors with inhibitors\u0026nbsp;in a mouse model of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and assess therapeutic potential. Together, this work will fill critical gaps in Alzheimer\u2019s pathophysiology and identify novel therapeutic avenues to target microglia.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Harnessing MAPK\/ERK Signaling with Receptor Tyrosine Kinases to Control Alzheimer\u0027s Disease Associated Microglia\u0022 -Brendan Tobin\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Harnessing MAPK\/ERK Signaling with Receptor Tyrosine Kinases to Control Alzheimer\u0027s Disease Associated Microglia\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:22:59","changed_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:24:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-03-02T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-03-02T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-03-02T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-03-02 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-03-02 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-03-02 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687282":{"#nid":"687282","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Joshua Posen","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Minoru Shinohara, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJun Ueda, Ph.D. (co-advisor)\u0026nbsp; (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGregory Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELewis Wheaton, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndrew Butler, Ph.D. (\u0026nbsp;University of Alabama at Birmingham)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Development of Multi-modal Neuromodulation Techniques to Enhance Upper Limb Function Following Stroke and Healthy Aging\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile upper limb rehabilitation after stroke is a prominent research area, clinical outcomes vary due to uniqueness of each stroke and limitations of current therapies. Adjacently, all humans encounter degradation of hand function during the natural aging process. Despite their differences, both stroke and aging rehabilitation techniques share common grounds, leveraging brain plasticity to relearn lost motor skills. This work aims to develop two new systems to modulate cortical activity to enhance acute motor output or memory consolidation during motor learning. In Aim 1, a unique sensorimotor environment will be developed to simulate unimpaired reaching and grasping movements controlled by the activation of their trunk muscles. Modulation of hand motor output will then be assessed. In Aim 2, a pipeline to assess acute effects of non-invasive neurostimulation will be developed and stimulation parameters will then be assessed with the validated pipeline. In Aim 3, a collection of novel closed-loop systems to optimally trigger neurostimulation specifically following successful movement across motor tasks will be developed and initially evaluated in older adults. A physical, enhanced sensorimotor environment and optimized neurostimulation to modify cortical pathways will enhance long term clinical outcomes following stroke and improve quality of life for aging adults.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Development of Multi-modal Neuromodulation Techniques to Enhance Upper Limb Function Following Stroke and Healthy Aging\u0022 -Joshua Posen\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of Multi-modal Neuromodulation Techniques to Enhance Upper Limb Function Following Stroke and Healthy Aging\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-01-14 14:54:18","changed_gmt":"2026-01-14 14:55:28","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-01-27T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-01-27T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-01-27T13:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-01-27 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-01-27 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-01-27 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"555 14th St NW Building (SCC), Room 1253","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687252":{"#nid":"687252","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Aniket Venkatesh","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELakshmi Prasad Dasi, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Oshinski, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERudolph Gleason, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHanjoong Jo, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVinod Thourani, M.D. (Piedmont Heart Institute, Piedmont Healthcare)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPredicting Transcatheter Aortic Valve Leaflet Thrombosis Risk Using Pre-Procedural Computational Modeling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Aortic valve (AV) stenosis is the most common heart valve disease, present in about 30% of patients aged 65 or more and exacerbated by the congenitally abnormal bicuspid AV. Currently, the only treatment is an aortic valve replacement, which is commonly performed via transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive balloon-expandable (BE) or self-expandable (SE) procedure for patients at high surgical risk. However, the formation of blood clots on the TAV leaflets, or leaflet thrombosis (LT), is one of the most common adverse outcomes post-TAVR. About 15% of all patients who undergo TAVR develop LT, which increases the risk of stroke and early valve deterioration. Currently, LT is only diagnosed post-procedurally through detection of hypoattenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) in cardiac computed tomography (CT) scans taken days to months after procedure. Prior studies have examined direct correlations between various post-TAVR geometric and hemodynamic features on HALT risk, but no standardized methods have been developed to predict HALT pre-procedurally in the clinic. Hence, there is an urgent unmet need for rapid prediction of patient-specific post-TAVR HALT to aid in procedural planning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002So far, the project has resulted in a preliminary computational pipeline that predicts some post-TAVR geometric and hemodynamic features from pre-TAVR CT of tricuspid AV patients, but additional work is needed to further decrease the computational time and cost of these predictions, while incorporating additional TAVR models and bicuspid AVs. Therefore, the goal is to develop, validate, and test a robust computational pipeline that can predict patient-specific HALT risk after BE and SE TAVR in patients with tricuspid and bicuspid AVs, using only pre-procedural imaging. To do so, the following aims will be addressed: 1) Develop and validate a quick-response simulation-guided computational pipeline to pre-operatively predict post-TAVR geometric and hemodynamic features, 2) Predict HALT risk in patients following BE TAVR, and 3) Develop and test metrics to predict HALT risk following SE TAVR. By addressing one of the most common TAVR complications and methods to predict it while minimizing computational time and cost, this work will contribute to the development and validation of a rapidly deployable TAVR procedural planning tool that can be used in the clinic.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022 Predicting Transcatheter Aortic Valve Leaflet Thrombosis Risk Using Pre-Procedural Computational Modeling\u0022- \u0026nbsp;Aniket Venkatesh\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 Predicting Transcatheter Aortic Valve Leaflet Thrombosis Risk Using Pre-Procedural Computational Modeling\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2026-01-13 19:44:40","changed_gmt":"2026-01-13 19:45:47","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-01-22T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-01-22T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-01-22T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-01-22 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-01-22 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-01-22 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"TEP 216E","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686782":{"#nid":"686782","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Jaeho Lee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: W. Hong Yeo, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology) \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatthew Flavin, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (ECE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERudy Gleason, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeter Hesketh, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevelopment of Screen-Printed Flexible Sensing Systems for Biomedical Applications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESignificant progress has been made recently in the field of flexible electronics. Flexible electronics offer many advantages over traditional rigid systems in biomedical applications, such as light weight and conformality, which expands the device design space and allows for deployment of electronics in new use cases. Meanwhile, the ancient technique of screen printing presents a simple, yet precise method of creating thin conductive films over large areas. This proposal aims to take advantage of these unique properties by applying screen printing techniques to the creation of new flexible electronic devices. The proposed work targets two main areas: wearable health monitoring and cell therapy manufacturing. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, a high-density piezoresistive sensor array, capable of continuous monitoring of plantar pressure distribution, is integrated into a wireless smart insole system using screen printing. For \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E, screen printing enables the development of another multi-sensor array to detect contamination in bioreactors during cell therapy amplification. Finally, \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E seeks to build upon the bioreactor sensor system by expanding the sensor\u2019s targeting capabilities and improving the wireless long-term monitoring functionality. In combination, this research plan aims to leverage the characteristics of screen printing to advance the field of flexible electronics and enable the deployment of new sensing systems for the benefit of a diverse range of patients.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Development of Screen-Printed Flexible Sensing Systems for Biomedical Applications\u0022 -Jaeho Lee\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of Screen-Printed Flexible Sensing Systems for Biomedical Applications\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-12-08 16:37:59","changed_gmt":"2025-12-08 16:39:26","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-12-09T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-12-09T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-12-09T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-12-09 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-12-09 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-12-09 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4107 Marcus Nanotechnology bldg","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686781":{"#nid":"686781","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Kendreze Holland","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/em\u003EJohnny Blazeck,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003ECorey Wilson, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003EFelipe Quiroz, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003EWilliam Ratcliff, Ph. D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EA Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComplex cellular phenotypes and cars are similar in that one can observe their intended purpose (e.g., ability to survive for cells or mobility for cars) but struggle to understand the mechanisms that enable these features. While cars, because they are human-made, can undergo high throughput diagnostics to assess which parts combine to function to allow efficient mobility, methods with an analogous purpose do not exist for complex cellular phenotypes like their ability to survive. Particularly, numerous genes interact in parallel and non-parallel networks to give rise to these complex phenotypes, weakening the understanding gained by testing genes one at a time. In this vein, it is important to note that previous efforts with gene knockout and CRISPR activation\/repression studies do not characterize the vast possibilities of achievable gene interactions per cell. Thus, the field of biology needs a high throughput investigative tool with enhanced characterization potential of these intricate gene networks that control complex phenotypes like survival in response to changing environments. To address this shortcoming, we have developed a novel method involving the high throughput creation of multi-single-guide RNA (sgRNA) cassettes. We have shown that it is feasible to assemble multiplex sgRNA cassettes by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (OE-PCR), and that they can then allow for combinatorial gene expression control in the model organism,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E. We will use our novel platform method to simultaneously activate and inhibit numerous genes to be able to enhance cell survival when exposed to extracellular stressors, such as hydrogen peroxide. Importantly, this technology will have applicability across eukaryotic organisms, providing \u201cresearch mechanics\u201d with a method that enables improved manipulation of cellular machinery\u2014controlling the expression of multiple genes per cell in a high throughput manner, which is currently an impossible or at least very arduous task.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022 A Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput \u0022 - Kendreze Holland\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 A Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-12-08 16:34:18","changed_gmt":"2025-12-08 16:36:57","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-12-10T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-12-10T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-12-10T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-12-10 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-12-10 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-12-10 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Microelectronics Building; Room: 102A\u0026B Conference Room Petit","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686529":{"#nid":"686529","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Adriano Borsa","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarrett Stanley, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBilal Haider, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChris Rozell, Ph.D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAudrey Sederberg, Ph.D. (School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlan Emanuel, Ph.D. (Department of Cell Biology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReal-Time Cortical State Decoding for State-Aware Feedback Control\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerception depends not only on the stimulus, but also on the state of the brain when that stimulus arrives. The cortex fluctuates between distinct cortical states that affect how sensory signals are transformed and perceived. Although cortical states strongly influence neural responses, their rapidly shifting and variable nature has made it difficult to define the principles by which they shape sensory processing. This project aims to overcome that limitation by establishing a real-time framework for tracking and controlling cortical states, enabling state-aware experimentation to elucidate the mechanisms underlying state-dependent processing. We will develop the decoding and control algorithms underlying this framework within the constraints of real-time implementation, using the whisker primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of the awake mouse as a model system. In Aim 1, we will develop a model-based framework for real-time decoding of cortical state from local field potential (LFP) signals. In Aim 2, we will characterize how the activation of natural modulatory pathways shapes cortical state transitions. In Aim 3, we will integrate these components into a closed-loop controller that steers cortical activity toward targeted states and delivers sensory stimuli in a state-aware manner. Together, these advances will establish a novel framework for probing the precise roles of cortical state in sensory processing, with broader relevance for state tracking related to neurological disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Real-Time Cortical State Decoding for State-Aware Feedback Control\u0022 - Adriano Borsa\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Real-Time Cortical State Decoding for State-Aware Feedback Control\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-11-19 14:59:50","changed_gmt":"2025-11-19 15:01:01","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-12-02T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-12-02T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-12-02T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-12-02 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-12-02 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-12-02 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3115 Whitaker","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686477":{"#nid":"686477","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Myeongsoo Kim","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EStanislav Emelianov, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EVida Jamali, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003ERavi Kane, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003EGabriel A. Kwong, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003EKrishnendu Roy, Ph. D. (Vanderbilt University)\u003Cbr\u003EYounan Xia, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENoninvasive monitoring of antitumor activity of T cells via plasmonic photoacoustic nanosensors\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdoptive T cell therapy (ACT) is a promising strategy for cancer treatment that harnesses a patient\u2019s own T lymphocytes to enhance antitumor immunity. A major challenge in assessing therapeutic responses following ACT is the lack of robust, noninvasive tools to monitor antitumor T cell activity with anatomical context. This thesis presents an integrated strategy for noninvasive, longitudinal monitoring of ACT using plasmonic gold nanoconstructs in combination with ultrasound-guided photoacoustic (US\/PA) imaging as follows: (1) We developed semi-connected gold nanoassemblies (GNAs) by tuning interparticle connectivity of gold nanospheres inside a polymer layer to enhance near-infrared (NIR) light absorption, photostability, and PA responses. This study demonstrates that interparticle coupling in gold nanoconstructs directly influences imaging contrast and signal reliability over repeated imaging sessions. (2) Building on this GNA design, we extended the platform toward functional monitoring of T cell immunotherapy. Membrane-bound GNAs on CAR T cells enable noninvasive, longitudinal PA imaging of T cells in heterogeneous solid tumors.\u0026nbsp; Longitudinal PA imaging revealed a correlation between early T cell trafficking and tumor responses. (3) Protease-activated plasmonic nanosensors were developed to detect granzyme B (GzmB), a key T cell effector protease. Upon exposure to GzmB, nanosensor aggregation is induced, leading to enhanced NIR light absorption. This significantly amplifies PA signals, enabling sensitive detection of GzmB with specificity. In murine ACT models, systemic nanosensor administration enables detection of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T cell activity, producing elevated PA signals in antigen-positive tumors compared to antigen-negative controls before measurable differences in tumor volume. Overall, this thesis demonstrates that the integration of plasmonic nanosensors with US\/PA imaging not only advances the understanding of T cell-mediated antitumor responses but also provides a real-time monitoring platform to assess and potentially predict therapeutic outcomes in cancer immunotherapies.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Noninvasive monitoring of antitumor activity of T cells via plasmonic photoacoustic nanosensors\u0022 -Myeongsoo Kim\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Noninvasive monitoring of antitumor activity of T cells via plasmonic photoacoustic nanosensors\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-11-17 15:42:20","changed_gmt":"2025-11-17 15:43:56","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-11-25T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-11-25T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-11-25T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-11-25 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-11-25 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-11-25 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"(MOSE) 3201A","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686476":{"#nid":"686476","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Robert Pritchard","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EDr. Hang Lu (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Amirali Aghazadeh\u0026nbsp; (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Gordon Berman (Department of Biology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Nathan McDonald (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Anqi Wu\u0026nbsp; (School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow Does Aging Affect Odor Differentiation: Connecting Neural Dysregulation to Behavioral Changes in\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECognitive decline, especially sensorimotor deficits, is a prominent part of healthy and pathological aging. Studies across species have found evidence that this loss of cognitive function is in part due to a dysregulation of neural circuits. However, how neuron level changes give rise to this population level effect is still not well understood. The overall objective of this proposal is to quantify the effects of aging on the brain\u0027s ability to process sensory information to make motor decisions. We will use the model organism, C. elegans and recent advances microscopy and microfluidics to capture the full path of sensorimotor information through their brains at single cell resolution. This model was selected due to the ease of maintaining isogenic populations and their short lifespans. We will analyze the neural activity in worms at distinct stages to better understand how information processing breaks down with age. \u0026nbsp;The tools developed in this thesis will be applicable not just to other biological questions in C. elegans but other small model organisms such as zebrafish and Drosophila.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022How Does Aging Affect Odor Differentiation: Connecting Neural Dysregulation to Behavioral Changes in C. elegans\u0022 - Robert Pritchard\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022How Does Aging Affect Odor Differentiation: Connecting Neural Dysregulation to Behavioral Changes in C. elegans\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-11-17 15:22:31","changed_gmt":"2025-11-17 15:22:31","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-11-24T09:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-11-24T11:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-11-24T11:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-11-24 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-11-24 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-11-24 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686258":{"#nid":"686258","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Alexander Heiler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Susan N. Thomas, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EMembers\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, Ph.D. (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJihoon Kim, Ph.D. (School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered nanoparticle surface chemistry potentiates lymph node-directed transport and synergistic immunotherapeutic co-delivery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo design more efficient treatments for complex diseases, the properties of drug delivery vehicles are often modulated to better overcome biological barriers and enhance the delivery of bioactive molecules to their intended target, such as immunotherapy delivery to the lymphatic system to mediate the immune response in diseases such as cancer, infection, or autoimmune disorders. This thesis develops nanomaterial platforms to enable controlled nanoparticle delivery across lymphatic barriers in support of combination immunotherapeutic delivery to modulate the immune response. To further elucidate design considerations for effective drug delivery systems for lymphatic disease immunomodulation and diagnosis, the surface properties of model poly(propylene sulfide) nanoparticles are engineered to modulate their lymphatic transport and control the co-conjugation of synergistic immunostimulatory molecules. The effects of the copolymer properties on the nanoparticle properties were explored, along with the transport behaviors of the nanoparticle formulations using \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E assays modeling drainage into the lymphatic system that predicted their \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E lymphatic transport, facilitating the rational design of lymphatic-targeting drug delivery vehicles with desired transport properties. Furthermore, the nanoparticle surface was functionalized to display two orthogonal reactive groups capable of co-conjugating distinct biomolecules in controlled ratios and stimuli-responsive cleavage. These capabilities were leveraged for the formation of a subunit nanovaccine, co-conjugating immunostimulatory adjuvant with varying extents of antigen to modulate the potency of the antigen-specific immune response. Beyond enabling the design of optimized vaccination platforms, the design approaches explored herein facilitate the formulation of general combination therapeutic delivery systems with controlled lymphatic-directed transport to advance multifaceted approaches to improve patient outcomes in complex diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Engineered nanoparticle surface chemistry potentiates lymph node-directed transport and synergistic immunotherapeutic co-delivery\u0022 -Alexander Heiler\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered nanoparticle surface chemistry potentiates lymph node-directed transport and synergistic immunotherapeutic co-delivery\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-11-06 16:16:03","changed_gmt":"2025-11-06 16:17:34","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-11-18T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-11-18T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-11-18T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-11-18 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-11-18 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-11-18 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 Suddath Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686149":{"#nid":"686149","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Valencia Watson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ECheng Zhu,\u0026nbsp;PhD\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarmella Haynes,\u0026nbsp;PhD\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck,\u0026nbsp;PhD\u0026nbsp;(Department of Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENicole Schmitt,\u0026nbsp;PhD\u0026nbsp;(School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdward Botchwey,\u0026nbsp;PhD\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECHOLESTEROL IMPAIRS T-CELL RECEPTOR ANTIGEN RECOGNITION IN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT THROUGH CONVERGING T-REG AND ADENOSINERGIC IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT PATHWAYS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETumor killing by cytotoxic T cells is initiated after the T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes tumor antigen through direct physical contact and bond formation. T cells decipher antigenic peptides by forming bonds between TCRs and peptide loaded major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs). CD8\u003Cem\u003E+\u003C\/em\u003E T cells reactive against highly immunogenic antigens have a diminished anti-tumor protective effect when exposed to the TME. The mechanisms driving TME mediated immunosuppression are not fully understood. Advancing the understanding of immunosuppression in cancer will uncover useful information towards the advancement of therapeutic strategies. Our lab has previously shown that melanoma TME suppresses TCR 2D affinity, endogenous pulling forces, and activation in CD8\u003Cem\u003E+\u003C\/em\u003E cytotoxic T cells. Here, we examine the mechanisms driving suppressed TCR-pMHC interactions. Three immunosuppressants implicated in TME immune system evasion were screened as candidates of TCR inhibition. Directly targeting cholesterol metabolism, regulatory T cell (Treg) function, and adenosinergic pathways elucidated a compartment specific response to each inhibitor. These inhibitory pathways converge by altering cholesterol membrane accumulation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETreatment with lovastatin, an FDA approved HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (cholesterol synthesis inhibitor), reversed TME effects on impaired TCR binding affinity, endogenous pulling forces, and calcium fluxing. The current study also uncovers impaired TCR binding affinity and recovery with lovastatin using the MOC1 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) animal model. Results show a progressive reduction in TCR 2D binding affinity of CD8+ T cells exposed to TME in HNSCC, and recovery when cholesterol synthesis is inhibited, similar to melanoma. Treatment with lovastatin was also confirmed to mitigate the TME effects on TCR antigen recognition by targeting membrane cholesterol accumulation. Reduction of membrane cholesterol via cholesterol sulfate (CS) also recovered TCR binding affinity by reducing membrane accumulation and average TCR site density\/\u03bcm\u003Cem\u003E2\u003C\/em\u003E. This suggests that the immunosuppression of CD8\u003Cem\u003E+\u003C\/em\u003E T cells in TME is attributed to impaired TCR antigen recognition, due, in part, to increased accumulation of membrane cholesterol.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn connection to findings from targeting cholesterol metabolic pathways, we explored Treg immunosuppression in TME mediated TCR inhibition and its possible connection to cholesterol mediated TCR inhibition. Treg depletion eliminated the compartment specific differences in binding affinity between cells exposed to TME and those that were not. This suggests Tregs as a role player in TCR inhibition. Results show regulatory T cell depletion reduces cholesterol accumulation in the membrane of CD8+ T cells exposed to TME, implicating Tregs in the mechanism of cholesterol-mediated TCR inhibition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA well-known mechanism of Tregs cytotoxic CD8+ T cell inhibition works through the adenosinergic pathway through increased ectonucleotidase expression. We determine that ex-vivo stimulation with an adenosine-like receptor agonist increases the membrane cholesterol accumulation in CD8+ T cells exposed to TME. This data supports the notion that in cancer, Tregs drive membrane cholesterol accumulation in CD8+ T cells through the adenosinergic pathway. Finally, data shows targeting regulatory T cells lowers the concentration of adenosine in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and enhances adenosine A2A receptor expression of non-TME exposed cells when regulatory T cells are selectively depleted, further connecting alterations in these pathways to membrane cholesterol accumulation and TCR inhibition in the TME.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022CHOLESTEROL IMPAIRS T-CELL RECEPTOR ANTIGEN RECOGNITION IN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT THROUGH CONVERGING T-REG AND ADENOSINERGIC IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT PATHWAYS\u0022- \u0026nbsp;Valencia Watson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022CHOLESTEROL IMPAIRS T-CELL RECEPTOR ANTIGEN RECOGNITION IN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT THROUGH CONVERGING T-REG AND ADENOSINERGIC IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT PATHWAYS\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-11-03 17:56:38","changed_gmt":"2025-11-03 17:57:44","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-11-13T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-11-13T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-11-13T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-11-13 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-11-13 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-11-13 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Pettit Microelectronics Building, Room 102B","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685760":{"#nid":"685760","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Nithya Badarinath","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EDr. John Blazeck\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Julie Champion (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Gabe Kwong (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Raquel Lieberman (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Amit Reddi (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECreating and enhancing protease-responsive masked chimeric antigen receptors using engineering platforms in yeast\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImmunotherapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy have emerged as promising cancer treatments that can target tumors by binding to specific antigen targets. While these antigens are highly overexpressed in solid tumors, they are also expressed at low levels in healthy tissue, leading to the \u2018on-target, off-tumor\u2019 effect, in which CAR-T cells kill both healthy and cancerous cells. One strategy to combat this issue is through the conditional activation of therapeutics by the fusion of peptide masks to a protein drug. Masks block the binding of a protein to its intended target, and can be removed by proteases, which are overexpressed by cancers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe have developed a yeast display-based platform for the discovery of protease-removable peptide masks and have successfully isolated masks for a variety of cancer-relevant targets. However, some of these peptides have weak masking ability, only partially blocking target binding, while others do not fully unmask or allow for adequate restoration of binding upon protease treatment. Thus, we will first create a diversifying, dual adenine\/cytosine base editor in yeast that can be used as a tool for in vivo mutagenesis for the improvement of mask affinity and ability to block antigen binding. Next, we will study the activity and specificity of proteases to allow for cancer-relevant proteolytic removal of masks. Finally, we will improve the efficiency of mask removal with the incorporation of protease exosite-binders into our masked CAR design. Overall, this project aims to create strong masks for cancer-targeting CARs which can be efficiently removed by tumor-associated proteases.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Creating and enhancing protease-responsive masked chimeric antigen receptors using engineering platforms in yeast\u0022 -Nithya Badarinath\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Creating and enhancing protease-responsive masked chimeric antigen receptors using engineering platforms in yeast\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-10-16 15:55:33","changed_gmt":"2025-10-16 15:57:23","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-29T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-29T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-29T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-29 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-29 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-29 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"MoSE 1226","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685702":{"#nid":"685702","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Yidan Chen","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EYounan Xia, PhD (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStavros Thomopoulos, PhD (Department of Orthopedic Surgery \u0026amp; Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYuhang Hu, PhD (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff, PhD (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVladimir Tsukruk, PhD (School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesign and Fabrication of Novel Scaffolding Materials to Enhance Orthopedic Tissue Repair\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMusculoskeletal injuries result in nearly 30 billion dollars of cost annually in the United States. Those affecting tendons and ligaments, including transections of intrasynovial flexor tendons of the hand and rotator cuff tears of the shoulder, are prevalent and typically result in significant pain and disability. Although advances have been made in surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, the outcomes of tendon and tendon-to-bone insertion repair remain poor. For instance, current approaches often fail to restore hand function after flexor tendon injury due to poor healing that leads to gapping, repair-site failure, and motion-limiting adhesions, frequently requiring additional surgeries. For the more intricate tendon-to-bone repair, failure rates range from 20-94%, depending on the extent of the injury and the patient\u2019s age. Tissue engineering strategies, including rationally-designed scaffolds, delivery of bioactive molecules, cell-based therapy, or a combination of these, offer promising routes to enhance musculoskeletal repair. In this dissertation, I focused on the first two aspects, tuning scaffold composition, stiffness, and topography, and delivering specific biochemical cues to the injury site to facilitate repair. With an initial focus on the tendon itself, I first designed a delivery system to address the specific challenges of intrasynovial flexor tendon injuries. The clinical success of the repair depends on reconciling the contrasting goals of suppressing matrix formation at the tendon surface while promoting it within the repair site. To address this clinical need, a targeted drug delivery film was developed with controlled bi-directional and bi-temporal release to concurrently modulate inflammation and promote matrix remodeling. Next, my focus shifted to the tendon-to-bone insertion site, where repair often fails due to the challenge of recreating the native transitional tissue of the tendon enthesis. Effective tendon-to-bone attachment critically depends on the spatially-graded composition and hierarchical structure of the extracellular matrix and a unique population of cells with a phenotypic gradient. Therefore, a promising strategy to address this clinical challenge involves the use of biomimetic scaffolds to promote the regeneration of a functionally-graded enthesis. To this end, scaffolds were engineered with a well-controlled mineral gradient and optimized interdigitation geometry using spin-coating followed by laser machining. Building on this design, an additional developmentally-inspired cue, hedgehog agonist, was incorporated into the scaffold to further guide the formation of a cell phenotype gradient across the scaffold, thereby more comprehensively mimicking the cellular phenotypes in native enthesis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Design and Fabrication of Novel Scaffolding Materials to Enhance Orthopedic Tissue Repair\u0022- Yidan Chen\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Design and Fabrication of Novel Scaffolding Materials to Enhance Orthopedic Tissue Repair\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-10-14 14:00:33","changed_gmt":"2025-10-14 14:01:39","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-29T09:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-29T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-29T11:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-29 13:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-29 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-29 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"295 Love Building","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685701":{"#nid":"685701","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Zhe Zhong","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESusan N. Thomas, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun, PhD (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJean L. Koff, MD, MS (Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHuman immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding human B cell differentiation is vital for developing effective vaccines and therapies, especially in immunocompromised patients such as those with B cell lymphoma. Current models based on secondary lymphoid tissues like tonsils have provided valuable insights but remain limited by tissue availability, intrinsic inflamed microenvironments, and the inability to mimic the complex human lymphoid microenvironment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address this, this thesis presents the development of synthetic hydrogels that mimic the lymphoid tissue microenvironment, enabling human B cell maturation processes from tonsils and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) -derived B cells. These organoids emulate lymphoid tissue biophysical properties, chemokine gradients, and cell\u2013cell interactions, enabling the study of germinal center formation and antibody-producing plasma cell differentiation under physiologically relevant conditions. Next, we applied this platform to characterize B cell fate decisions across healthy donors and lymphoma patients through transcriptomic profiling and multiparametric metrics. We further integrated immune organoids with microfluidic devices to spatially regulate spatial organization via chemokine gradients, enabling mechanistic studies of B cell selection dynamics in health and diseases. Altogether, this system allows rapid, controlled modelling of immune responses and B cell disorders, developing next-generation immunotherapies.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Human immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u0022- Zhe Zhong\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Human immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-10-14 13:51:36","changed_gmt":"2025-10-14 13:51:36","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-21T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-21T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-21T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-21 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-21 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-21 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685697":{"#nid":"685697","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Daniel Kim","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dr. Ravi Kane (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Anant Paravastu (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Shuichi Takayama (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Alberto Moreno (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Levi Wood (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp; Engineering protein-based vaccines and therapeutics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInfluenza is a global health concern, causing up to 650,000 deaths worldwide annually despite the availability of seasonal vaccines. Current vaccination strategies and natural infection mainly elicit antibodies against the immunodominant and variable head domain of the hemagglutinin (HA) viral membrane glycoprotein. The antibodies that target this domain are highly neutralizing, but the head domain constantly mutates due to selective pressure and causes the head-directed immune response to be strain-specific. The more conserved stalk domain, however, has shown to be a promising target for the development of a broadly protective influenza vaccine. We introduce two strategies \u2013 tethered antigenic suppression and antigenic reorientation \u2013 to refocus the immune response towards the conserved stalk domain of HA.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;We demonstrate that tethering an antibody fragment to the HA head suppresses antibody responses against all five major antigenic sites on the head while enhancing the induction of anti-stalk antibodies in immunized mice. In addition, in a previous study, we had shown that presenting the HA in an inverted orientation on virus-like particles (VLPs) significantly enhances the induction of stalk-directed, cross-reactive antibodies compared to those elicited by presenting HA in a regular orientation on VLPs. With this promising result, we evaluated the protective efficacy of the inverted H1 HA VLP vaccine (VLP-HAinv) in BALB\/cJ mice against homologous, heterologous, and heterosubtypic influenza A virus challenges. The VLP-HAinv\u0026nbsp;vaccination in BALB\/cJ mice with various dose regimes provided complete protection against homologous and 2009 pandemic H1N1 heterologous challenges. Moreover, we observed partial protection against a heterosubtypic bovine clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus A\/bovine\/New Mexico\/A240920343-93\/2024, a pandemic potential avian influenza strain. We further aim to discover the mechanism of protection elicited by VLP-HAinv\u0026nbsp;by characterizing the Fc-mediated effector functions, T and B cell populations, and the influence of pre-existing immunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;In addition to designing protein-based vaccines that elicit protective antibodies, we are also interested in identifying target-specific antibodies with possible therapeutic potential.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Our focus is on amyloid-\u03b2 (A\u03b2) oligomers, increasingly recognized as the most neurotoxic species driving Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD) pathology. However, their structural and conformational heterogeneity has hindered the development of targeted therapeutics. In this study, we aim to isolate nanobodies with structural selectivity toward a well-defined and homogeneous 150 kDa A\u03b2 oligomer. Preliminarily, we used the Kruse Lab\u2019s yeast surface display nanobody library to perform successive rounds of magnetic-activated cell sorting and fluorescence-activated cell sorting to enrich clones that bind to the 150 kDa A\u03b2 oligomer. We identified nine unique nanobodies, from which four were fused to a human IgG Fc domain to generate bivalent nanobody-Fc constructs. Among these, one nanobody-Fc construct expressed stably in mammalian cells and demonstrated binding to the 150 kDa A\u03b2 oligomer in dot blot assays. However, cross-reactivity with A\u03b2 monomers and fibrils was observed. Future work will incorporate negative selection screens using A\u03b2 monomers to improve the specificity of the nanobody-Fc toward the A\u03b2 oligomers. We will then perform cytokine release and cell viability assays to determine whether the oligomer specific nanobody-Fc can mitigate A\u03b2 oligomer-induced neurotoxicity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022 \u0026nbsp;Engineering protein-based vaccines and therapeutics\u0022- Daniel Kim\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022  Engineering protein-based vaccines and therapeutics\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-10-13 18:29:57","changed_gmt":"2025-10-13 18:31:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-22T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-22T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-22T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-22 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-22 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-22 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684154":{"#nid":"684154","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Jody Todd","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dr. Deqiang Qiu (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Stanislav Emelianov (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Erin M. Buckley (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. James Lah (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Shella Keilholz (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp; Advancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Assessing Cerebrovascular Contributions to Alzheimer\u0027s Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlzheimer\u2019s Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, affecting millions of people each year with limited treatment options. AD has long been thought to be caused by the accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid and tau compounds. Cerebrovascular dysfunction is now understood to also play a role in AD progression; although, the exact pathological mechanisms are unclear. Amyloid and tau, while informative, are assessed using invasive procedures and may not be sensitive to earliest disease pathology. In contrast, cerebrovascular dysfunction has been observed in people at risk of AD before amyloid\/tau accumulation or cognitive decline. Reliable, noninvasive methods to assess cerebrovascular dysfunction are therefore necessary to better understand its role in AD and to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a promising approach to assess cerebrovascular health comprehensively and noninvasively through its ability to quantify multiple cerebrovascular biomarkers with high spatial resolution. Moreover, MRI-derived cerebrovascular biomarkers together with recent advancements in deep learning could aid our understanding of AD progression and\/or lead to the establishment of novel biomarkers. In this work, we develop MRI techniques that assess multiple cerebrovascular parameters and apply these techniques with deep learning methods to investigate cerebrovascular dysfunction patterns occurring in early AD.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022 \u0026nbsp;Advancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Assessing Cerebrovascular Contributions to Alzheimer\u0027s Disease\u0022 -Jody Todd\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022  Advancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Assessing Cerebrovascular Contributions to Alzheimer\u0027s Disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-08-26 14:00:57","changed_gmt":"2025-08-26 14:02:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-09-08T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-09-08T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-09-08T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-09-08 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-09-08 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-09-08 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Health Sciences Research Building II (HSRB II), 1750 Haygood Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. Room N357","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684045":{"#nid":"684045","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Sydney Wimberley","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVida Jamali, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManu Platt, Ph.D. (NIH|NBIB, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMark Prausnitz, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering protein nanocages for Influenza and Chlamydia Vaccines\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecombinant protein subunit vaccines overcome challenges faced by traditional whole pathogen vaccines, including preservation of antigen structure and directing both a humoral and a cellular immune response towards specific epitopes. However, the immune system has evolved to recognize highly repetitive antigens presented on pathogen surfaces, not soluble antigens. To induce robust immune responses, antigen display platforms have been designed to mimic pathogen antigen display. There are many different types of protein antigen displays, such as crosslinked nanoparticles and de novo self-assembling proteins. This thesis explores the use of self-assembled protein nanocages (SAPN) to improve humoral immune responses for a universal influenza vaccine and to develop and evaluate a Chlamydia vaccine\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E SAPNs are comprised of coil peptides that self-assemble into a cage. For vaccine SAPNs, fusion proteins were made of coiled coils and antigens. For influenza and Chlamydia SAPNs, combinations of antigens from the pathogens were showcased on the outside or the inside of the cage. The SAPNs were used to investigate antigen display and the factors that can affect immune responses, including accessibility and selection. This includes how a glycine linker can improve accessibility of a small antigen on the cage to induce a significant humoral response, and how selection of antigens may have a greater impact on immune responses than display. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the modular nature of\u0026nbsp; SAPNs with the ability to display both viral and bacterial antigens.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Engineering protein nanocages for Influenza and Chlamydia Vaccines\u0022 -Sydney Wimberley\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering protein nanocages for Influenza and Chlamydia Vaccines\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-08-21 17:32:59","changed_gmt":"2025-08-21 17:32:59","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-08-28T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-08-28T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-08-28T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-08-28 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-08-28 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-08-28 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"5029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683529":{"#nid":"683529","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Christopher J. Nichols","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter\u0026nbsp;Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreg Sawicki, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJosiah Hester, Ph.D. (School of Computer Science, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Ewart, M.D. (Department of Rheumatology, Minneapolis Veteran\u2019s Affairs Medical Center)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMinoru Shinohara Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter\u0026nbsp;Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvancing Wearable Sensing for Musculoskeletal Health Monitoring in Dynamic Everyday Environments\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent musculoskeletal healthcare is largely reactive, not proactive. Often, injuries and disease are detected only after they have progressed to late stages when irreparable damage has already occurred. This delay largely results from current methods of evaluating musculoskeletal health being costly, immobile, and inaccessible, limiting their feasibility for regular monitoring in everyday environments where early-stage detection and intervention is possible. Emerging sensing technologies such as joint acoustic emissions (JAEs) and localized electrical bioimpedance (EBI) offer an objective, wearable alternative to traditional approaches, but limited research into their sensitivity to early-stage musculoskeletal injury and disease during movements and conditions where they would be realistically used has constrained their viability beyond laboratory environments, where their potential advantages can be fully realized. To enable broader clinical and real-world impact, advancements are required in both the sensitivity and accessibility of these sensing technologies to capture meaningful information on musculoskeletal function under the unpredictable conditions of daily living. This dissertation entails demonstrating their sensitivity to early signs of musculoskeletal pathology, deepening understanding of the physiological signals they capture during functional movement, and developing wearable hardware and algorithms capable of reliable operation outside controlled environments. By addressing these challenges, this work takes a crucial step towards more accessible, affordable, and actionable musculoskeletal health monitoring beyond traditional clinical and research settings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Advancing Wearable Sensing for Musculoskeletal Health Monitoring in Dynamic Everyday Environments\u0022 - Christopher J. Nichols\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Advancing Wearable Sensing for Musculoskeletal Health Monitoring in Dynamic Everyday Environments\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-08-05 15:43:26","changed_gmt":"2025-08-05 15:45:03","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-08-19T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-08-19T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-08-19T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-08-19 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-08-19 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-08-19 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"523A TSRB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683483":{"#nid":"683483","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Glory Onajobi-Lee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ECorey J. Wilson, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn J. Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatthew J. Realff, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarmella Haynes, Ph.D. (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThomas J. DiChristina, Ph.D. (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding Transcriptional Programming Wetware and Biocomputing Capacity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESynthetic biology aims to engineer cells with programmable behaviors by designing gene circuits that process information and respond to environmental cues. This thesis advances the Transcriptional Programming (T-Pro) platform through the development of novel anti-repressor biosensors and related software to enable scalable biocomputing capacity. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, novel anti-repressor variants from the LacI\/GalR family will be engineered to expand the regulatory toolkit available for constructing modular and orthogonal gene circuits. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;will\u0026nbsp;focus on the development of a computational framework for designing compressed higher-order genetic circuits that leverage anti-repressor biosensors developed in \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E. The envisioned software will translate user-defined multi-input truth tables into compressed circuit architectures for \u0026gt;3-input Boolean operations. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;will apply the resulting wetware toward the development of novel biological security systems. Collectively, this work will increase T-Pro\u2019s biocomputing capacity and enhance wetware applications in the context of biocontainment.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Expanding Transcriptional Programming Wetware and Biocomputing Capacity\u0022 -Glory Onajobi-Lee\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Expanding Transcriptional Programming Wetware and Biocomputing Capacity\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-08-01 19:11:17","changed_gmt":"2025-08-01 19:12:22","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-08-14T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-08-14T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-08-14T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-08-14 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-08-14 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-08-14 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683194":{"#nid":"683194","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Alejandro de Janon Gutierrez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003EShuichi Takayama, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter\u0026nbsp;Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDouglas K. Graham, MD Ph.D. (Aflac Cancer \u0026amp; Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMark Styczynski, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter\u0026nbsp;Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESunil Raikar, MD Ph.D. (Aflac Cancer \u0026amp; Blood Disorders Center, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer caused by the uncontrolled growth of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that are arrested at early stages of development. Despite therapeutic advances, relapse persists, driven in part by the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, which provides hematopoietic niches essential for AML survival and expansion. Leukemic cells hijack these niches to establish a disease-permissive tumor microenvironment (TME). To address these challenges and improve therapeutic outcomes, there is a growing need for representative in vitro models that can faithfully recapitulate the human BM microenvironment. Organoids which are scaffold-free 3D structures formed from self-organizing cells, represent a promising platform due to their ability to replicate native tissue architecture and functionality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis thesis presents the development of a physiologically relevant 3D BM organoid system to study AML, its interaction with TME, and use as a drug screening platform. We established vascularized mesenchymal organoids (VMOs) as a foundational platform by co-culturing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with mesenchymal stromal\/stem cells (MSCs) in a minimal Matrigel-based scaffold (Aim1). Then, we expanded this platform into a full tri-culture AML BM organoid model by directly co-seeding AML cells derived from cell lines, primary patient samples, and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), with ECs and MSCs and characterized the TME (Aim2). Finally, we applied organoid model to evaluate therapeutic responses against chemotherapy and small molecule drug response (Aim3).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, this system offers a scalable and biologically relevant platform that captures the structural and functional complexity of the TME for studying AML-microenvironment interactions and for evaluating therapeutic response within a humanized, multicellular bone marrow context.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Developing High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia \u0022- Alejandro de Janon Gutierrez\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Developing High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-07-21 17:02:59","changed_gmt":"2025-07-21 17:04:31","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-08-01T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-08-01T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-08-01T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-08-01 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-08-01 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-08-01 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682796":{"#nid":"682796","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation - Camden Kitchen","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStanislav Emelianov, Ph. D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERafael Davalos, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOptimal Galvanic Cell Design for Powering Ingestible Devices in Varying Gastrointestinal Conditions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy harvesting using galvanic cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can provide supplementary power and prolong the service life of ingestible devices. This work explores the impact of electrode type, dimension, load resistance, and varying GI conditions on the performance of galvanic cells for powering ingestible devices. \u003Cem\u003EIn vitro\u003C\/em\u003E experiments were conducted with varying cathode and anode combinations in synthetic gastric fluid (SGF) under a load resistance sweep to measure the voltage of the galvanic cell over time. 23 tests assessed the peak power, energy capacity, and longevity of each electrode pair. Galvanic cell performance was also evaluated under simulated GI conditions (including varying pH, salt concentration, added foreign substances, and simulated intestinal conditions), varying electrode dimensions, and varying set load resistances. Pt and Pd cathodes showed the highest peak power and energy capacity, while Mo was cost-effective for transient applications. Mg was the optimal anode for short-term use, while Zn, the AZ31B Mg alloy, or a Zn-Mg hybrid were preferred for long-term applications. Energy generation decreased with increasing pH but improved with higher salt concentration. Large substances in gastric fluid hindered performance, and energy generation in intestinal fluids was less efficient. Larger cathode-to-anode size ratios increased efficiency, while larger anodes provided greater longevity. Power efficiency was observed to be highest for the Pt-Zn and Pt-AZ31 combinations when the internal resistance was equal to the load resistance but was higher for Pt-Mg as the load resistance increased. This study successfully characterized the effects of electrode combinations, dimensions, GI conditions, and load resistance on the performance of galvanic cells, offering insight into the design of supplementary power sources for short-term and long-term applications in ingestible devices.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation - Optimal Galvanic Cell Design for Powering Ingestible Devices in Varying Gastrointestinal Conditions - Camden Kitchen\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Optimal Galvanic Cell Design for Powering Ingestible Devices in Varying Gastrointestinal Conditions\u0022"}],"uid":"36617","created_gmt":"2025-06-16 14:21:45","changed_gmt":"2025-06-16 14:23:57","author":"lwood34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-06-30T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-06-30T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-06-30T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-06-30 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-06-30 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-06-30 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682772":{"#nid":"682772","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation - Andre Berry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Corey Wilson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;- Love Family Professor and Associate Chair for Faculty Development \u2013 Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Raquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;- Professor, Sepcic-Pfeil Chair in Chemistry - Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Matthew Realff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;- Professor and David I.J. Wang Faculty Fellow - Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis work aims to advance the synthetic design of allosterically regulated systems by extracting sequence-function correlations from engineered LacI-based anti-repressors. Through deep mutational scanning, we have generated comprehensive datasets correlating single-mutant genotypes with functional phenotypes. Building upon the experimental dataset and alongside model development efforts that utilize it, I introduce a novel approach to complement these analyses. By projecting deep mutational scanning data onto a representative protein structure model, I enable visual inspection and procedural analysis of position-based relationships. This projection, combined with quantitative data analysis across multiple datasets, generates a comprehensive, site-specific value list that can be algorithmically manipulated. This integrated approach, blending structural visualization with quantitative analysis, provides a deeper understanding towards position linked factors integral in LacI allostery. Ultimately, this research seeks to establish a foundation for improved engineering strategies for synthetic transcription factors and to enhance the development of features relevant for phenotype prediction efforts by further elucidating the mechanistic underpinnings of anti-repressor function and contributing to the broader understanding of protein allostery.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation - Synthetic Transcription Factor Allostery Mapping and Analysis - Andre Berry\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic Transcription Factor Allostery Mapping and Analysis\u0022"}],"uid":"36617","created_gmt":"2025-06-11 19:58:03","changed_gmt":"2025-06-11 19:58:03","author":"lwood34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-06-18T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-06-18T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-06-18T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-06-18 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-06-18 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-06-18 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHoA Seminar Room - 1st Floor","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682555":{"#nid":"682555","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Nina Sara Fraticelli-Guzm\u00e1n","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndrew J. Feola, PhD \u003Cem\u003E(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University; Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University; Atlanta VA Medical Center for Visual \u0026amp; Neurocognitive Rehabilitation)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EC. Ross Ethier, PhD \u003Cem\u003E(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, PhD \u003Cem\u003E(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, PhD \u003Cem\u003E(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EW. Daniel Stamer, PhD \u003Cem\u003E(Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMenopause-induced changes to the biomechanics and gene expression profile of the outflow pathway\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, is characterized by peripheral vision loss due to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss. It\u2019s projected to affect 112 million people by 2040, and 59% of the glaucomatous population are women. Past work suggests menopause, a hormonal process unique to females, that results in the decline of circulating estrogen and progesterone, might be a sex-specific factor associated with glaucoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecent work found that the age onset of menopause had a linear association with the timing of glaucoma diagnosis. Other works have found that early-onset menopause increases\u0026nbsp;the risk of developing glaucoma later in life and that menopause impacts intraocular pressure (IOP) \u2013 the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma. Further, estrogen has been identified as an upstream regulator for genes associated with IOP, called IOP-associated genes. However, menopause\u2019s role, particularly early-onset menopause, in glaucoma development is still not well understood. This work will address this gap by characterizing the potential impact early-onset menopause has over time on IOP, eye biomechanics, and gene expression associated with IOP and glaucoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking with Brown Norway rats,\u0026nbsp;Aim 1 will focus on determining the impact of early-onset menopause over time on IOP and aqueous humor (AH) outflow resistance.\u0026nbsp;Aim 2 will investigate early-onset menopause\u2019s impact on the stiffness of the trabecular meshwork\u2019s (TM) distinct segmental flow regions (high flow (HF) and low flow (LF)), the major tissue helping regulate aqueous humor flow within the eye.\u0026nbsp;Aim 3 will assess gene expression changes within the TM induced by early-onset menopause. We\u0026nbsp;hypothesize that over time, early-onset menopause increases IOP via increased AH outflow resistance and TM stiffness that are mediated by IOP-associated gene expression. This will provide insight into how early-onset menopause is related to factors associated with glaucoma over time and potentially identify menopause-associated pathways for new treatment targets for all glaucomatous patients.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Menopause-induced changes to the biomechanics and gene expression profile of the outflow pathway\u0022- Nina Sara Fraticelli-Guzm\u00e1n\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Menopause-induced changes to the biomechanics and gene expression profile of the outflow pathway\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-05-28 01:34:13","changed_gmt":"2025-05-28 01:36:38","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-06-10T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-06-10T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-06-10T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-06-10 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-06-10 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-06-10 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682393":{"#nid":"682393","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS defense presentation- Andre Berry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Dr. Corey Wilson, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Raquel Lieberman, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Matthew Realff\u0026nbsp;, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic Transcription Factor Allostery Mapping and Analysis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis work aims to advance the synthetic design of allosterically regulated systems by extracting sequence-function correlations from engineered LacI-based anti-repressors. Through deep mutational scanning, we have generated comprehensive datasets correlating single-mutant genotypes with functional phenotypes. Building upon the experimental dataset and alongside model development efforts that utilize it, I introduce a novel approach to complement these analyses. By projecting deep mutational scanning data onto a representative protein structure model, I enable visual inspection and procedural analysis of position-based relationships. This projection, combined with quantitative data analysis across multiple datasets, generates a comprehensive, site-specific value list that can be algorithmically manipulated. This integrated approach, blending structural visualization with quantitative analysis, provides a deeper understanding towards position linked factors integral in LacI allostery. Ultimately, this research seeks to establish a foundation for improved engineering strategies for synthetic transcription factors and to enhance the development of features relevant for phenotype prediction efforts by further elucidating the mechanistic underpinnings of anti-repressor function and contributing to the broader understanding of protein allostery.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS defense presentation- \u0022Synthetic Transcription Factor Allostery Mapping and Analysis\u0022 -Andre Berry\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic Transcription Factor Allostery Mapping and Analysis\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-05-13 18:54:16","changed_gmt":"2025-05-13 18:55:21","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-05-15T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-05-20T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-05-20T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-05-15 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-20 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-20 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1387 EST\u0026T","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682233":{"#nid":"682233","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- Kyungduck Yoon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvisor: Shu Jia, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECostas D. Arvanitis, Ph.D. (George. W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrancisco E. Robles, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EErin M. Buckley, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWilliam C. Ratcliff, Ph.D. (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETowards super-resolution neuromorphic scanning microscopy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuper-resolution microscopy has revolutionized the visualization of subcellular structures, yet it still relies on collecting numerous diffraction-limited frames for reconstruction. This requirement reduces temporal resolution, produces large redundant data sets, and demands complex optical configurations that impede real-time, high-throughput imaging. Frame-based cameras further limit their performance because their exposure time and dynamic range are compromised under rapid acquisitions. The goal of this proposal is to develop an affordable, accessible, and compact super-resolution microscope that concurrently delivers high-throughput imaging. In Aim 1, we will integrate neuromorphic event camera and develop dedicated reconstruction algorithms to reach kilohertz temporal resolution. Aim 2 focuses on designing and fabricating optical metasurfaces to replace diffractive microlens arrays for enhanced performance and to further simplify the hardware setup. Aim 3 will validate the complete neuromorphic scanning microscope on a range of biological specimens, demonstrating its versatility for broad applications. Successful completion of these aims will deliver the next generation of super-resolution microscopy, providing a robust and user-friendly platform for rapid biological imaging in both biological research and clinical applications.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- \u0022Towards super-resolution neuromorphic scanning microscopy\u0022- Kyungduck Yoon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Towards super-resolution neuromorphic scanning microscopy\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-05-05 17:12:08","changed_gmt":"2025-05-05 17:13:22","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-05-08T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-05-12T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-05-12T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-05-08 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-12 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-12 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682088":{"#nid":"682088","#data":{"type":"event","title":"2025 BioE Day","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E12th Annual BioE Day! \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003EPresentations from the 2024 BioE Award Winners, featured BioE Alum Talks and Panel, and a Rapid Fire Thesis Competition.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOpen to all Bioengineering Students and Faculty!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAGENDA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E9:30 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Coffee Corner\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E10:00 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Advisor Presentation\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/levi-wood\u0022\u003ELevi Wood,\u003C\/a\u003E introduction by Sara Bitarafan\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E10:30 a.m. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Thesis Presentation\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/index.php\/user\/jihoon-lee\u0022\u003EJihoon Lee\u003C\/a\u003E, introduction by Shuichi Takayama\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E11:00 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlumni Presentation\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/phillip-trusty-149808b\/\u0022\u003EPhilip Trusty\u003C\/a\u003E, Manager, Clinical Research, Abbott\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E11:30 a.m. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlumni Presentation\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.ufl.edu\/dept-member\/ivana-parker-ph-d\/\u0022\u003EIvana Parker\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, University of Florida\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E12:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Paper Presentation\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/user\/1585\u0022\u003EZhe \u0022Monica\u0022 Zhong\u003C\/a\u003E (A. Singh lab), \u0026nbsp;Lunch provided\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E12:30 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERapid Fire Presentations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E2:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlumni Panel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E3:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E Awards Announcements\u003C\/strong\u003E - Rapid Fire Awards, Christopher Ruffin Award\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E3:10 p.m. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EIce Cream and Popsicles\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cem\u003EEBB patio\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E4:30 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Adjourn\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECelebrating the 33rd anniversary of IBB\u0027s interdisciplinary Bioengineering graduate degree program\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Celebrating the 33rd anniversary of IBB\u0027s interdisciplinary Bioengineering graduate degree program"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2025-04-28 16:28:45","changed_gmt":"2025-04-28 17:30:53","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-05-09T09:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-05-09T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-05-09T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-05-09 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-09 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-09 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Krone Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB), 950 Atlantic Drive, CHOA Seminar Room, Atlanta, GA 30332","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:danial@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Danial Hosseini\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dkim998@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDaniel Kim\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:darint@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDarin Tsui\u003C\/a\u003E - BioE Day Co-Chairs\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681968":{"#nid":"681968","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Tae Hee Yoon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETaeHee Yoon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMay 9, 2025\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E10:30 AM -12:30 PM\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocation: IBB Suddath Seminar Room 1128\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/95124754456\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/95124754456\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeeting ID:\u0026nbsp;951 2475 4456\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Susan N. Thomas, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJ. Brandon Dixon, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, Ph.D. (School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering microphysiological lymphatic tissue models to advance drug delivery and lymphatic medicine\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lymphatic system plays a critical role in immune regulation, fluid balance, and the transport of therapeutics. However, the effectiveness of lymphatic-targeted drug delivery is often limited by off-target effects and poor retention. Nanoparticles, synthetic or natural carriers typically ranging from tens to several hundreds of nanometers in size, hold promise for improving specificity and therapeutic outcomes, yet their interactions with the lymphatic system are not well understood. To address this, there is an unmet need for precisely engineered physiological models that replicate the lymphatic microenvironment. Accordingly, the \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eoverall objective\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E of this research is to engineer microphysiological models of lymphatic tissue to study nanoparticle transport and drug release dynamics. The \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ecentral hypothesis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E is that biomimetic lymphatic architectures will enable detailed analysis of nanoparticle behavior and mechanisms relevant to drug and vaccine delivery. Specifically, I will (\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E) develop a lymphatic microphysiological platform that recapitulates key structural and functional features of lymph node sinus floor and the paracortex, enabling controlled study of various nanoparticles transport behaviors and cellular engagement under homeostatic and inflammatory conditions; and (\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E) engineer a microfluidic platform mimicking the interstitial space between a therapeutic depot and initial lymphatics to investigate the release dynamics of different therapeutic formulations and their effects on lymphatic vessels\u2019 function from various species. Overall, this work will improve our predictive understanding of lymphatic-targeted therapies and support the rational design of nanomedicines for applications in vaccine delivery, cancer immunotherapy, and lymphatic disorders such as lymphedema.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Engineering microphysiological lymphatic tissue models to advance drug delivery and lymphatic medicine\u0022 - Tae Hee Yoon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering microphysiological lymphatic tissue models to advance drug delivery and lymphatic medicine\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 17:33:41","changed_gmt":"2025-04-22 17:34:59","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-05-09T10:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-05-09T12:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-05-09T12:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-05-09 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-09 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-09 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681966":{"#nid":"681966","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Zhe Zhong","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESusan N. Thomas, PhD (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun, PhD (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJean L. Koff, MD, MS (Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHuman immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding human B cell differentiation is vital for developing effective vaccines and therapies, especially in immunocompromised patients such as those with B cell lymphoma. Current models based on secondary lymphoid tissues like tonsils have provided valuable insights but remain limited by tissue availability, intrinsic inflamed microenvironments, and the inability to mimic the complex human lymphoid microenvironment. To address this, I propose the development of synthetic hydrogels that mimic the lymphoid tissue microenvironment, enabling human B cell maturation processes from tonsils and peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived B cells. These organoids emulate lymphoid tissue biophysical properties, chemokine gradients, and cell\u2013cell interactions, enabling the study of germinal center formation and antibody-producing plasma cell differentiation under physiologically relevant conditions. I will apply this platform to characterize B cell fate decisions across healthy donors and lymphoma patients through transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling using multiparametric approaches. I will integrate immune organoids with microfluidic devices to spatially regulate spatial organization via chemokine gradients, enabling mechanistic studies of B cell selection dynamics in health and diseases. Altogether, my research allows rapid, controlled modelling of immune responses and B cell disorders, developing next-generation immunotherapies.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Human immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u0022- \u0026nbsp;Zhe Zhong\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Human immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 17:27:45","changed_gmt":"2025-04-22 17:28:47","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-30T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-30T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-30T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-30 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-30 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-30 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4211 MRDC","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681963":{"#nid":"681963","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- Avi Gupta","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Todd Sulchek, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology) \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlexander Alexeev, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScott Danielsen (MSE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Myers, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGuillem Pratx, Ph.D. (Radiology and Medical Physics, Stanford University) \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOptimization of Forces, Loading Rates and Strain Rates for Cytosolic Delivery using Mechanoporation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntracellular delivery of biomolecules such as mRNA, radiotracers, and gene-editing tools is a critical to advance\u0026nbsp;gene therapy, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. Microfluidic mechanoporation uses physical deformation of cells to transiently open membrane pores offering a scalable and reagent-free alternative to traditional delivery methods. Its broader adoption is limited by unpredictable delivery outcomes and incomplete understanding of how mechanical forces impact cells. This research aims to establish a force-informed framework for designing microfluidic systems that can consistently and efficiently deliver biomolecules directly into cytosol, bypassing endocytic degradation. By studying how cells respond to dynamic adhesion, loading rate, and strain state across microsecond to millisecond time scales, this work seeks to make delivery outcomes more predictable and tunable. In Aim 1, we will investigate how adhesion and mechanical properties influence cell behavior under flow using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and microfluidic ridge geometries. Aim 2 focuses on developing and validating analytical models that isolate and quantify the mechanical forces driving membrane poration using custom channel designs that modulate shear loading rate. In Aim 3, we will evaluate the biological fate of delivered molecules by comparing cytosolic versus endosomal colocalization using fluorescent and radiolabeled cargo. Together, this work will provide key design principles for the next generation of intracellular delivery platforms, enabling more precise and effective delivery for time-sensitive and therapeutically potent molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- \u0022Optimization of Forces, Loading Rates and Strain Rates for Cytosolic Delivery using Mechanoporation \u0026nbsp;\u0022 -Avi Gupta\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Optimization of Forces, Loading Rates and Strain Rates for Cytosolic Delivery using Mechanoporation  \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 15:47:18","changed_gmt":"2025-04-22 15:48:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-05-05T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-05-05T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-05-05T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-05-05 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-05-05 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-05-05 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1232 Whitaker","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681873":{"#nid":"681873","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Nicholas Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ahmet F. Coskun, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology) \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeng Qiu, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESaurabh Sinha (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERabindra Tirouvanziam, Ph.D. (BME, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarcus Cicerone, Ph.D. (Chem, Georgia Institute of Technology) \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETimeseries Spatial Omics Of Immune Cell Signaling In Inflammation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECystic fibrosis (CF) affects 100,000 people worldwide. Although FDA-approved therapies have remarkably succeeded, chronic inflammation and bacterial infections persist, causing tissue damage and worsening quality of life, despite a large immune cell presence. We investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of these immune cells, specifically the Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF\u03baB) pathway, during inflammation. We combine emerging spatial omics techniques with a time-series fixation method involving static stimulation and programmable formaldehyde perfusion to map pseudo-Signaling with Omics signatures (pSigOmics) of single-cell data from 100K+ cells. Examining NF\u03baB in mouse fibroblasts, we discovered a novel asynchronous pseudotime regulation (APR) between p65 RNA and protein in the quintessential NF\u03baB p65 protein using single-molecule spatial imaging. The observed p65 translational APR is evident in both statically sampled timepoints and dynamic response gradients from perfused fixation. This translational regulation is vital in CF, where resident macrophages and transmigrating neutrophils persist in high-inflammation lung areas despite successful treatment. The spatiotemporal activity of immune cells \u2013 fibroblasts, macrophages, neutrophils \u2013 poses significant clinical challenges because they fail to clear infection and engender tissue damage with prolonged activation. Examining the immune landscape spatiotemporal patterns is critical to identifying opportune windows for treatment and investigating why bactericidal capabilities are malfunctioning.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Timeseries Spatial Omics Of Immune Cell Signaling In Inflammation \u0026nbsp; \u0022 -Nicholas Zhang\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Timeseries Spatial Omics Of Immune Cell Signaling In Inflammation   \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-17 15:16:02","changed_gmt":"2025-04-17 15:17:14","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-30T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-30T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-30T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-30 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-30 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-30 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Krone Engineered Biosystems Building, 3029","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681861":{"#nid":"681861","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Haejun Han","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOliver Hobert, Ph.D. (Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPatrick McGrath, Ph.D. (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEva Dyer, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter\u0026nbsp;Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGhassan AlRegib, Ph.D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENovel Computational Methods for Scalable \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Neuroimaging Analysis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Deciphering the relationship between neural circuit structure, function, and behavior requires powerful methods for observing and analyzing neural dynamics at scale, posing a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. The nematode \u003Cem\u003ECaenorhabditis elegans\u003C\/em\u003E, with its fully mapped nervous system and powerful genetic tools, provides an exceptional model for dissecting these mechanisms, especially when combined with fluorescence microscopy to visualize neural structure and function \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E. However, realizing the full potential of this approach is often limited by critical bottlenecks in data analysis throughput, inherent trade-offs in imaging parameters like speed and resolution, and the prohibitive labor cost associated with manually annotating large, dynamic datasets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002This thesis focuses on developing novel computational tools, leveraging computer vision and machine learning, to overcome these specific limitations in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;fluorescence neuroimaging. First, to address the challenge of quantifying synaptic structures at scale, I developed WormPsyQi, an automated pipeline using machine learning for robust, high-throughput synapse segmentation and analysis across diverse reporter types (Aim 1). Second, to mitigate imaging trade-offs that compromise functional studies, I created Deep Video DeBinning (DVDB), a semi-supervised video super-resolution method that computationally restores spatial detail lost to camera binning, enabling high-fidelity activity analysis from high-speed, high-SNR recordings for applications like studying rapid locomotion dynamics or performing volumetric whole-brain imaging (Aim 2). Third, confronting the annotation bottleneck in analyzing large volumetric neural activity datasets, I designed ASCENT, a self-supervised deep learning framework utilizing a Neuron Embedding Transformer (NETr) to achieve state-of-the-art 3D neuron tracking accuracy without requiring manual annotations (Aim 3).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Together, these computational tools provide validated, scalable solutions that enhance our ability to perform quantitative analysis of neural circuit structure and function in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E. By automating key analysis steps and computationally overcoming imaging limitations, this work lays the groundwork for deeper investigations into the structure, function, and dynamics of neural circuits in this powerful model system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Novel Computational Methods for Scalable C. elegans Neuroimaging Analysis\u0022 -Haejun Han\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Novel Computational Methods for Scalable C. elegans Neuroimaging Analysis\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-16 19:25:05","changed_gmt":"2025-04-16 19:26:34","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-30T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-30T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-30T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-30 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-30 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-30 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681860":{"#nid":"681860","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Allison Bateman","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: W. Hong Yeo, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology) \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERudy Gleason, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeter Hesketh, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlex Abramson, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;(ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevelopment of wireless implantable bioelectronics integrated on a unified platform with existing medical devices for enhancing physiological monitoring\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile technological advancements have heightened public awareness of health monitoring, significant barriers to obtaining quality health data persist for a large population, particularly high-risk patients. Many diagnoses require costly, time-consuming visits to well-resourced health facilities, adversely affecting patient health. As healthcare systems shift toward decentralization, there is a growing need for monitoring tools that can be used in outpatient clinics or procedural centers without sacrificing accuracy or reliability. This proposal seeks to address that need by developing wireless, implantable bioelectronic systems for accessible physiological monitoring of high-risk patients. This work aims to incorporate these systems into existing medical devices using an LC-circuit based design to wirelessly detect abnormal conditions outside of hospital settings. Achieving this technology requires a thorough understanding of biosensors, wireless monitoring, and pathophysiological signals. This work targets two diseases, atherosclerosis and end-stage-kidney disease (ESKD), both of which have costly invasive procedures to diagnose common complications. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, a bioelectronic vascular stent, capable of wirelessly diagnosing in-stent restenosis, is optimized with a miniaturized sensor to integrate with current catheterization procedures. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E, a fully flexible wireless monitoring system is developed and studied to detect stenosis growth and location within arteriovenous grafts (AVG) used for dialysis. Lastly, \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;looks to enhance the implanted system\u0027s wireless performance by modifying both the device and external reader to extend the wireless capabilities of the system. Together, these efforts aim to advance the fields of soft electronics and passive sensing while enabling more accessible, non-hospital-based diagnostics for high-risk patients.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Development of wireless implantable bioelectronics integrated on a unified platform with existing medical devices for enhancing physiological monitoring\u0022 -Allison Bateman\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of wireless implantable bioelectronics integrated on a unified platform with existing medical devices for enhancing physiological monitoring\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-04-16 19:22:14","changed_gmt":"2025-04-16 19:23:42","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-29T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-29T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-29T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-29 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-29 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-29 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Pettit Microelectronics Building, 102A","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681350":{"#nid":"681350","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Liana Hatoum","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManu O. Platt, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdward A. Botchwey, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpencer H. Bryngelson, Ph.D. (School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERudolph L. Gleason, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Joint Appointment in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn N. Oshinski, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlessandro Veneziani, Ph.D. (Department of Mathematics, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELongitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESickle cell disease (SCD) is a devastating inherited blood disorder associated with progressive arterial damage and a heightened stroke risk, particularly ischemic stroke in childhood and hemorrhagic stroke in early adulthood. The mechanisms driving arterial damage in SCD are still not fully understood. In clinical settings, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has become indispensable for evaluating cerebrovascular health and stroke management. While bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the only curative therapy for SCD, some individuals remain at risk for stroke post-transplant, underscoring the need for optimized timing to prevent arterial complications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a humanized SCD mouse model, we performed non-contrast MRA to investigate arteriopathy by measuring common carotid artery luminal areas longitudinally. SCD mice exhibited expansive outward remodeling with age, indicating a weakened arterial wall. In addition, MRA revealed large artery abnormalities, including stenoses and occlusions in carotid and cerebral arteries, mirroring findings in SCD patients with stroke complications. To identify imaging biomarkers for early detection, we applied radiomics analysis to MRA images, distinguishing SCD from heterozygous mice based on quantitative radiomic features. We further optimized phase contrast-MRI methods for blood flow measurements in the common carotid arteries of SCD mice. In addition, we established a method for computational fluid dynamic modeling to evaluate the relation between common carotid artery geometries obtained from MRAs and hemodynamics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo explore potential therapeutic strategies, we investigated the role of cathepsin K, a potent collagenase and elastase upregulated in SCD, in arterial remodeling. Genetic knockout of cathepsin K in SCD mice mitigated expansive remodeling, medial thinning, and elastin and collagen degradation in the arterial wall. Finally, we assessed whether BMT could prevent arterial remodeling in SCD mice at different disease stages. Early BMT at 2 months prevented arterial remodeling, whereas late BMT at 4 months failed to reverse pre-existing damage. These results emphasize the importance of early intervention to prevent irreversible arterial damage in SCD.\u0026nbsp;As the field continues to advance with gene-editing therapies, this work may provide valuable guidance on optimizing the timing of intervention to maximize the benefits of these innovative treatments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u0022 -Liana Hatoum\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-03-25 13:28:41","changed_gmt":"2025-03-25 13:29:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-02T09:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-02T11:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-02T11:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-02 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-02 15:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-02 15:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681349":{"#nid":"681349","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS defense presentation- Catherine Brink","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKostas Konstantinidis, Ph.D. (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKostas Konstantinidis, Ph.D. (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichael Woodworth, MD (Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdward Botchwey, Ph.D. (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIdentifying a potential consortium of bacterial species and functions for the reduction of enteric multidrug resistant organisms by microbiota transplantation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAntibiotic resistance is an urgent healthcare crisis. Traditional drug development is not able to keep up with the evolution of new resistant pathogens, leaving very few viable therapeutic options. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has shown remarkable promise in its success in preventing recurrent \u003Cem\u003EClostridioides difficile\u003C\/em\u003E infections (rCDI), with a success rate of up to 90% and the approval of two commercial products since 2022. FMT success in rCDI is often accompanied by significant shifts in the composition of antibiotic resistance genes of patients\u2019 gut microbiomes, but studies evaluating the direct effect of FMT in treating multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) have been met with mixed results. Success rates vary between studies, scalability and safety of FMT are ongoing challenges, and no consensus on the key bacterial taxa involved in successful applications has been reached, likely due to the high inter-individual heterogeneity of the human gut microbiome and the complex diversity of MDROs. Additionally, there is a lack of functional analysis to explain the mechanism behind successful FMT treatments. In this study, we use a temporal definition of engraftment and identify a consortium of fourteen bacterial species that are engrafting across different studies and are negatively correlated with pathogen abundance. This consortium differs from the taxa responsible for rCDI prevention, which has important implications for future drug development. We also identify gene functions that may facilitate the engraftment of these taxa, as engrafting genes are involved in growth, adhesion and environmental sensing. Overall, we show that our bioinformatic approach can identify a consensus in taxonomic and functional changes after FMT and could be adapted to other microbiota-responsive indications. Here, we apply our approach to efficiently nominate candidate strains to reduce MDRO colonisation and address the global threat of antibiotic resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS defense presentation- \u0022Identifying a potential consortium of bacterial species and functions for the reduction of enteric multidrug resistant organisms by microbiota transplantation\u0022 -Catherine Brink\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Identifying a potential consortium of bacterial species and functions for the reduction of enteric multidrug resistant organisms by microbiota transplantation\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-03-25 13:25:51","changed_gmt":"2025-03-25 13:26:58","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-04-09T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-04-09T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-04-09T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-04-09 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-04-09 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-04-09 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680876":{"#nid":"680876","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Lucinda Peng","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDaniel I. Goldman, Ph.D. (School of Physics, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPatrick McGrath, Ph.D. (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimon Sponberg, Ph.D. (School of Physics, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELena Ting, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe role of proprioception in locomotion control\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Animals must navigate through diverse terrain. This task requires them to adapt their locomotion strategy to the local environment. Locomotor adaptation requires integrating sensory feedback, particularly from proprioception, which provides critical information about body position and motion. While different proprioceptive neurons encode distinct sensory signals, how these inputs are integrated to modulate motor outputs remains unclear. I study proprioceptive integration and motor control using the model organism \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;moves using undulation, propagating a body wave from head to tail, and can adapt its gait to different physical environments. \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eis a useful model for studying locomotion adaptation due to its compact nervous system, ease of recording neural activity and readily available genetic tools. My thesis addresses this gap in proprioceptive integration and motor control by developing tools for improved functional imaging and using a combination of modeling and genetic perturbations to assess the role of proprioception and motor control in gait adaptation. First, I develop and apply deep learning tools to improve functional imaging during locomotion to determine the motor patterns used for gait adaptation (aim 1). Next, I investigate the role of several proprioceptive neurons in gait adaptation through genetic perturbation (aim 2). Finally, I develop a neuromechanical model based on locomotion changes in proprioceptive-deficient \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;mutants to gain insights into their proprioceptive control strategies (aim 3). The tools and framework developed in this work provide a foundation for future studies to further elucidate the role of proprioception in gait adaptation and motor control. This work provides insights into genetic mechanisms of proprioception for further study in other organisms and suggests control strategies for bioinspired robotics that require adaptive gait modulation across diverse environments.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022The role of proprioception in locomotion control\u0022 -Lucinda Peng\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022The role of proprioception in locomotion control\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-03-04 18:17:50","changed_gmt":"2025-03-04 18:17:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-03-11T09:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-03-11T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-03-11T11:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-03-11 13:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-03-11 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-03-11 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680637":{"#nid":"680637","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Christina McDonald","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;M. Saad Bhamla, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarianne Alleyne, Ph.D. (Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Hu, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYuhang Hu, Ph.D. (ME \u0026amp; ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;(ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWax \u201cTails\u201d and Fairy Knots:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDynamic Functions of Passive Adornments in Planthoppers and Humans\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe striking appearance of wax \u201ctails\u201d \u2013 posterior wax projections produced by planthopper nymphs (immature form) \u2013 has captivated entomologists and naturalists alike. Despite their common presence, the functional roles of these projections are not fully understood. During their powerful jumps, nymphs experience an airborne phase, making aerial stabilization strategies an important component of their locomotion. Other wingless insects generate stabilizing aerodynamic torques from appendage movements. Similarly, we hypothesize that wax-bearing nymphs leverage their wax structures for aerial stability and subsequent successful landings. In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, we analyze rotational stability and landing success rates from high-speed videos of nymph jumps with wax intact and wax removed. For \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E, we assess the role of stabilizing drag forces and develop a computational model of nymph jumps. These findings will provide insight into the adaptive significance of wax structures, revealing the relationship between wax morphology and aerial maneuverability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second research topic shifts the study of passive adornments from insect wax to human scalp hair. Fairy knots, also known as single-strand knots, are a common occurrence in coily-curly hair. The name evokes the knots\u0027 seemingly spontaneous and precise formation on a single strand of hair, indicating that only a small fairy could tie the tiny, meticulous knot unnoticed. Once formed, fairy knots are difficult to detangle and remove leading to breakage, hindered growth, and increased surface roughness. Despite their common occurrence in coily-curly hair, the mechanisms behind fairy knot formation, although having speculated causes, have not been formally investigated. This research aims to identify the biomechanical mechanisms behind fairy knot formation.\u0026nbsp;In \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E, we characterize fairy knot form, frequency, and location as well as use new and established hair classification methods to characterize fairy knot prone hair. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eexamine how hair recoil, induced through mechanical manipulation (e.g., pulling and releasing, smoothing, and combing) or hydromechanical forces (e.g., wetting and drying), contributes to knotting. Additionally, measure relevant mechanical and physical properties of hair to link quantifiable parameters with knot formation. This research has broader implications for understanding hair behavior and can inform the development of hair care products and technologies (e.g., hairstyles) designed to prevent knot formation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Wax \u201cTails\u201d and Fairy Knots: Dynamic Functions of Passive Adornments in Planthoppers and Humans\u0022 - Christina McDonald\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Wax \u201cTails\u201d and Fairy Knots: Dynamic Functions of Passive Adornments in Planthoppers and Humans\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-20 16:56:46","changed_gmt":"2025-02-20 17:00:41","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-03-04T13:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-03-04T15:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-03-04T15:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-03-04 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-03-04 20:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-03-04 20:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"2229 Ford ES\u0026T","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680556":{"#nid":"680556","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Young Jae Ryu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Brandon Dixon, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Alexander Alexeev, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Rudolph Gleason, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Susan Thomas, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Joseph Dayan, MD, MBA, Plastic \u0026amp; Reconstructive Surgeon, Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, Institute for Advanced Reconstruction\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModeling Lymphatic System Dynamics: Experimental and Computational Approaches to Lymphedema Treatment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELymphedema is a debilitating condition caused by impaired lymphatic drainage, leading to chronic swelling and tissue damage. Despite its widespread prevalence, effective treatment options remain limited due to an incomplete understanding of the lymphatic system\u2019s physiological responses to injury and treatment interventions. This thesis aims to bridge this knowledge gap by integrating experimental and clinical approaches with computational modeling to explore lymphatic function and remodeling. This work is structured around three specific aims. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E focuses on a large-animal study using a sheep model to characterize the growth and remodeling of lymphatic vessels following injury. By combining in-vivo imaging, ex-vivo vessel analysis, and mechanical modeling, this study will provide critical insights into the contractile dynamics and adaptive responses of lymphatic vessels under mechanical stress. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E develops a lumped parameter model to simulate lymphaticovenous anastomoses (LVA), a microsurgical intervention for lymphedema, assessing how different configurations influence lymphatic transport efficiency. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E integrates growth and remodeling responses into the computational model to predict long-term LVA adaptations under varying mechanical loads. By linking experimental observations with computational simulations, this research aims to advance our understanding of lymphatic adaptation mechanisms and inform the development of LVA treatment for lymphedema. The findings will contribute to the refinement of LVA techniques and provide a foundation for future studies on lymphedema interventions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022 Modeling Lymphatic System Dynamics: Experimental and Computational Approaches to Lymphedema Treatment\u0022 - Young Jae Ryu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 Modeling Lymphatic System Dynamics: Experimental and Computational Approaches to Lymphedema Treatment\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-18 14:41:05","changed_gmt":"2025-02-18 14:42:08","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-02-28T09:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-02-28T11:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-02-28T11:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-02-28 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-02-28 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-02-28 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680555":{"#nid":"680555","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Jiho Seok","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMark Styczynski, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELily Cheung, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGabriel Kwong, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech )\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrian Hammer, Ph.D. (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMultifaceted Rolling Circle Amplification Strategies to Reduce False Positives in Point-of-Care Biosensors\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn modern warfare, developing sensors that can be used in the field to address the risks associated with biological weapons and infectious diseases is essential. Densely populated military bases enable the rapid spread of infectious diseases, requiring rapid and accurate detection despite limited resources. Particularly, false positives in a sensor result in a significant waste of workforce, time, and resources. Therefore, developing sensors with minimal false positives and ease of use is essential. Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) is an isothermal DNA amplification technology making it ideal for point-of-care (POC) biosensors. However, RCA performed in a minimal-equipment POC setting operates at a temperature low enough to increase the rate of false positives, presenting an inherent limitation to its utility at the POC. Therefore, I propose a multifaceted approach to reduce false positives in RCA through the multiplexed detection of various targets while maintaining suitability for field deployment. First, I propose a strategy to enhance input selectivity to detect target pathogens accurately without false positives. I propose a novel approach using an AND gate to detect multiple genes simultaneously. Next, I will improve selectivity for a single gene by combining a gap-filling technique with mismatch endonucleases to require precise sequence complementarity for amplification. Then, I will reduce false positives by diversifying output signals for multiple targets within the same pathogen by combining Rolling Circle Transcription (RCT) with RNA fluorescent aptamers. For all of these approaches, I will aim to achieve field deployability by integrating the multiple reaction steps of RCA into one step and demonstrating functionality after lyophilization. Once successfully completed, the work proposed here will enable the development of biosensors that minimize false positives, are user-friendly, and present practical sensor technology applicable in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Multifaceted Rolling Circle Amplification Strategies to Reduce False Positives in Point-of-Care Biosensors\u0022 - Jiho Seok\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Multifaceted Rolling Circle Amplification Strategies to Reduce False Positives in Point-of-Care Biosensors\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-18 14:37:18","changed_gmt":"2025-02-18 14:38:24","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-03-06T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-03-06T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-03-06T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-03-06 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-03-06 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-03-06 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680375":{"#nid":"680375","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Cedric Kamaleson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Saad Bhamla,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Audrey Dussutour,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Center for Research on Animal Cognition,\u0026nbsp;National Center for Scientific Research (University of Toulouse)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. William Ratcliff,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. David Hu,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Kostas Konstantinidis,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERNA-mediated Unicellular Learning and Cognition\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnicellular organisms, despite lacking neurons, exhibit diverse learning behaviors, including habituation and classical conditioning. While the validity of complex learning in unicellular systems remains debated, compelling evidence suggests that memories can be transferred between these organisms, with growing support for RNA as a molecular engram for memory storage. This proposal aims to elucidate RNA\u2019s role in learning and challenge the cognitive limitations of unicellular organisms, proposing that unicellular learning mechanisms may not only precede but also influence neural-based learning. The ciliate \u003Cem\u003ESpirostomum ambiguum\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;serves as an ideal model system, given its well-documented habituation profiles and unicellular architecture, which enables precise molecular investigations of learning without the confounding complexities of multicellular systems. Three interconnected objectives will be pursued to illuminate how cells can learn without neurons. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;focuses on inducing and molecularly characterizing habituation in \u003Cem\u003ES. ambiguum\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;using novel transcriptomic methods, revisiting an outdated correlation between RNA dynamics and habituation with modern approaches to validate RNA\u0027s role in learning. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;challenges the cognitive boundaries of unicellular organisms by testing associative learning in \u003Cem\u003ES. ambiguum\u003C\/em\u003E, demonstrating that the gap in learning capacity between neural and aneural organisms is smaller than previously assumed. \u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;explores collective learning mechanisms in swarming populations, investigating the ecological significance of learning for \u003Cem\u003ES. ambiguum\u003C\/em\u003E. By pushing the cognitive boundaries of unicellular systems, this work will help establish \u003Cem\u003ES. ambiguum\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and similar organisms as a reductionist model for behavioral studies, providing insights into fundamental learning mechanisms that may serve as precursors to neural learning in more complex organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022RNA-mediated Unicellular Learning and Cognition\u0022 -Cedric Kamaleson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022RNA-mediated Unicellular Learning and Cognition\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-11 17:00:15","changed_gmt":"2025-02-11 17:01:23","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-02-19T08:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-02-19T10:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-02-19T10:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-02-19 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-02-19 15:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-02-19 15:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680140":{"#nid":"680140","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Isaac Robinson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Adam Marcus (School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Sumin Kang (School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Shuichi Takayama (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Edward Botchwey (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpatiotemporal Interrogation of Metabolic Cooperation in Collective Cell Invasion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECancer can be characterized by a lack of uniformity. There are the obvious distinctions of cancer type\u2014lung vs prostate vs skin cancers\u2014but even the cancer cells within a single tumor of an individual patient exhibit a variety of mutational and behavioral profiles. This heterogeneity contributes to the successful overall progression of cancer by means of drug resistance and, as we argue here, stress management. Previous work highlights metabolic heterogeneity within the H1299 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) model cell line. One distinct subpopulation within the model, characterized by aggressive invasion, relies heavily on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) while a second subpopulation, characterized by less invasion but more proliferation, utilizes glycolysis for energy production. Our \u003Cem\u003Ein-vivo\u003C\/em\u003E data suggests that, while each subpopulation can independently form primary tumors, the combination of both is required for successful macro-metastasis to peripheral locations. This led us to hypothesize that metabolic heterogeneity in lung cancer enables metabolic cooperation which promotes cancer progression by means of valuable-resource sharing in harsh and otherwise unsustainable, nutrient-scarce microenvironments. To test this hypothesis, we aimed to 1) develop a methodology\u2014incorporating genetic engineering, live-cell, high-resolution microscopy, and common end-point assays\u2014capable of observing and characterizing this metabolic cooperation in NSCLC cells and amenable to simple translation for investigation of other forms of cooperation across cancer types and 2) uncover, \u0026nbsp;using this methodology, modes and mechanisms of glycolytic and OXPHOS-related cargo sharing within NSCLC. At the forefront of the race to reduce cancer deaths lies a fundamental understanding of how cancer progression and metastasis occur. This body of work provides an adaptable technique for interrogation of this process from a perspective focusing on the cooperative potential that intratumoral heterogeneity affords. It also contributes novel insight into how one specific cancer type makes use of cooperation to overcome obstacles to disease progression.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Spatiotemporal Interrogation of Metabolic Cooperation in Collective Cell Invasion\u0022 -Isaac Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Spatiotemporal Interrogation of Metabolic Cooperation in Collective Cell Invasion\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-03 17:36:05","changed_gmt":"2025-02-03 17:37:35","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-02-17T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-02-17T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-02-17T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-02-17 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-02-17 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-02-17 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Health Science Research Building I (HSRB I), Rollins Auditorium","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680138":{"#nid":"680138","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Jessica Bonsu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Martha Grover, \u003Cem\u003EChemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Carson Meredith,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Hang Lu, \u003Cem\u003EChemical\u0026nbsp;and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Scott Danielsen, \u003Cem\u003EMaterials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Victor Fung, \u003Cem\u003EComputational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDATA-DRIVEN DESIGN OF POLYSACCHARIDE-BASED BARRIER FILMS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe widespread use of non-degradable petroleum-based plastics in food packaging, favored for their cost-effectiveness and excellent mechanical and barrier properties, has led to severe environmental issues. Cellulose and chitin, the most abundant polysaccharides in nature, offer a promising sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. Their nanomaterials, characterized by high crystallinity and strong hydrogen bonding, enable excellent mechanical and barrier properties, making them ideal candidates for developing barrier films to substitute petroleum-based plastics. To create high-performance barrier films, it is essential to minimize the transport of moisture and oxygen through the film, ensuring the preservation of packaged goods\u0027 quality, while maintaining mechanical stability. Achieving this requires a deep understanding of the process-structure-property (PSP) relationships for these films to optimize their performance. Traditionally, the discovery and development of new materials has been a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, often relying on trial-and-error, also known as the Edisonian approach, to discover and design materials within a span of decades. However, as a growing field, materials informatics offers great potential for accelerating the process of developing high-performing sustainable materials. Therefore, this thesis proposal aims to leverage data-driven materials informatics approaches to model PSP relationships in polysaccharide-based barrier films. Machine learning and data science techniques will be applied on curated experimental data to develop PSP models that guide future experiments aimed at enhancing barrier film performance. To evaluate the practical applicability of the developed models, predicted high-performing barrier films will be fabricated and tested after exposure to environmental conditions commonly faced by packaging materials.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Data-Driven design of Polysaccharide-based barrier films\u0022 -Jessica Bonsu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022DATA-DRIVEN DESIGN OF POLYSACCHARIDE-BASED BARRIER FILMS\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-02-03 17:22:41","changed_gmt":"2025-02-03 17:23:59","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-02-14T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-02-14T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-02-14T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-02-14 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-02-14 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-02-14 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Ford ES\u0026T 1387","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679979":{"#nid":"679979","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Valerie Kay","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003ECorey Wilson, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. John Blazeck, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Julie Champion, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Yury Chernoff, Ph.D. (Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Brian Hammer, Ph.D. (Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMapping Alternate Allosteric Communication of LacI Anti-repressors and Their Application in \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERegulatory proteins are powerful tools that control all life processes. Many regulatory proteins function by allosteric communication, a mechanism in which a signal is propagated between two functional surfaces across the protein. The lactose repressor (LacI) has been essential in unveiling the mechanism behind allostery. It has also been engineered to build anti-repressors of the inverse phenotype (anti-lacs), which together can build Transcriptional Programming (T-Pro) genetic circuits in \u003Cem\u003EE.\u0026nbsp;coli\u003C\/em\u003E. While LacI has been studied in great detail, I posited that the allosteric pathways of engineered anti-lacs differ from their native repressor. To test this hypothesis, I performed deep mutational scanning on two engineered anti-lacs to generate a single-mutation phenotype-genotype heat map for each anti-lac. Through this work, I compared the allosteric pathways of anti-lac transcription factors (TFs) and developed comprehensive design rules for engineering alternate allosteric communication. While these TFs were analyzed in \u003Cem\u003EE.\u0026nbsp;coli\u003C\/em\u003E, I posited that these design rules could be translated to any chassis. I successfully used the design rules developed from this work to build the first engineered anti-repressor in \u003Cem\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E, a model higher-order eukaryotic organism. Additionally, I developed a T-Pro reporter system in \u003Cem\u003ES.\u0026nbsp;cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;by engineering a high-performance promoter capable of regulating transcription with LacI TFs. Finally, by engineering alternate DNA recognition on my engineered anti-lac and on yeast-enhance LacI, I developed the building blocks for T-Pro in \u003Cem\u003ES.\u0026nbsp;cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E. This work verifies the importance of understanding the allosteric pathway of LacI TFs and lays the foundation for the design and implementation of more complex T-Pro circuits in \u003Cem\u003ES.\u0026nbsp;cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Mapping Alternate Allosteric Communication of LacI Anti-repressors and Their Application in Saccharomyces cerevisiae\u0022 Valerie Kay\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Mapping Alternate Allosteric Communication of LacI Anti-repressors and Their Application in Saccharomyces cerevisiae\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2025-01-27 14:57:40","changed_gmt":"2025-01-27 14:59:15","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-02-05T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-02-05T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-02-05T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-02-05 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-02-05 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-02-05 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678843":{"#nid":"678843","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Ph.D. Defense Presentation- Likhit Nayak","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; Rudolph L. Gleason, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJ. Brandon Dixon, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMay D. Wang, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWilbur A. Lam, M.D., Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichael J. Weiler, Ph.D. (CEO, LymphaTech Inc.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEfficient longitudinal modeling of the 3D shape of women during gestation and its value in assessing the risk of cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD).\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is a mismatch in the size of the maternal pelvis and the fetus, which often leads to obstructed labor. Most cases of CPD require C-section for successful delivery and in low resource settings like Ethiopia, there is a lack of adequate facilities with the infrastructure or the expertise to perform a C-section. Currently, obstructed labor is known to account for 11 \u2013 22 % of maternal deaths in Ethiopia. Early assessment of the risk of CPD would enable women in these settings to access the proper healthcare services and improve overall maternal health. This thesis aims to develop an algorithm that would use longitudinal shape modeling to analyze, in real-time, 3D scans of pregnant women and assess the risk of CPD-related obstructed labor at the earliest possible stages of gestation. The longitudinal shape model would be trained on 3D scans of pregnant women across different periods of gestation and would be optimized to run on devices with low computational power. The prognostic value of the model for assessing the risk of CPD would be compared to anthropometric measurements. This model is envisioned to be used by nurses and midwife personnel as part of point-of-care tools for routine antenatal care in low-resource settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMS Teams Meeting ID:\u0026nbsp;258 046 490 033\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPasscode:\u0026nbsp;WGaQw6\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Defense Presentation- \u0022Efficient longitudinal modeling of the 3D shape of women during gestation and its value in assessing the risk of cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD).\u0022 - Likhit Nayak\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Efficient longitudinal modeling of the 3D shape of women during gestation and its value in assessing the risk of cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD).\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-12-11 18:28:39","changed_gmt":"2024-12-11 21:21:02","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-12-19T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-12-19T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-12-19T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-12-19 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-12-19 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-12-19 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648040":{"#nid":"648040","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Bioengineering Seminar Series","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVirtual event - \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/Pages\/ResponsePage.aspx?id=u5ghSHuuJUuLem1_Mvqggzzq3-qv3cNIgrAjMZ2NVmFUMlVKQkQzRVVST1JLTUpJMU9ZTE5RSTVCUi4u\u0022\u003EREGISTER here\u003C\/a\u003E for participation link\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003E\u0026quot;Genome Folding, Unfolding, and Refolding in the Human Brain\u0026quot;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/creminslab.com\/\u0022\u003EJennifer Phillips-Cremins, Ph.D.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAssociate Professor\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDean\u0026rsquo;s Faculty Fellow in Engineering and Medicine New York Stem Cell Foundation\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRobertson Investigator Department of Genetics\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPerelman School of Medicine Department of Bioengineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nUniversity of Pennsylvania\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRESEARCH\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe Cremins lab investigates the epigenetic mechanisms regulating development and function of the mammalian central nervous system. We map and analyze neuronal epigenomes in three-dimensions using quantitative, genome-wide technologies. We also perturb epigenomes by employing state-of-the art genetic engineering strategies (e.g. CRISPR\/Cas9, optoepigenetics). To test our hypotheses, we primarily use embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell models of neuronal differentiation and disease. Our long-term goal is to discover how genome architecture controls genome function, applying this to study fundamental mechanisms controlling neuronal phenotype and, by extension, the onset and progression of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disease states.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBIO\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJennifer Phillips-Cremins, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Deans\u0026#39; Faculty Fellow in Engineering and Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania with primary appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering and Genetics. Dr. Cremins obtained her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Andres Garcia. She then conducted a multi-disciplinary postdoc in the laboratories of Job Dekker and Victor Corces. Dr. Cremins now runs the Chromatin Architecture and Systems Neurobiology laboratory at UPenn. Her primary research interests lie in understanding the long-range chromatin architecture mechanisms that govern neural specification and synaptic plasticity in healthy neurons and how these epigenetic mechanisms go awry in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. She has been selected as a 2014 New York Stem Cell Foundation Robertson Investigator, a 2015 Albert P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, a 2016 and 2018 Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, 2015 NIH Director\u0026#39;s New Innovator Awardee, 2020 NSF CAREER Awardee, and a 2020 CZI Neurodegenerative Disease Pairs Awardee.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Genome Folding, Unfolding, and Refolding in the Human Brain\u0022 - Jennifer Phillips-Cremins, Ph.D. - University of Pennsylvania"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2021-06-10 14:22:31","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:38:29","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-09-09T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-09-09T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-09-09T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-09-09 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-09-09 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-09-09 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"650593":{"id":"650593","type":"image","title":"Bioengineering Seminar Series","body":null,"created":"1631188207","gmt_created":"2021-09-09 11:50:07","changed":"1631188955","gmt_changed":"2021-09-09 12:02:35","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246891","name":"BioE Seminar Series Image - 300x300.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BioE%20Seminar%20Series%20Image%20-%20300x300.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BioE%20Seminar%20Series%20Image%20-%20300x300.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":183769,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/BioE%20Seminar%20Series%20Image%20-%20300x300.jpg?itok=wRlAQAyr"}}},"media_ids":["650593"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"},{"id":"188124","name":"go-bioe-seminar"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kahayne@emory.edu\u0022\u003EKarmella Haynes, Ph.D.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;- faculty host\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:broseni3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERose Brito\u003C\/a\u003E - event inquiries\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678766":{"#nid":"678766","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Sara Bitarafan","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; Levi B. Wood, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYoung Jang, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (Emory Musculoskeletal Institute, Department of Orthopedics, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESrikant Rangaraju, M.D. (Department of Neurology, Yale University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnnabelle Singer, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory School of Medicine \u0026amp; Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERe-wiring CSF1-R Signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlzheimer\u2019s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting over 6.9 million people in the US, a number projected to double by 2060 without a cure. Emerging evidence highlights the role of the brain\u2019s immune system, particularly microglia, in AD-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Microglia, the brain\u2019s immune sentinels, transition from a protective \u0022homeostatic\u0022 state to a \u0022disease-associated\u0022 state (DAM) under chronic AD pathology, impairing phagocytosis, disrupting immune activity, and accelerating neurodegeneration. Microglial immunological shift and phenotypic transformation are orchestrated by variety of signaling pathways and cell surface receptors like colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1-R). CSF1-R, expressed primarily on microglia in the brain, governs key processes including phagocytosis, polarization, and proliferation. Studies suggest that CSF1-R-mediated microglial depletion can improve cognitive function in AD models. However, the mechanisms by which A\u03b2 accumulation alters CSF1-R signaling to disrupt microglial function and drive disease progression remain unclear, necessitating further investigation. \u003Cstrong\u003EMy hypothesis is that CSF1-R control of downstream signaling events and microglial phenotype are perturbed by exposure to Alzheimer\u2019s disease pathogen A\u03b2\u003C\/strong\u003E. The goal of this research proposal is three-fold: (\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1\u003C\/strong\u003E) determine how A\u03b2 interacts with CSF1-R and its effect on specific CSF1-R phospho-site activity and its downstream signaling cascades \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E, (\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2\u003C\/strong\u003E) illuminate how dysregulated CSF1-R-mediated signaling impacts microglial phenotypes and neuroimmune activity \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp; and (\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3\u003C\/strong\u003E) identify AD-driven proteomic and transcriptomic signatures associated with CSF1-R activity and downstream signaling from human samples. This research proposal aims to provide a mechanistic insight into how AD pathology alters CSF1-R signaling and its downstream effectors. Identifying mechanisms through which disturbed CSF1-R signaling contributes to DAM phenotype, disturbed neuroimmune activity and pathogenesis in AD could ultimately lead to a new paradigm for AD therapeutic development.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Re-wiring CSF1-R Signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s Disease\u0022 -Sara Bitarafan\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Re-wiring CSF1-R Signaling in Alzheimer\u2019s Disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-12-05 16:37:38","changed_gmt":"2024-12-05 16:38:52","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-12-19T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-12-19T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-12-19T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-12-19 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-12-19 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-12-19 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"College of Computing Room 016","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643431":{"#nid":"643431","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering graduate committee will meet to review\/approve program policies, program faculty applications and submitted student petitions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-26 15:01:00","changed_gmt":"2024-11-18 20:55:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-12-02T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-12-02T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-12-02T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-12-02 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-12-02 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-12-02 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678126":{"#nid":"678126","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Abir Muhuri","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Susan N. Thomas, Ph.D. \u003Ca\u003E(Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYunus Alapan, Ph.D. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESarwish Rafiq, Ph.D. (Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMicrofluidic-Enabled Adhesion Analysis of Therapeutic T cells for Lymph Node Homing Potential\u003C\/strong\u003EAdoptive T cell therapy (ACT) remains a promising class of cancer therapy, where patient-extracted T cells are engineered or expanded \u003Cem\u003Eex vivo\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ebefore re-infusion. Importantly, treatment efficacy is strongly dependent on transferred cell engraftment within target tissues. These targets include the tumor, where transferred T cells mediate direct cancer cell killing, and lymphoid tissues, including lymph nodes (LNs), which serve as specialized niches for T cell survival and priming. However, current patient responses to ACT are severely limited by poor engraftment within these target sites. To this end, the \u003Cstrong\u003Eobjective\u003C\/strong\u003E of this thesis is to engineer microfluidic devices to isolate T cell subsets with improved LN engraftment potential and evaluate the phenotype and therapeutic potential of isolated populations. My \u003Cstrong\u003Ecentral hypothesis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eis that \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E recapitulation of both physiological fluid flow and different adhesive motifs of the LN vascular microenvironment (termed high endothelial venules, HEVs) will result in capture of T cell subsets with enhanced LN homing capacity and therapeutic potency. Using these devices, I will evaluate the adhesion profiles of two distinct T cell products and their homing efficacy and therapeutic potency in in vivo adoptive transfer studies. These include 1) human CAR-T cell adhesion to homeostatic vs. inflamed LN HEV motifs associated with lymphoma and 2) murine CD8+ T cell adhesion to a tumor-draining LN HEV motif in the context of breast cancer. Lastly, I will interrogate the adhesive phenotypes of murine T cell subsets using engineered microfluidic devices that mimic anatomically distinct LN HEVs. Specifically, these will include peripheral versus mesenteric LNs, due to their specialized immune functions. Overall, these studies will demonstrate a scalable in-vitro\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Emethodology to relate different adhesion ligand\/receptor profiles among heterogenous T cell products to their phenotypes and predict resulting therapeutic potency, based on homing capacity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Microfluidic-Enabled Adhesion Analysis of Therapeutic T cells for Lymph Node Homing Potential\u0022 - Abir Muhuri\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Microfluidic-Enabled Adhesion Analysis of Therapeutic T cells for Lymph Node Homing Potential\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-11-04 16:08:11","changed_gmt":"2024-11-04 16:09:11","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-11-18T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-11-18T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-11-18T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-11-18 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-11-18 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-11-18 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678125":{"#nid":"678125","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Srujana Joshi","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Dr. Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002 Dr. Holly Bauser-Heaton, MD, PhD (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Dr. Rudolph Gleason, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002 Dr. Scott Hollister, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002 Dr. Susan James, PhD (Colorado State University)\u003Cbr\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002 Dr. Vinod Thourani, MD (Piedmont Healthcare)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInvestigation of a Transcatheter Bio-Inspired Polymeric Valve for Hemodynamic Performance and Durability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;With the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval extending transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to intermediate and low risk patients with aortic stenosis, the procedure\u2019s landscape has evolved significantly to include patients under 65. However, current technology drawbacks limit the use of TAVR in younger patients and complex anatomies such as bicuspid aortic valve, thereby limiting the full potential and benefits offered by the TAVR method. Existing devices use animal-tissue leaflets, which present durability challenges due to calcification, structural valve degeneration, and issues like leaflet thrombosis and paravalvular leakage (PVL). These complications reduce device lifespan and impair hemodynamic performance, often requiring reinterventions. Thus, for TAVR to become a long-term solution for younger patients, the next generation of devices must overcome these limitations. This includes development of devices with durable, biocompatible materials that are designed for excellent hemodynamic performance.Towards this goal, this project is aimed at developing a bio-inspired polymeric TAVR that is biocompatible and is designed for excellent hemodynamic performance and durability. The overall hypothesis is that the polymeric TAVR will have superior hemodynamic performance and durability than commercially available bioprosthetic TAVRs. A comprehensive focus on its pressure and flow performance coupled with durability will inform further improvements to its design and assembly, enhancing the device. This polymeric TAVR will pave the way for a long-lasting and biocompatible TAVR suitable for younger patients. The hypothesis will be tested through the following specific aims: 1) Compare hemodynamics of polymeric TAVR with standard bioprosthetic TAVR, 2) Investigate the efficacy of a dynamic seal for preventing paravalvular leakage and 3) Evaluate the role of manufacturing and deployment on polymeric TAVR durability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy addressing the critical challenges of hemodynamic performance and durability, this work will contribute to the development of innovative TAVR solutions that meet the growing demand for more resilient, long-lasting valves in younger and high-risk patient populations.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Investigation of a Transcatheter Bio-Inspired Polymeric Valve for Hemodynamic Performance and Durability\u0022 - Srujana Joshi\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Investigation of a Transcatheter Bio-Inspired Polymeric Valve for Hemodynamic Performance and Durability\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-11-04 15:18:21","changed_gmt":"2024-11-04 15:26:31","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-11-15T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-11-15T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-11-15T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-11-15 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-11-15 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-11-15 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678033":{"#nid":"678033","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Yanina Kuzminich","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: James Dahlman, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Leslie Chan, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Wilbur Lam, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Philip J. Santangelo, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Todd Sulchek, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharacterizing lipid nanoparticle mRNA delivery to the central nervous system\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have demonstrated safety, versatility, and clinical relevance as vehicles for RNA delivery. Currently, there are three FDA-approved LNP-RNA drugs: ONPATTRO\u00ae, the systemically administrated siRNA treatment for hereditary liver disease from Alnylam; and two intramuscular mRNA vaccines against COVID-19: SPIKEVAX\u00ae produced by Moderna and by Pfizer-BioNTech\u2019s COMIRNATY\u00ae. However, beyond vaccination and liver targeting, LNP-RNA drugs are far from reaching their full potential. Research has shown that LNPs can deliver RNA effectively to non-liver tissues, such as lung, spleen, solid tumors, and bone marrow. For the treatment and management of nervous system disorders, gene therapies hold great promise but require safe and effective delivery vehicles. Therefore, a need exists to design LNPs that transfect cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Presently, LNPs with CNS tropism either i) carry ligands, ii) rely on blood-brain barrier disruption, or iii) are administrated locally. In this work, we have investigated mRNA delivery to the CNS upon systemic administration without targeting ligands. Firstly, we optimized the isolation of various cell types from the brain. Secondly, we have studied mRNA delivery readouts for liver de-targeted LNPs, and identified nanoparticle characteristics for subsequent high-throughput LNP screening. Thirdly, we formulated and screened LNPs with these chosen characteristics that we administrated intravenously, and characterized the \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E tropism of\u0026nbsp; brain-delivering LNPs at the cellular level. Lastly, we used spatial transcriptomics to understand where in the brain the best-performing LNP achieved functional delivery and how mRNA was distributed within the tissue. Through this work, we have shown CNS delivery by liver de-targeted LNPs, and demonstrated the feasibility of systemic delivery of therapeutic mRNA to the cells of the blood-brain barrier without the use of targeting ligands.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Characterizing lipid nanoparticle mRNA delivery to the central nervous system\u0022 - Yanina Kuzminich\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Characterizing lipid nanoparticle mRNA delivery to the central nervous system\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-10-31 14:15:37","changed_gmt":"2024-10-31 14:16:39","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-11-20T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-11-20T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-11-20T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-11-20 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-11-20 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-11-20 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"HSRB II, N600","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678027":{"#nid":"678027","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Harry Tuazon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EM. Saad Bhamla, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDaniel Goldman, Ph.D. (Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDavid Hu, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJorn Dunkel, Ph.D. (Math, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmily Weigel, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;(Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhysically Entangled Collective Behavior of Aquatic Worm Blobs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECalifornia blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus) form dense, physically entangled structures known as \u0022worm blobs\u0022 through chemoattraction, conspecific thigmotaxis, and balancing oxygenation levels. Despite their seemingly stationary nature, these blobs exhibit complex, coordinated behaviors, including rapid transitions between entangled and untangled states. This thesis explores the dynamics of blackworm entanglement and collective behavior through an interdisciplinary approach, combining behavioral biology, active matter physics, and topology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst, we examine how dissolved oxygen (DO) levels shape their material-like properties. Worm blobs transition between solid-like and fluid-like states as they adapt to varying DO, forming stable, dense structures in high-oxygen conditions and more fluid configurations in low-oxygen environments. These findings align with behaviors observed in robophysical simulations of \u201csmarticles,\u201d where environmental shifts that impact their internal actuations similarly influence collective properties. We also study the worms\u0027 use of helical movements for rapid entanglement and disentanglement, crucial for maintaining cohesion and escaping predators. In interactions with freshwater leeches, blackworms form dense entangled barriers to deter predation, while coordinated helical motions enable swift escape. The leeches\u2019 spiral entombment behavior shows an adaptive predatory strategy to counter this. Furthermore, we reveal emergent behaviors like mucus-mediated particle gathering, with implications for environmental applications such as microplastic collection. The newly identified \u0022worm buoy\u0022 behavior showcases how blackworms use surface tension to form floating structures in low-oxygen conditions, enhancing their access to oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOverall, this study provides insights into physical entanglement, with applications in designing materials and technologies inspired by these collective behaviors. It opens pathways for developing soft entangled swarm robotics and adaptive materials that emulate the resilience and coordination of nature\u2019s systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Physically Entangled Collective Behavior of Aquatic Worm Blobs\u0022 -Harry Tuazon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Physically Entangled Collective Behavior of Aquatic Worm Blobs\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-10-30 22:47:04","changed_gmt":"2024-10-30 22:48:42","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-11-04T13:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2024-11-04T15:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-11-04T15:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-11-04 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-11-04 20:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-11-04 20:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"L1120 Ford ES\u0026T","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677144":{"#nid":"677144","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Zixing Fan","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. James C Gumbart (School of Physics)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. M. G. Finn (School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry), Dr. Peter Kasson (School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry), Dr. Jeffrey Skolnick (School of Biological Sciences), Dr. Adegboyega Oyelere (School of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAltering Hepatitis B Virus Capsid Assembly through Pharmacological Intervention\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects approximately 250 million people globally, leading to around 800,000 deaths annually from liver-related complications. This thesis focuses on disrupting HBV capsid assembly, a critical step in the viral life cycle, through pharmacological intervention, with the aim of advancing antiviral drug discovery. The research is structured around three key objectives. The first objective is to discover and optimize novel capsid assembly modulators (CAMs) using computational methods, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. This approach will identify compounds that interfere with HBV capsid assembly, followed by optimization to enhance their efficacy and drug-like properties. The second objective involves fragment-based drug design to explore the interactions of small molecular fragments with a novel binding site, distinct from the conventional CAM binding pocket. This will guide the design of larger drug molecules, opening up new avenues for targeting HBV life cycle. The third objective investigates how small molecules allosterically alter the viral assembly pathway. By employing computational techniques such as the string method and free energy calculations, this aim will explore the conformational changes and energy barriers associated with capsid formation, providing mechanistic insights that could inform future antiviral strategies. Through the integration of drug discovery, compound optimization, and mechanistic analysis, this research aims to contribute to the development of novel therapeutic agents for HBV, offering potential new treatments for viral infection.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Altering Hepatitis B Virus Capsid Assembly through Pharmacological Intervention\u0022- \u0026nbsp;Zixing Fan\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Altering Hepatitis B Virus Capsid Assembly through Pharmacological Intervention\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-09-26 17:26:52","changed_gmt":"2024-09-26 17:28:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-10-08T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-10-08T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-10-08T15:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-10-08 17:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-10-08 19:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-10-08 19:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Howey N110","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676174":{"#nid":"676174","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-  Alejandro de Janon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Shuichi Takayama\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Douglas K. Graham (Aflac Cancer \u0026amp; Blood Disorders Center, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Mark Styczynski\u0026nbsp;(School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Melissa Kemp\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Sunil Raikar\u0026nbsp;(Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Perivascular Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe human bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is a complex system composed of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HSPC) and a non-hematopoietic stroma formed by endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). This 3D structure regulates blood cell production through specialized niches. Replicating this complexity, especially for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), is challenging. AML, a blood cancer with a poor prognosis, is further complicated by the BM tumor microenvironment (TME), which creates a protective environment that limits therapy efficacy. Current in vivo models are limited by reliance on animal physiology, high costs, and low throughput, while in vitro models often lack the spatial and cellular complexity of the BM microenvironment and have a short lifespan. To address these limitations, herein the development a human in vitro vascular BM model that accurately recapitulates the 3D AML BM TME is proposed. This model will support long-term AML cell proliferation and enable high-throughput screening of therapeutic agents. Aim 1 involves establishing BM stroma organoids by co-culturing MSCs and HUVECs in various ratios, with structural and functional characteristics analyzed through imaging, immunofluorescence, and single-cell RNA sequencing. Aim 2 focuses on creating AML BM organoids by co-seeding AML cells with MSCs and HUVECs, optimizing organoid formation, and assessing their architecture, cell composition, and TME features. Aim 3 evaluates the protective effect of the AML TME on Ara-C and MRX-2843 drug therapies through drug response assays.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Developing High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Perivascular Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia \u0022 -Alejandro de Janon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Developing High Throughput and Long-Term Human Bone Marrow Perivascular Organoids for Modeling Acute Myeloid Leukemia \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-08-22 13:46:09","changed_gmt":"2024-08-22 13:47:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-08-30T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-08-30T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-08-30T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-08-30 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-08-30 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-08-30 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675502":{"#nid":"675502","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Kathryn Loeffler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Ravi Kane (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. John Blazeck (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Julie Champion (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. MG Finn (Chemistry and Biochemistry)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Mark Prausnitz (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesigning Protein-based Vaccines for Broad Protection Against Coronaviruses and Influenza\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVaccination is one of the most effective methods of reducing or preventing infectious diseases. A significant remaining challenge is the design of vaccines for long-lasting and broadly protective immunity against highly variable viruses. Many viruses mutate quickly to escape host immune systems, leading to diverse strains with variable surface proteins. The immune response to one of these viruses focuses on the immunodominant but variable regions, which results in a strain-specific response. It is desirable to instead redirect the immune response to conserved areas of viral proteins, producing an immune response that can recognize and effectively eliminate many strains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn this work, we have developed recombinant proteins vaccines with the goal of eliciting broadly protective immune responses. We found that the highly immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain elicits high titers of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants, while the more conserved S2 subunit elicits non-neutralizing though still protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and closely related viruses. The S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and related CoVs can be combined into a cocktail vaccine to elicit neutralizing and broadly protective antibodies against clade 1 viruses. Lastly, we demonstrated that long-lasting immunity can be elicited by VLP-based HA vaccines. Together, the results of these different strategies may aid in the design of broadly protective vaccines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99982338817?pwd=EbkfycuJlwfldv5hoxLgmIzugcbXo9.1\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99982338817?pwd=EbkfycuJlwfldv5hoxLgmIzugcbXo9.1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZoom Link\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Designing Protein-based Vaccines for Broad Protection Against Coronaviruses and Influenza\u0022 -Kathryn Loeffler\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Designing Protein-based Vaccines for Broad Protection Against Coronaviruses and Influenza\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-07-17 15:06:33","changed_gmt":"2024-07-17 15:07:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-23T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-23T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-23T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-23 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-23 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-23 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"5029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675501":{"#nid":"675501","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Nikki McArthur ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ravi Kane, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECorey Wilson, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Multivalent Nanobodies Against Amyloid Proteins and Other Antigens\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Tauopathies, such as Alzheimer\u2019s disease, are neurodegenerative diseases that involve the misfolding and deposition of aggregates of the amyloid protein tau. These diseases are among the most widespread neurodegenerative diseases, yet there are few safe and effective disease-modifying treatments for them. Conformational antibodies and antibody fragments that target the various aggregate forms of tau are promising candidates for treatments to slow the progression of these tauopathies and are useful as reagents to understand the aggregation of tau and its role in disease progression. In this dissertation, we have explored the \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;development and characterization of multivalent nanobodies, or single-domain antibody fragments, targeting complex and heterogeneous tau aggregates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002We began with the development of a simple approach using a synthetic yeast surface display nanobody library and \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;cell sorting to identify a pan-tau nanobody with specificity for tau protein relative to other amyloid proteins. We have shown that multivalent versions of our lead tau-binding nanobody have increased avidity towards tau aggregates and recognize pathogenic tau found in the brains of tau transgenic mice. We have also characterized tau fibril-specific nanobodies and modified them for improved delivery past the blood-brain barrier. Next, we modified our sorting strategy to generate conformational nanobodies that target oligomeric tau, a form of aggregated tau which is suspected to be the most toxic form present in Alzheimer\u2019s disease. We demonstrated that our nanobodies are specific for tau oligomers relative to tau monomer and fibrils and bind to tau oligomers in brain samples from Alzheimer\u2019s disease patients. We have extended this work to screen for nanobodies that target oligomers of another amyloid protein involved in Alzheimer\u2019s disease, amyloid-\u03b2. Finally, we applied our \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;antibody discovery strategies to target an antigen involved in infectious disease\u2014the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We created multivalent nanobodies that bind with high affinity to the XBB spike protein and provide protection against an XBB challenge in mice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Overall, this work demonstrates significant progress in the development and characterization of nanobodies specific for complex multimeric antigens. The multivalent nanobodies that we have generated can be used to study amyloid proteins and their involvement in neurodegenerative disease progression and can be further engineered into potent therapies for neurodegenerative or infectious diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98028112546?pwd=Z8sNubJKxIZUoaJnJgAaJvsCHex2wo.1\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98028112546?pwd=Z8sNubJKxIZUoaJnJgAaJvsCHex2wo.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Engineering Multivalent Nanobodies Against Amyloid Proteins and Other Antigens\u0022- Nikki McArthur\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Multivalent Nanobodies Against Amyloid Proteins and Other Antigens\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-07-17 14:56:41","changed_gmt":"2024-07-17 14:56:41","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-24T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-24T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-24T15:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-24 17:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-24 19:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-24 19:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675400":{"#nid":"675400","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Defense Presentation - Divya Bhatka","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Aniruddh Sarkar, Ph.D.(Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, Ph.D. (Mechanical \u0026amp; Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESudhir Pai Kasturi, Ph.D. (Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAntibody-omics for Biomarker Discovery in Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAntibodies play a critical role in the immune response by neutralizing toxins, thereby modulating vaccine response and disease outcome. Their protective effector functions are primarily regulated by the antigen-binding domain (Fab) and the crystallizable domain (Fc). While traditional methods of antibody profiling have successfully applied top-down approaches for mainly Fab analysis indicative of overall isotype titer, the Fc interactions between adaptive and innate immunity remain overlooked. As a result, a poorly defined antibody profile of heterogenous individuals can lead to incomplete conclusions regarding disease state or vaccine efficacy. Thus, the long-term objective of this research was to fully characterize the antibody profile using both top-down and bottom-up approaches in a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient manner for translational applications in biomarker discovery, point-of-care diagnostics, vaccine development, and therapeutics. The first specific aim focused on measuring Fc N-linked glycosylation, which is a common post-translational modification well known for its influence on pro- and anti-inflammatory antibody functionality. Currently, gold-standard methods of glycosylation analysis, such as mass spectrometry, are often sample and time-intensive, which can present a critical bottleneck in biomarker discovery. Here, I systematically validated the use of cost-effective sugar-binding lectins with glycoengineered antibodies for rapid (~2.5hr) high-throughput screening of antigen-specific antibody glycosylation. Ultimately, our established multiplexed antibody-omics platform was expanded for deep biophysical characterization on a broad set of antigen-specific antibodies including isotype, subclass, FcR-binding, and glycosylation analysis. The second specific aim was to apply our robust antibody-omics platform to characterize vaccine and adjuvant efficacy. While the role of adjuvants in improving the immunogenicity of vaccines has long been recognized and developed, maintaining and assessing vaccine efficacy over extended periods continues to be a critical challenge. Here, I evaluated the immunogenicity of two adjuvanted vaccine cohorts: HIV-1 and Onchocerciasis. Univariate statistical analysis indicated an IgG1 and IgG4 polarization in both vaccine studies across adjuvant groups, amongst other unique vaccine\/adjuvant antibody correlates of protection. A similar experimental approach, with the addition of complement analysis, was performed in the third specific aim to assess and predict the risk of antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) from sera of kidney transplant patients. While the chance of experiencing rejection is increased by the presence of donor specific antibodies (DSAs) against human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) on the graft, not all transplant recipients experience rejection. Thus, multivariate LASSO-SVM analysis was performed between ABMR+DSA+ and ABMR-DSA+ patients to elucidate the antibody signatures that led to rejection versus non-rejection. Ultimately, this work provides a foundation for rapid, multiplexed humoral profiling with the potential to screen antibody biomarkers across a range of disease and vaccine efficacy studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99510868434\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99510868434\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeeting ID: 995 1086 8434\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Defense Presentation - \u0022Antibody-omics for Biomarker Discovery in Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases \u0022 - Divya Bhatka\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Antibody-omics for Biomarker Discovery in Vaccinology and Infectious Diseases \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-07-09 13:27:43","changed_gmt":"2024-07-09 13:28:54","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-22T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-22T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-22T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-22 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-22 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-22 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1316 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675271":{"#nid":"675271","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Daniel Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichelle LaPlaca, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;(Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAri Glezer, Ph.D. (George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuantifying glymphatic system efflux and permeability following rmTBI\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and injury that can lead to long-term health problems and decreased quality of life and has been shown to alter glymphatic clearance in preclinical and clinical TBI.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This study aims to measure glymphatic system efflux by measuring brain clearance 24 hours post-injury. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into Sham (n = 10) and TBI (n = 10) groups.\u0026nbsp; TBI animals obtained 3 closed head impacts at a velocity of 5 m\/s at displacements 5, 2, and 2 mm in 2-minute intervals. Radiolabeled tracers containing 0.05 \u03bcCi of [14C]-inulin carboxyl (5000 Da) and [3H]-sucrose (342 Da) in 5 \u03bcL of artificial cerebrospinal fluid buffer (aCSF) were injected into the striatum 24 hours post-injury. Blood was collected at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes and the lymph nodes, brains, olfactory bulbs (OBs), nasopharynx (NP), and CSF were extracted at 120 minutes post-infusion. The brains were sectioned coronally into 5 mm sections anterior to posterior (BR1, 2, 3, 4). Samples were solubilized and then counted with a liquid scintillation counter. Results showed a significant increase in [14C]-inulin-carboxyl in the normalized counts of all lymph nodes (p = 0.01) and the superficial cervical lymph nodes (SCLNs) (p = 0.01) for TBI vs. Sham groups, indicating reduced glymphatic flux from the injection site. There were no significant differences in the whole brain or individual brain sections, deep cervical lymph nodes (DCLNs), blood, OBs, NP, or CSF between injured and Sham animals for either [14C]-inulin-carboxyl or [3H]-sucrose. Interestingly, we observed [14C]-inulin-carboxyl in the blood, which was intended to be a brain reference, and little to no [3H]-sucrose for TBI and Sham conditions. There were significant levels of both [14C]-inulin-carboxyl and [3H]-sucrose in the CSF, which suggests preferential glymphatic clearance over the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, there was low recovery of [3H]-sucrose in the whole animal, suggesting it may have been distributed to an unknown area or possibly excreted through the feces or urine. While we saw little injury effects, this study is only focused on a single time point. Injury effects may be more pronounced at other time points, and further studies looking at other times are needed to have a more concrete model of the efflux routes of the glymphatic system.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0022Quantifying glymphatic system efflux and permeability following rmTBI\u0022 - Daniel Zhang\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Quantifying glymphatic system efflux and permeability following rmTBI\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-28 15:57:32","changed_gmt":"2024-06-28 15:59:35","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-15T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-15T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-15T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-15 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-15 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-15 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"2316 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675268":{"#nid":"675268","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Jacob Hewes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Advisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Ph.D., George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D., School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, Ph.D., George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eof Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic PEG-Maleimide Hydrogel For \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn vitro\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECulture of Primary Human\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntestinal Enteroids\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGastrointestinal diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent in developed countries,\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Estimulating the need for human-specific models of intestinal development and disease that can\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Erecapitulate the structure and function of the gut in vitro. In the past decade, intestinal organoid\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etechnology has advanced in vitro reproduction of intestinal organoids. Enteroids, epithelial\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eorganoids derived from human intestinal tissue, are three-dimensional (3D) structures that can\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Emodel the identity, cell heterogeneity, and cell behaviors of the original tissue in vitro. This\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Emakes them a powerful tool for drug screening, disease modeling, and reconstructing damaged\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eepithelium in conditions like ulcerative colitis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent protocols for organoid culture require expansion of intestinal stem cells within\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatrigel, a tumor-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) that exhibits considerable lot-to-lot\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Evariability, poor experimental control, and inability to decouple matrix physical and biochemical\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eproperties due to its ill-defined composition. The reliance on Matrigel for intestinal organoid\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eculture severely limits their translational potential. This thesis project aims to reduce the\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Erequirement for biologically-derived ECMs to support intestinal organoid culture. To accomplish\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Ethis aim, we developed completely synthetic hydrogels presenting ECM-derived adhesive\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eligands crosslinked with peptides susceptible to matrix metalloprotease (MMP) degradation to\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eidentify gel compositions supporting the culture of enteroids starting from human tissue-derived\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eprogenitor epithelial cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe synthetic hydrogel platforms designed were based on a four-arm poly(ethylene\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eglycol) (PEG) macromer with maleimide groups at each terminus (PEG-4MAL) and the RGD\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eintegrin-binding peptide. Hydrogel biophysical properties and crosslinker type were key\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eparameters in engineering a synthetic ECM mimic that supported human ileum enteroids. A\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPEG-4MAL hydrogel platform with the protease-degradable crosslinker IPES promoted the best\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eenteroid emergence and growth compared to Matrigel. In this synthetic matrix, human intestinal\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eenteroids emerge from single cells and express markers of intestinal stem cells. The modular\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Edesign of this synthetic matrix and its ability to support the in vitro culture of enteroids\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Estrengthens the translational potential of this platform for regenerative medicine, disease\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Emodeling, and other applications while reducing the dependency on Matrigel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/96045411587?pwd=hZJ6E6XuOEtCbbwiNNXlmgDUBwSDPa.1\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/96045411587?pwd=hZJ6E6XuOEtCbbwiNNXlmgDUBwSDPa.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeeting ID: 960 4541 1587\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPasscode: 109969\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0022Synthetic PEG-Maleimide Hydrogel For In vitro Culture of Primary Human Intestinal Enteroids\u0022 - Jacob Hewes\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic PEG-Maleimide Hydrogel For In vitro Culture of Primary Human Intestinal Enteroids\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-28 14:36:24","changed_gmt":"2024-06-28 14:37:41","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-18T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-18T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-18T15:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-18 17:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-18 19:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-18 19:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 3316","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675249":{"#nid":"675249","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Ph.D. Defense Presentation- Felicia Davenport","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGregory Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAaron Young Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKarl Zelik, Ph.D. (Vanderbilt University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAjit Chaudhari, Ph.D. (Ohio State University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoint Loading in Industrial Lifts:\u0026nbsp; Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Prolonged exposure to repetitive lifting and twisting under mechanical loading can lead to strain in soft tissues and degradation in bones, especially at the joints. Thus, leaving workers prone to prominent chronic ailments such as lower back pain and osteoarthritis which continue to plague the workforce, with about 50% of reported injuries stemming from the back or knee. Exoskeletons have been shown to reduce net joint loading from external forces and muscle activity in manual tasks. Additionally, wearable sensors (i.e., IMUs, insoles, or EMG) have been shown to be effective at estimating various biomechanical properties such as joint kinetics. Therefore, there is a \u003Cem\u003Ecritical gap\u003C\/em\u003E to not only understand how internal joint loading manifests across various tasks, but also how wearable technology may affect and inform acute and chronic loading inside of the joint.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoint contact forces capture the internal force felt by the bone and are largely influenced by muscle forces and external forces. During a daily workload, extreme postures, load carriage, and sudden movements can incite instantaneous and chronic bone and tissue loading, ultimately leading to injury. Exoskeletons are designed to offset net joint and muscle loading by aiding the target joint. However, it is not yet widely understood how they influence forces expressed inside the joint capsule. Joint kinematics, joint kinetics, and muscle activity play an important role in computing joint contact forces through neuromusculoskeletal modeling. We believe that obtaining these biological states from wearable sensors as input to machine learning will provide a mapping of a minimal sensor set to estimate joint contact forces. The near-term \u003Cem\u003Eobjectives\u003C\/em\u003E of this work were to assess how forces within the joint capsule were influenced using exoskeletons and how to glean insight on joint contact forces for a given task through a minimal set of wearable sensors. My central \u003Cem\u003Ehypotheses\u003C\/em\u003E were that 1. exoskeletons can offload the biological muscle and joint effort to reduce joint contact forces in manual tasks, and 2. machine learning technologies informed by wearable sensing systems can reliably estimate joint contact forces across manual and dynamic tasks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI leveraged EMG to measure muscle activity and neuromusculoskeletal modeling tools to estimate joint contact forces without exoskeleton assistance and with active knee and passive back exoskeletons. Additionally, I used information from IMUs, insoles, and EMG to estimate joint contact forces across various tasks using machine learning. The outcome from these aims provides better understanding of how the use of wearable technologies can modify and inform internal joint loading. Completion of the aims opens the door for future studies to explore how intervention technologies affect external and internal biomechanical and physiological states. Additionally, this work can influence the future design of exoskeletons, controllers, and real-time biofeedback systems.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/95381165774?pwd=7HrnH65byztS4ZaTINJSDjIKGjMD4Z.1\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/95381165774?pwd=7HrnH65byztS4ZaTINJSDjIKGjMD4Z.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Defense Presentation- \u0022Joint Loading in Industrial Lifts: \u0026nbsp;Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u0022 -Felicia Davenport\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Joint Loading in Industrial Lifts:  Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-27 13:34:09","changed_gmt":"2024-06-27 13:55:53","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-08T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-08T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-08T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-08 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-08 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-08 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"GTMI Room 101 (Auditorium)","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675251":{"#nid":"675251","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- Vishal A. Manickam","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;Leslie W. Chan, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERheinallt M. Jones, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Pediatrics, Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGabe A. Kwong, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Ingestible Probes for Breath-based Detection of Gastrointestinal Diseases\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGastrointestinal (GI) diseases are a significant healthcare burden and affect 70 million people in the United States. Endoscopic imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and clinical management of many GI diseases, including GI cancers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, its invasive nature deters individuals from recommended testing and hinders its routine use as a monitoring tool. Non-invasive blood and fecal biomarker testing have not superseded endoscopy as the gold standard as they frequently rely on single biomarkers, which offer poor disease specificity compared to diagnostic signatures comprised of multiple biomarkers. Unfortunately, conventional biomarker discovery is an arduous and oftentimes black-box process with many barriers to success. Therefore, this proposal seeks to establish a new paradigm to engineer biomarker signatures \u003Cem\u003Ede novo\u003C\/em\u003E for GI disease by leveraging dysregulated glycosidase activities in the GI tract. Thousands of distinct host and microbiome glycosidases catalyze the degradation of carbohydrates and shape the overall intestinal \u201cglycome\u201d. Dysregulated intestinal glycosidase activities contribute to GI pathologies via disruption of host-microbiome interactions, intestinal immunity, and gut barrier function. To harness these activities for breath biomarker production, I will develop a new class of molecular probes that are ingestible and metabolized by pathologic glycosidase activities into volatile reporters that are exhaled and detectable in breath. Probe arrays will be designed so that probes for orthogonal glycosidases are barcoded with volatile reporters of distinct mass (i.e. volatile barcodes). Barcode concentrations in breath will be quantified via mass spectrometry and used to build classifiers of GI disease using machine learning. Altogether, I expect the catalytic processing of barcoded probe arrays by intestinal glycosidases will produce amplified, multiplexed breath signals for detection via simple breath testing. To build this platform, I will establish modular chemistries to synthesize probe arrays (Aim 1), characterize probe pharmacokinetics and breath signals after oral delivery (Aim 2), and develop probe arrays for breath-based detection of GI disease in mouse models of IBD and colorectal cancer (Aim 3).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/92634639259?pwd=mXOBVUAQ7D7vUWC4nffYOWFZ3G7NOC.1\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/92634639259?pwd=mXOBVUAQ7D7vUWC4nffYOWFZ3G7NOC.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation- \u0022Engineering Ingestible Probes for Breath-based Detection of Gastrointestinal Diseases\u0022 -Vishal A. Manickam\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Ingestible Probes for Breath-based Detection of Gastrointestinal Diseases\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-27 13:52:51","changed_gmt":"2024-06-27 13:54:20","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-07-10T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-07-10T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-07-10T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-07-10 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-07-10 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-07-10 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"5029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675121":{"#nid":"675121","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Jeffery Noble","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;M.G. Finn, Ph.D. (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERavi S. Kane, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESusan\u0026nbsp;N.\u0026nbsp;Thomas, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn D. Altman, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; (Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESudhir P. Kasturi, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp; (Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Virus-like Particle Conjugate Vaccines for Enhanced B Cell Responses\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVirus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembling protein nanoparticles that are stable carriers for applications in conjugate vaccine design. \u0026nbsp;Their durable structure permits the high-density display of antigens imparting enhanced immunogenicity compared to free-antigen counterparts. Previous work has led to a defined VLP glycoconjugate design that achieves high-affinity antibody responses though several features remain unexplored. The modularity of the VLP platform not only permits antigen display but also the conjugation of immunologically interesting molecules to directly assess their influence in vaccine efficacy as well as enable the use of VLPs as a tool to probe fundamental questions about vaccine design. The broad theme of this thesis is to explore new nanoparticle compositions for the optimization of high-affinity antibody responses. Using orthogonal chemical, genetic, and enzymatic methods, this thesis will address the therapeutic relevance of new antigen targets, the immune potential of associating VLPs and adjuvants together, and clarify the relative importance of different helper cell modalities. Each of these aims will contribute to a more thorough understanding of VLP platform properties and how they may modulate the immune response to best achieve the desired humoral response.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/8379452691?pwd=RHloZjM0MUQvNEZCdklWaWdCRGZuUT09\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/8379452691?pwd=RHloZjM0MUQvNEZCdklWaWdCRGZuUT09\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeeting ID: 837 945 2691\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPasscode: 118019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Engineering Virus-like Particle Conjugate Vaccines for Enhanced B Cell Responses\u0022- \u0026nbsp;Jeffery Noble\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Virus-like Particle Conjugate Vaccines for Enhanced B Cell Responses\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-17 15:45:59","changed_gmt":"2024-06-17 15:47:14","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-06-27T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-06-27T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-06-27T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-06-27 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-06-27 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-06-27 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3201A MoSE","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675100":{"#nid":"675100","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Elijah Holland","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Advisor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndre\u0301s J. Garci\u0301a, Ph.D., George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute\u0026nbsp;of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Cheng Zhu, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. John Blazeck, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Wilbur Lam, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Jianping Fu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EUniversity of Michigan\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe body experiences a variety of mechanical cues in day-to-day function: compressive and tensile stresses in bone and cartilage to latent mechanical signals from the extracellular matrix (ECM). Mechanical cues drive processes such as cell migration and proliferation. Cells sense mechanical signals via cell-ECM interactions, which are primarily facilitated through focal adhesions (FAs). FAs have 100s of unique components: a few key proteins are vinculin, talin, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). While FA turnover has been well recognized, how cells translate mechanical signals at FAs into biochemical changes is less understood. Previous work demonstrated that yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator, responds to changes in adhesive area and substrate rigidity. Deleting essential FA proteins alters YAP activity, and YAP upregulates FA-related genes. Our objective is to further our understanding of cell adhesion by elucidating how cells utilize focal adhesions to translate mechanical cues into biochemical signals. I hypothesize that FAs utilize interactions between vinculin, talin, and FAK and spatially and temporally coordinate FA turnover rates and forces to induce YAP activity. Therefore, as I alter vinculin-talin-FAK interactions, I expect a reduction in YAP activity. As I spatially direct cells to form more focal adhesions across the cell periphery and major axis, I expect to induce an increase in YAP activity. In this thesis, I demonstrated that reducing micropillar area while keeping array stiffness constant, which increases force map resolution, alters cell behavior by reducing cell contractility and spread area. I evaluated the impact of removing talin-FAK and talin-vinculin interactions on YAP activity. Upon removing vinculin, FAK, or talin; impairing FAK or vinculin\u2019s functionality, or abrogating talin-FAK or talin-vinculin interactions, there was a drop in YAP\u2019s nuclear accumulation and transcriptional activity. Lastly, I developed a platform for spatially and temporally directing FAs to monitor FA distribution, number, and cell generated traction forces. This work advances our understanding of mechanotransduction by dissecting the relationship between FAs and YAP, which aids in rationally designing biomaterial therapies for modulating YAP expression to treat cancer and fibrosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZoom link: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/96421964446\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/96421964446\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP: \u0022 Elijah Holland\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP: \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-13 13:10:31","changed_gmt":"2024-06-13 13:11:53","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-06-26T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-06-26T17:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-06-26T17:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-06-26 19:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-06-26 21:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-06-26 21:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675099":{"#nid":"675099","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Adriana Mulero-Russe","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Advisor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndre\u0301s J. Garci\u0301a, Ph.D., George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute\u0026nbsp;of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichael A. Helmrath, M.D.\u0026nbsp; Division of Pediatric Surgery, Cincinnati Children\u0027s Hospital Medical Center\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D., School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAsma Nusrat, M.D., Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical Campus\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohnna S. Temenoff, Ph.D., Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered Synthetic Hydrogel Platform For Human Intestinal Organoids In Vitro Culture And In Vivo Therapeutic Delivery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHuman intestinal organoids (HIOs) represent an excellent in vitro model of the human intestine and a promising source for intestinal tissue repair therapies. Major limitations to the clinical translatability of the HIO technology are limited HIO \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;differentiation reproducibility and the lack of clinically relevant \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;delivery materials. This thesis project aims to address these challenges by engineering a 2D synthetic hydrogel to support the initial stages of the HIO\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;in vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;differentiation process and engineering a clinically translatable synthetic hydrogel vehicle to support \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;HIO cell engraftment to the injured intestinal tissue. The objectives of this thesis were accomplished in two aims. In Aim 1, I generated a 2D synthetic hydrogel substrate that can support human induced pluripotent stem cell attachment and support definitive endoderm differentiation. In Aim 2, I engineered a synthetic hydrogel to deliver human intestinal organoids to the injured intestine enabling their engraftment into the intestinal wall. The results of this thesis will provide a foundation for enhanced HIO therapeutic potential and clinically translatable materials to advance the use of HIO in the regenerative medicine field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZoom link: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99129280007?pwd=Y8Ry5GbusfacOw1xRcyMNfXXSrY8t1.1\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99129280007?pwd=Y8Ry5GbusfacOw1xRcyMNfXXSrY8t1.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Engineered Synthetic Hydrogel Platform For Human Intestinal Organoids In Vitro Culture And In Vivo Therapeutic Delivery\u0022- Adriana Mulero-Russe\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered Synthetic Hydrogel Platform For Human Intestinal Organoids In Vitro Culture And In Vivo Therapeutic Delivery\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-13 13:06:57","changed_gmt":"2024-06-13 13:08:22","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-06-25T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-06-25T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-06-25T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-06-25 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-06-25 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-06-25 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675068":{"#nid":"675068","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Michelle Quizon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Advisor) (School of Mechanical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEdward Botchwey,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Department of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERebecca Levit, M.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Medicine, \u003Cem\u003EEmory University\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEdward Phelps, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Department of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EUniversity of Florida\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKrish Roy, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Department of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EVanderbilt University\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EType 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic, debilitating disease\u0026nbsp;characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells within pancreatic islets. The gold standard for T1D cell therapy is clinical islet transplantation (CIT), the infusion of islets through the hepatic portal vein. While CIT recipients demonstrate enhanced blood glucose control,\u0026nbsp;the procedure is limited to a marginal subset of T1D patients due to 1) the lack of donor islets and 2) the absolute immunosuppression required to overcome the inhospitable nature of the intrahepatic site. Indeed, an expected \u0026gt;60% loss of islets is expected within three days following transplantation. Thus, there is a significant need\u0026nbsp;to establish an alternative extrahepatic transplant site that supports islet engraftment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe subcutaneous space is an attractive extrahepatic transplant site for T1D cell therapy given its high clinical potential in terms of surgical accessibility, ease of monitoring, and convenience for replenishment and\/or retrieval of therapeutic cargo. However, the unmodified subcutaneous space lacks the necessary vascularization to preserve islets. An elegant, facile strategy to promote vascularization is the biomaterial-mediated delivery of proangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The objective\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eof my project was to engineer VEGF-delivering synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels (VEGF-PEG) that promoted islet vascularization, engraftment, and function in the subcutaneous space. My central hypothesis\u0026nbsp;was that VEGF-PEG can be tuned to do so.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test my hypothesis, I completed three specific aims. In Aim 1, I employed an \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;co-culture of rat islets, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and human mesenchymal stromal cells to screen key hydrogel parameters \u2013 namely, polymer density, tethered VEGF concentration, and adhesive peptide type \u2013 for endothelial cell network formation and islet-network interactions. In Aim 2, I demonstrated that my engineered VEGF-PEG platform supported rat islet survival, engraftment, and function upon subcutaneous delivery in immunocompromised, diabetic mice. Importantly, VEGF-PEG achieved normoglycemia and maintained islet graft function in diabetic mice for 12 weeks, aligning in performance to a leading natural biomaterial platform (islet viability matrix). \u0026nbsp;In Aim 3, I established a large animal model to evaluate the vasculogenic capabilities of engineered biomaterials. In healthy, nondiabetic Yucatan miniature pigs (n = 5), I demonstrated that a VEGF-PEG coating induced vascularization and local perfusion in the porcine subcutaneous space without detrimental health effects. I then successfully delivered neonatal Yorkshire pig islets in VEGF-PEG to an immunosuppressed, nondiabetic Yucatan miniature pig.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy work has resulted in an optimized synthetic hydrogel for islet vascularization, engraftment, and function in the subcutaneous space. My three-pronged, multi-model approach (\u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eco-culture of cells - \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;studies in rodents - \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Estudies in pigs) \u0026nbsp;has provided a novel, logically translational strategy to engineer vasculogenic materials. This work provides a foundation for future studies in a translational, diabetic large animal model \u2013 recapitulating the human subcutaneous space more so than preclinical rodent models that comprise majority of the field.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0022Synthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u0022- Michelle Quizon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-06-10 14:29:06","changed_gmt":"2024-06-10 14:29:06","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-06-17T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-06-17T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-06-17T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-06-17 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-06-17 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-06-17 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"CHOA Room EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674731":{"#nid":"674731","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Ishita Kumar","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Corey J. Wilson, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERavi Kane, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERichard M. Murray, Ph.D. (Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext-Generation Biosecurity: Advancing Tools for Multi-Layer Security\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe rapid expansion of synthetic biology from laboratory spaces to industrial and healthcare sectors has brought about concerns of unwanted release of genetically modified organisms and protection of biological intellectual property. Current physical and operational security measures for these assets can be comprised by theft or accidental release. This thesis proposes the designing, building, and testing of a next-generation biosecurity system that is intrinsic to the engineered organism. While prior studies have demonstrated basic intrinsic security measures, there is considerable value in advancing the state of the art with novel tools, multi-layer security platforms, and the introduction of penetration testing. First, an 8-digit biological keypad will be developed in \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;for 2-input and 3-input passcodes to protect a biological asset. This technology will be combined with toxin-based penalties to design a first-of-its-kind Biohackathon challenge. Furthermore, a novel \u2018Command Center\u2019 for editing biological programs will be shown in situ using an engineered \u003Cem\u003EE. coli \u003C\/em\u003Estrain. The Command Center would be a promising tool for biosecurity applications. Finally, an authentication system will be engineered through synthetic auxotrophy, and will be deployed with other biosecurity measures to a design a second Biohackathon challenge. Together, these technologies will establish a foundation for integrating multi-layer biosecurity into biotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Next-Generation Biosecurity: Advancing Tools for Multi-Layer Security\u0022 - Ishita Kumar\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Next-Generation Biosecurity: Advancing Tools for Multi-Layer Security\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-05-15 17:41:35","changed_gmt":"2024-05-15 17:42:55","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-23T11:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-23T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-23T13:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-23 15:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-23 17:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-23 17:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"2029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674524":{"#nid":"674524","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense Presentation- Fernando Martinez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nYoung Jang, PhD (advisor) (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama, PhD (co-advisor) (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EValeria Milam, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3D FIBRIN MICROGEL SYSTEM FOR SENESCENSE DETECTION\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the scientific advances and improvements in quality of life over the past century, the percentage of the aged population has been steadily increasing. With age comes a multitude of age-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer\u2019s disease, and more. One of the 12 hallmarks of aging, cellular senescence, has been directly linked to age-related pathologies. Treatment of cellular senescence via senolytics is a growing niche in aging research, due to the promise it shows in managing senescence accumulation and age-related diseases. Despite growing use of 3D systems in research, there is a lack of models for age-related drug screening. This thesis aims to refine a bio-printed fibroblast-containing fibrin gel model for the detection of cellular senescence. This fibrin microgel model closely mimics the early stages of wound healing, where clot formation occurs, and is subsequently degraded by a process known as fibrinolysis. First, we sought to establish reproducibility in the system. Gel parameters were studied to determine their relationship with an established readout of fibrinolysis time, and ways to reduce variability in the system were investigated. Second, different methods of senescence were tested to determine sensitivity of the fibrin gel model to cellular senescence. Comparing the effects of multiple forms of senescence in the model is necessary due to different pathways of senescence activation and potential differences in senescence associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs). Overall, the work accomplished in this thesis could help establish a novel marker for rapid cellular senescence detection and a tool for senolytic drug discovery and screening.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u00223D FIBRIN MICROGEL SYSTEM FOR SENESCENSE DETECTION\u0022 - Fernando Martinez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u00223D FIBRIN MICROGEL SYSTEM FOR SENESCENSE DETECTION\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-05-06 15:49:18","changed_gmt":"2024-05-06 15:50:12","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-09T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-13T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-13T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-09 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-13 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-13 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1316 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674523":{"#nid":"674523","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Alexander Heiler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Susan N. Thomas, Ph.D. (Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, Ph.D. (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJihoon Kim, Ph.D. (School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESurface-tunable nanoparticles for studying lymphatic delivery dynamics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe properties of drug delivery vehicles are often modulated to better overcome biological barriers and enhance the delivery of bioactive molecules to their intended target, such as immunotherapeutic delivery to mediate the immune response to disease. In this presentation, I will describe my work in engineering the surface properties of poly(propylene sulfide) nanoparticles to modulate their transport behaviors and enable novel drug delivery dynamics and mechanisms. Using \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Emodels recapitulating subcutaneous drug administration and uptake into the lymphatic system, the nanoparticle architecture and transport properties were characterized in the context of the copolymer properties comprising the nanoparticle surface. Furthermore, the nanoparticle surface was functionalized to display two reactive groups capable of conjugating two distinct antibodies in controlled ratios, enabling complex interactions with lymphocyte surface receptors. Additionally, a light-responsive cleavable linker will be used to form a photoactivatable fluorescent tracer able to evaluate nanoparticle delivery dynamics within the lymph node. This proposal enhances nanomaterial tools to evaluate nanoparticle delivery across different biological barriers in support of immunotherapeutic delivery to modulate the immune response.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Surface-tunable nanoparticles for studying lymphatic delivery dynamics\u0022 - Alexander Heiler\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Surface-tunable nanoparticles for studying lymphatic delivery dynamics\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-05-06 15:46:54","changed_gmt":"2024-05-06 15:48:06","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-14T14:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-14T16:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-14T16:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-14 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-14 20:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-14 20:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"L1120 ES\u0026T","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674379":{"#nid":"674379","#data":{"type":"event","title":"2024 IBB Distinguished Lecture","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-shen-ph-d-33a8025\/\u0022\u003EM. Richard Shen, Ph.D.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nManaging Director and Founder\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRS Technology Ventures, LLC\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E*This will be an in-person event.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EABSTRACT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPeriods of accelerated discovery can be defined by the technologies that are created and their costs. Almost all of us are familiar with the story about semiconductors, integrated circuits, and Moore\u2019s Law. The development of this compute technology has placed what would be building-sized supercomputers from the 1980s into simple, handheld devices in the 2020s. However, many may not be familiar with the story of the development of genetic analysis systems in the first decade of this century by a startup called Illumina. This startup has transformed genetic analysis by first creating the leading genotyping platform and then developing the dominant next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are many factors that contribute to the successful development of these platforms, such as corporate culture, strategic vision, technology management and product development. We will focus on some of these factors and how they were used to develop products that have transformed biological analysis. We will also discuss how discoveries enabled by these scalable technologies have created new clinical applications and avenues of research. The high specificity and tunable sensitivity of NGS have enabled the development of non-invasive prenatal testing, cancer therapy selection and detection of residual disease from blood samples. The low-price points in these technologies have created markets in consumer genomics, forensic genealogy, and population-scale whole-genome sequencing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current period of accelerated biological discovery is being driven by robust genetic analysis tools, accessible compute infrastructure and low price.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBIO\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRichard Shen, Ph.D., is an innovator, investor, and business executive. He has over 25 years of experience in the genomics and molecular diagnostics markets. He is active in the investment community as part of NuFund in San Diego and is managing director of RS Technology Ventures, LLC. He is currently on the Board of Directors of public and private companies in the liquid biopsy and diagnostics markets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERichard held many senior executive positions in his career. Most recently at PacBio he was Sr. Vice President of R\u0026amp;D, responsible for software and bioinformatics, applications, and platform development. Prior to that he was President of Omniome, a start-up that developed a high-accuracy Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) platform. In the year 2000, Richard joined a startup that was Illumina. In his 16-year career at Illumina, he was responsible for scaling and running operations, development of the genotyping and NGS platforms and Oncology R\u0026amp;D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERichard holds several key patents in the fields of nucleic acid analysis and sequencing. One of his patents enabled the development of a process to sequence the human genome for less than $1,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERichard is an alumnus of UCLA (B.S.) and LSU Medical Center (Ph.D.). He did postdoctoral fellowships at University of Michigan Medical Center to study gene therapy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories to study variation in DNA repair genes. Richard is a certified director from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom Underdog to Market Leader: The Development of Genetic Analysis Tools by Illumina in the Early Years\u201d - M. Richard Shen, Ph.D., Managing Director and Founder, RS Technology Ventures, LLC\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u201cFrom Underdog to Market Leader: The Development of Genetic Analysis Tools by Illumina in the Early Years\u201d - M. Richard Shen, Ph.D., Managing Director and Founder, RS Technology Ventures, LLC"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2024-04-25 12:50:21","changed_gmt":"2024-04-25 13:12:47","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-10-22T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-10-22T12:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-10-22T12:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-10-22 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-10-22 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-10-22 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Petit Biotechnology Building, 315 Ferst Drive, NW, Nerem Atrium, Atlanta, GA 30332","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"},{"id":"188880","name":"go-bio-commercialization"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:connect@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EEvent inquiries\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673930":{"#nid":"673930","#data":{"type":"event","title":"IBB Seminar","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA special seminar organized by IBB\u0027s Bioengineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in celebration of BioE Day.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.columbia.edu\/cruz-acuna-lab\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERicardo Cruz-Acu\u00f1a, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EAssistant Professor of Cancer Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Dental Medicine\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nColumbia University Medical Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EABSTRACT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nClinical studies have found a correlation between extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening and the progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), as well as reduced drug delivery and resistance to therapy. However, additional work is needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of the disease in the context of changes in ECM biomechanics. In my talk, I will first describe the design of an engineered hydrogel as a 3D cancer organoid niche to elucidate the contribution of matrix stiffness on EAC progression. I will then show how we exploited the tunability of our engineered platform to identify potential matrix stiffness-activated therapeutic targets in patient-derived EAC organoids. Importantly, the modular nature of the engineered hydrogel platform allows for potential adaptation to the culture of 3D organoid models of other human diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBIO\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRicardo Cruz-Acu\u00f1a is an Assistant Professor of Cancer Engineering in the College of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. In his lab, Cruz-Acu\u00f1a focuses on integrating aspects of biomaterial engineering, cell and molecular biology, and 3D organoid biology to (1) understand the contributions of the extracellular matrix properties to tumorigenesis, and (2) identify mechanisms important for epithelial developmental patterning and organogenesis. His work will help elucidate how cancer progresses within a dynamically evolving extracellular matrix that modulates every behavioral facet of the tumor cells, and will reveal novel mechanisms that drive human organ development.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECruz-Acu\u00f1a completed his Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology under the supervision of Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Ph.D.. Cruz-Acu\u00f1a then joined the laboratory of Anil K. Rustgi, Ph.D. at University of Pennsylvania and at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbia University Irving Medical Center for his postdoctoral research training.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to several awards he received during his training, Cruz-Acu\u00f1a is the recipient of a NIH\/NIDDK K01 Research Scientist Development Award (2023). He is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Society for Biomaterials (SFB).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The Role of Matrix Stiffness in Esophageal Cancer: Mechanism to Translational Therapeutics\u0022 - Ricardo Cruz-Acu\u00f1a, Ph.D. - Columbia University Irving Medical Center\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022The Role of Matrix Stiffness in Esophageal Cancer: Mechanism to Translational Therapeutics\u0022 - Ricardo Cruz-Acu\u00f1a, Ph.D. - Columbia University Irving Medical Center"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2024-04-02 19:36:50","changed_gmt":"2024-04-24 11:17:56","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-01T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-01T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-01T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-01 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-01 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-01 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Petit Biotechnology Building, 315 Ferst Drive, NW, Suddath Seminar Room 1128, Atlanta, GA 30332","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:connect@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EEvent inquiries\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674337":{"#nid":"674337","#data":{"type":"event","title":"2024 BioE Day","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPresentations from the 2023 BioE Award Winners, featured BioE Alum Seminars, and a Rapid Fire Thesis Competition. Lunch served (while supplies last!).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOpen to all Bioengineering Students and Faculty!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EAGENDA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n9:30 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Coffee Corner\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n10:00 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Outstanding Advisor and Thesis Presentation\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n11:00 a.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Alumni Presentations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n12:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Outstanding Paper Presentation and Lunch\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n12:30 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Rapid Fire Presentations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n2:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Alumni Panel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n3:00 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Awards and Ice Cream - \u003Cem\u003EBioquad\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n4:30 p.m.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Adjourn\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECelebrating the 11th anniversary of IBB\u0027s interdisciplinary Bioengineering program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Celebrating the 11th anniversary of IBB\u0027s interdisciplinary Bioengineering program."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2024-04-23 17:09:55","changed_gmt":"2024-04-24 11:14:40","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-02T09:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-02T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-02T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-02 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-02 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-02 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Petit Biotechnology Building, 315 Ferst Drive, NW, Suddath Seminar Room 1128, Atlanta, GA 30332","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dbhakta7@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDivya Bhakta\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:spencerzhang@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESpencer Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;- BioE Day Co-Chairs\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674270":{"#nid":"674270","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Valencia Watson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Cheng Zhu, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Edward Botchwey, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Nicole Schmitt, M.D. (Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Karmella Haynes, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. John Blazeck, PhD. (Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMechanisms of impaired T cell antigen sensing in TP53 mutation expressing cancers, and the co-agonist effect of Wild Type (WT) p53 self-antigen\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EImmunotherapy is becoming increasingly more popular as a treatment option for cancer, especially in patients with chemotherapy resistant tumors. Although immunotherapy has been highly bought into as a treatment option for cancer patients, product efficacy is low. Taking interest in the rising occurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), consider anti-PD-1 (\u03b1-PD1), for example. \u03b1-PD1 is an FDA approved ICB treatment for metastatic HNSCC, but a marginal percentage of patients respond to treatment. Immunotherapies such as \u03b1-PD1, provide a future in cancer therapy that aims to reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapy, however, further insight into TME immunosuppression is required to improve the efficacy of these treatment methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo advance the knowledge of TME immunosuppression, this study will focus on cytotoxic T cells, as they are integral in tumor clearance. CD8+\u0026nbsp;T cells are presented antigens in a histocompatibility complex (MHC) manner. The T cell receptor (TCR) forms a bond with the epitope presented in the binding groove of the major histocompatibility complex (pMHC). T cells exert endogenous forces on TCR\u2013pMHC bonds to amplify antigen sensing. To bind pMHC, TCR experiences a conformational change. In the inactive TCR conformation, cholesterol binds the TCR\u03b2 subunit to allosterically regulate its function. Manipulation of cholesterol may enhance the anti-tumor immune response of cytotoxic T cells by unknown mechanisms. Recently, our lab demonstrated melanoma TME induces impaired T cell antigen response. We aim to expand these findings to determine if impaired TCR antigen recognition is conserved in other cancer types, test whether targeting cholesterol can restore TCR antigen recognition, and to identify TME immunosuppressive factors that may be contributing to this apparent loss in function. It is hypothesized that reduced TCR antigen response will be seen in other cancer types and can be recovered through cholesterol inhibition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETCR based precision adoptive cell therapy has also demonstrated potential as a treatment option for cancer patients with tumors expressing tumor suppressor protein TP53 gene mutations. Still, extensively more work needs to be done to better characterize the TCR tumor antigen (neoantigen) response and improve clinical outcomes. We aim to advance the understanding of p53 mutant reactive TCRs and make contributions towards the development of parameters needed to determine their efficacy in ACT. Studies on ACT and other forms of immunotherapy suggest that TCR affinity, force, and downstream signaling are critical for optimal T-cell function and anti-tumor immune responses30.\u0026nbsp; We aim to explore differences in the affinity, signaling and mechanosensing of 5 patient-derived, R175H hot spot mutant reactive, TCRs to self vs. mutated ligand. We hypothesize that non-stimulatory wild-type (WT) p53 peptide will enhance binding of TCR to antigen via CD8.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Mechanisms of impaired T cell antigen sensing in TP53 mutation expressing cancers, and the co-agonist effect of Wild Type (WT) p53 self-antigen\u0022 - Valencia Watson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Mechanisms of impaired T cell antigen sensing in TP53 mutation expressing cancers, and the co-agonist effect of Wild Type (WT) p53 self-antigen\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-19 03:38:14","changed_gmt":"2024-04-19 03:39:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-19T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-19T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-19T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-19 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-19 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-19 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":" Molecular Sciences and Engineering; Room G021","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674269":{"#nid":"674269","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Ana de Pereda","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECommittee\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2022 Dr. Lily Cheung (Ph.D. Advisor, Chemical Engineering, GT )\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2022 Dr. Hang Lu (Chemical Engineering, GT)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2022 Dr. Mark Styczynski (Chemical Engineering, GT)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2022 Dr. John Blazeck (Chemical Engineering, GT)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2022 Dr. JC Gumbart (Chemistry and Biochemistry, GT)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExploring the Oligomerization of Sugar Transporters for the Advancement in Plant Systems and Synthetic Biology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlant SWEET proteins play a pivotal role as sugar transporters, contributing to crucial processes in plants such as reproduction, stress resistance, and sugar distribution. This thesis proposal will investigate the oligomerization of these key membrane transporter proteins, aiming to unravel their complex\u0026nbsp;emergent functions. By understanding these functions, the goal is to pioneer the engineering of sugar transporters with novel capabilities. Employing advanced characterization techniques, including native mass-spectrometry and fluorescence-based assays, this study aims to accurately quantify the stoichiometry of SWEET oligomers in both \u003Cem\u003EArabidopsis thaliana\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and yeast heterologous expression systems. Furthermore, the research will establish a comprehensive quantitative model to describe sugar transport dynamics for the oligomeric transporters and their individual subunits. Emphasis will\u0026nbsp;be placed on SWEET proteins associated with plant reproduction to create synthetic sugar pumps designed to enhance sugar allocation to endosperm tissues. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the study seeks to delineate the specific impact oligomerization has on sugar transport across plant membranes, thereby informing the intelligent engineering of plant sugar distribution mechanisms for advancements in agricultural productivity and food security.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Exploring the Oligomerization of Sugar Transporters for the Advancement in Plant Systems and Synthetic Biology \u0022 - Ana de Pereda\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Exploring the Oligomerization of Sugar Transporters for the Advancement in Plant Systems and Synthetic Biology \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:45:39","changed_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:46:42","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-05-03T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-05-03T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-05-03T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-05-03 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-05-03 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-05-03 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Ford ES\u0026T Room 1387","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674268":{"#nid":"674268","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Tong Yu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, PhD (Advisor)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESunil Raikar, MD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGabe Kwong, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames Dahlman, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur Lam, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Biomechanics-Based Delivery Strategy To Primary Immune Cells For Generating Cell Therapy With Multiple Gene Knockout\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Abstract: Adaptive T cell therapy has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer treatment, utilizing synthetic receptor modified T cells to specially target tumor antigens. Despite successes, challenges persist, including the need for multiplexed gene editing in production of allogeneic T cell product, expanding application to T cell malignancies, and overcoming T cell dysfunction. These challenges require new technologies that lead to safer and efficient multiplexed gene editing techniques to lead to improved therapies. Currently, multiplexed gene editing is performed in one process step, raising concerns regarding chromosome translocations. This thesis addresses safer and more efficient multiplexed gene editing by leveraging the innovative microfluidic volume exchange for cell transfection (VECT) platform. To achieve efficient and reproducible delivery of gene editing cargo to primary T cells, we propose to understand device and intrinsic cellular attributes that significantly impact delivery outcome. Then, we design optimal devices for sequential gene editing of primary T cells in CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) T engineering pipeline, focusing on the reduction of chromosomal translocation. We hypothesize sequential multiplexed gene editing results in lower chromosomal translocation and improved T cell persistence. This study addresses the goals through 3 aims. Aim 1 focuses on identifying critical design elements (CDEs) for VECT devices, revealing device design and operational factors influencing delivery to primary T cells. Aim 2 demonstrates VECT\u0027s capability in functional Cas9 delivery and sequential gene editing of CAR T cells. Aim 3 focuses on intrinsic cell mechanics to reveal cell biomechanics\u0027 contributions to delivery efficiency. In completing the study, we created two easy fabrication methods to reproducibly generate high delivery to T cells, Then, we demonstrated an application of VECT to deliver CRISPR\/Cas9 to mediate gene editing in T cells. VECT was shown to be capable of generating highly efficient and viable TCR and B2M knockout T cells in both batch and sequential workflow. Importantly, VECT sequential editing is shown to reduce the frequency of chromosomal translocations. Interestingly, we identified a combined effect of strain rate and acceleration to significantly improve delivery; and identified cell stiffness as an intrinsic determinant of delivery efficiency. Overall, this study underscores VECT\u0027s potential in industrial-scale multiplexed gene editing of T cells with improved safety profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0022A Biomechanics-Based Delivery Strategy To Primary Immune Cells For Generating Cell Therapy With Multiple Gene Knockout\u0022 - Tong Yu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022A Biomechanics-Based Delivery Strategy To Primary Immune Cells For Generating Cell Therapy With Multiple Gene Knockout\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:29:00","changed_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:29:55","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-24T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-24T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-24T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-24 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-24 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-24 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674267":{"#nid":"674267","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Mercedes Gonzalez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Craig Forest (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Matthew Rowan (Biological Sciences, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Annabelle Singer (Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Bilal Haider (Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Christopher Rozell (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAutomated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlzheimer\u2019s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, accounting for about two thirds of dementia cases. Despite significant efforts to diagnose and cure AD there are still no effective therapeutics to halt disease progression. While the conventional understanding attributes memory loss to the buildup of amyloid and tau proteins, emerging evidence suggests that cognitive decline in AD may stem from neuronal circuit dysregulation rather than protein aggregation. Specifically, alterations in the excitability of inhibitory interneurons may contribute to circuit dysfunction, although the evolution of this dysregulation across brain regions and over time remains poorly understood. To address this gap, this thesis systematically investigated the emergence of parvalbumin interneuron dysfunction in AD, confirming their early involvement in vulnerable brain regions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo study these PV interneurons at the single cell level, with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution, this thesis will utilize patch clamp electrophysiology. The patch clamp technique is remains necessary for fully elucidating cell-type-specific behavior, although it is difficult and time-intensive. While patch clamp systems have emerged that automate certain aspects of the procedure, there remain challenges that can be remedied with improved automation techniques. To overcome these obstacles, several strategies have been developed to improve the whole-cell success rates and facilitate the execution of automated, high-throughput investigations. In the initial identification of cells within acute brain slices, a deep learning methodology automatically nominate neurons for subsequent automated experiments. Addressing concerns regarding pipette localization errors, a convolutional neural network, specifically ResNet101, has been adapted and trained to autonomously detect and rectify the misplacement of pipette tips during automated \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Epatch clamp experiments. Furthermore, to facilitate investigations into synaptic connections between neurons, a method named patch-walking was demonstrated in brain slices, enabling efficient finding of synaptic connections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Automated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u0022 - Mercedes Gonzalez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Automated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:25:58","changed_gmt":"2024-04-18 22:27:06","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-24T09:15:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-24T11:15:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-24T11:15:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-24 13:15:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-24 15:15:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-24 15:15:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"UA Whitaker Building \u2013 Room 1214","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674068":{"#nid":"674068","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Hyoann Choi","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98694357299?pwd=MnYxbDRtamw2Tzhrd05RTG9tdiszZz09\u0026amp;from\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98694357299?pwd=MnYxbDRtamw2Tzhrd05RTG9tdiszZz09\u0026amp;from\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2022 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Wilbur Lam (Ph.D. Advisor, Biomedical Engineering, GT \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2022 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Anant Madabhushi (Biomedical Engineering, GT \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2022 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Paynabar Kamran (Industrial \u0026amp; Systems Engineering, GT)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2022 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Eva Dyer (Electrical and Computer Engineering, GT)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2022 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. David Myers (Biomedical Engineering, GT \u0026amp; Emory)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUnraveling Hidden Heterogeneity: Quantitative Characterization of Cellular Heterogeneity\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ein Multicolor Flow Cytometry Data for Enhanced Insights\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EVarying health outcomes present a significant challenge in medicine. At the biological and microscopic level of human health, cells are the smallest functional with diverse functions, undergoing dynamic changes over time and exhibiting unique variations among individuals.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUnderstanding this intra- and inter-individual cellular diversity, and its impact on health is crucial for the implementation of personalized medicine. Multicolor flow cytometry is the most established single-cell technology, providing multi-parametric information about each cell\u0027s protein profiles. It has facilitated the discovery of cellular subpopulations and biomarkers for health and disease. However, current analyses of multicolor flow cytometry data fail to fully\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ecapture multifaceted representations of cellular heterogeneity. The focus on population averages and frequencies neglects the amount, shape, and direction of cellular heterogeneity, which may collectively indicate various forms of cellular heterogeneity with biological and clinical significance. Yet, the lack of quantitative definitions for these aspects hinders objective analyses of their contribution to health. This research proposes and evaluates quantitative metrics to capture previously under-appreciated aspects of cellular heterogeneity in multicolor flow cytometry data. It first examines the biological significance of cellular heterogeneity in healthy platelets, elucidating its translation into functional diversity at the population-level in hemostasis and thrombosis. Subsequently, it investigates the clinical relevance of cellular heterogeneity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to understand the role of immune cell heterogeneity in the manifestations of long COVID. By providing a new quantitative lens to uncover hidden aspects of cellular heterogeneity, the proposed methods offer a more holistic understanding of cellular variability. Serving as biomarkers to establish the reference of homeostatic forms of cellular heterogeneity, the proposed metrics can be used to diagnose and monitor diseases and guide the design of tailored therapies. Ultimately, these metrics reveal \u201chidden heterogeneity\u201d, which will help better resolve and manage inter-individual differences in disease manifestations and therapy responses, advancing personalized medicine.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Unraveling Hidden Heterogeneity: Quantitative Characterization of Cellular Heterogeneity in Multicolor Flow Cytometry Data for Enhanced Insights\u0022 - Hyoann Choi\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Unraveling Hidden Heterogeneity: Quantitative Characterization of Cellular Heterogeneity in Multicolor Flow Cytometry Data for Enhanced Insights\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-09 14:04:31","changed_gmt":"2024-04-09 14:05:38","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-24T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-24T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-24T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-24 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-24 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-24 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674067":{"#nid":"674067","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Nischita Kaza","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFrancisco E. Robles, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAhmet F. Coskun, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPeng Qiu, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThomas K. Gaylord, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilbur A. Lam, M.D., Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and\u0026nbsp;Emory University School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELabel-free Deep-Ultraviolet Microscopy: Accessible Molecular Imaging from Bench to Point of Care\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EImaging with ultraviolet (UV) light (~ 200 - 400 nm) enables label-free molecular imaging due to the distinctive absorption and dispersion properties of several physiologically important, endogenous biomolecules in this spectral region. In addition, the shorter wavelength of UV light offers higher spatial resolution than conventional imaging systems that use visible light. Furthermore, advances in UV light sources and detectors have resulted in setups that enable contiguous imaging of live cells over long durations without significant photodamage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis work aims to enhance the capabilities of deep-UV microscopy for accessible imaging of biological samples. Initially, we introduce a simple hyperspectral UV microscopy technique to extract quantitative absorption information from biological samples without prior knowledge of their optical properties. Following this, we employ multi-spectral deep-UV microscopy to quantify hemoglobin in red blood cells. Subsequently, we leverage recent advances in deep learning to develop an automated pipeline for label-free hematology analysis using single-wavelength UV microscopy images. In conjunction with a compact deep-UV microscope and custom microfluidic devices, this work can enable low-cost, efficient, and label-free hematology analysis within minutes, suitable for clinical, at-home, or low-resource settings. Additionally, we explore the development of a multispectral UV microscope for high-resolution, 3D tomographic imaging of cells.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOverall, this dissertation advances UV microscopy through improved instrumentation, analysis, and computational reconstruction, establishing it as an effective and economical label-free imaging tool for research, clinical, and point-of-care applications. We anticipate that the high-resolution molecular and structural information obtained from UV microscopy will further our understanding of fundamental biology and aid in disease diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Label-free Deep-Ultraviolet Microscopy: Accessible Molecular Imaging from Bench to Point of Care\u0022\u0026nbsp; -Nischita Kaza\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Label-free Deep-Ultraviolet Microscopy: Accessible Molecular Imaging from Bench to Point of Care\u0022 "}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-09 14:02:16","changed_gmt":"2024-04-09 14:02:36","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-16T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-16T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-16T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-16 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-16 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-16 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673867":{"#nid":"673867","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Carla Kumbale","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEberhard O. Voit, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E (Ph.D. Advisor) (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech and Emory University; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQiang Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E (Co-Advisor) (Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Emory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Melissa L. Kemp, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPeng Qiu, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Styczynski, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBiological systems are organized in distinct but connected layers, which makes their analysis a challenge. The higher layers usually correspond to a \u201cbig picture\u201d of a physiological event, whereas the lower levels account for increasing granularity and detail. It is infeasible to carry along all details from lower levels, partly for technical reasons, but also because they would overwhelm insights at the higher level due to their sheer numbers and the fact that they typically run on much faster time scales.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This work addresses the well-known challenge of biomedical multiscale analysis with a novel adaptation of the Template-and-Anchor (T\u0026amp;A) modeling paradigm. It considers a template as a high-level, coarse-grained model that focuses exclusively on the main physiological components of a system and involves correspondingly few variables, processes and parameters. The template contains as variables the anchor models, which are modules of component sub-systems that provide more elaborate descriptions of specific biological details. This conceptual framework does not attempt to capture simultaneously all details within a single computable structure as many other multiscale models do. Instead, the often-overwhelming multilevel task is dissected into smaller, stand-alone models that are analyzed separately. This new adaptation of the T\u0026amp;A approach offers substantial advantages without losing resolution. First, the divide-and-conquer method enhances computational efficiency. Second, unlike other methods, each anchor is analyzed individually, producing a record of crucial input-output relationships that are ultimately used in the template model. Third, anchor models can be replaced with alternative representations without affecting the structure of the template or other anchors. Fourth, the T\u0026amp;A model provides flexible guidelines for its setup and for defining variables across scales.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUsing the T\u0026amp;A approach, this work addresses the health implications of exposure to dioxin (specifically, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), a persistent organic pollutant which can severely affect health, depending on the magnitude of exposure. The template captures the overall effects of dioxin on the dynamics of cholesterol, a prominent target of dioxin. The anchor models serving as variables in the overall template model include hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis (via the mevalonate pathway), lipoprotein metabolism, and estrogen synthesis. The creation and combination of anchor and template models enables a holistic evaluation of the impact of dioxin, which can be translated into a tool for comprehensive computational health risk assessments. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; On the theoretical side, this work discerns fundamental differences in the conceptual set-up of templates and anchors which may be viewed as dual structures of each other, as the variables in anchor models are material quantities, whereas the variables in template models are processes. T\u0026amp;A modeling, and multiscale modeling in general, hold promise for a deeper understanding of complex systems and for advancing personalized medicine and risk assessment, interspecies translation, and the development of virtual clinical trials.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Assessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u0022 - Carla Kumbale\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Assessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-01 13:01:39","changed_gmt":"2024-04-08 21:42:28","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-12T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-12T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-12T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-12 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-12 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-12 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673868":{"#nid":"673868","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Jihoon Lee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E: Shuichi Takayama, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EStanislav Emelianov, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EM. G. Finn, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEric J. Sorscher, MD (Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJason R. Spence, PhD (University of Michigan)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHuman Airway Organoids with Reversed Biopolarity: Implications for Infectious Disease, Drug Discovery, and Pathophysiology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOrganoid research is exploring a new niche: apical-out organoids. These engineered structures, characterised by their outward-facing apical membrane, offer unique and exciting avenues for research. This dissertation introduces human airway organoids with reversed polarity (AORBs) and demonstrates their potential in studying infectious diseases, drug discovery, and pathophysiology, with a specific focus on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). First, we successfully established a robust and optimised standard operating procedure (SOP) for generating AORBs from human primary upper airway epithelial cells, building upon a previously described minimal extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolding method. The resulting AORBs were cultured free-floating in a high-throughput, single-organoid-per-well format. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed the \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E-like cellular heterogeneity of AORBs, validating their close resemblance to natural airway physiology. Next, we demonstrated the utility of AORBs as a platform for SARS-CoV-2 infection and antiviral drug screening. AORBs supported efficient infection by five SARS-CoV-2 variants, while enabling high-throughput screening, effectively identifying false negatives and false positives. Furthermore, the SOP was refined to develop a tri-culture organoid model, integrating airway epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and peripheral blood stem cells, with the objective of addressing the lack of a human model and the limited translatability of existing animal models in studying BOS pathogenesis. By manipulating human leukocyte antigen matching between epithelial and immune cells \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E, our BOS model can closely recapitulate the clinical condition, facilitating mechanistic studies and therapeutic discovery. Overall, this dissertation establishes AORBs as a versatile and standardised platform for investigating infectious diseases, drug discovery, and pathophysiology of the respiratory system. The standardisation capacity of the developed SOP holds broader implications for standardising organoids, aligning with the recently updated FDA regulation lifting the mandate for animal studies on therapeutic testing.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0022Human Airway Organoids with Reversed Biopolarity: Implications for Infectious Disease, Drug Discovery, and Pathophysiology\u0022 - Jihoon Lee\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Human Airway Organoids with Reversed Biopolarity: Implications for Infectious Disease, Drug Discovery, and Pathophysiology\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-04-01 13:22:51","changed_gmt":"2024-04-01 13:23:44","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-04-12T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-04-12T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-04-12T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-04-12 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-04-12 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-04-12 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673618":{"#nid":"673618","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Rajas Poorna","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaad Bhamla, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMarcus Cicerone, Ph.D. (Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENicholas Hud, Ph.D. (Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMark Prausnitz, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFrancisco E\u0026nbsp;Robles, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBringing Universal Diagnostics to the Point-of-Care: Raman Spectroscopy, Sample Preservation, and Machine Learning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERaman spectroscopy (RS) of biofluids such as blood serum, urine, and saliva can diagnose a wide range of diseases such as diabetes, malaria, tuberculosis, celiac disease, cancer, and Alzheimer\u0027s. This has been shown on conventional Raman spectrometers costing \u0026gt;$100,000. We are developing a sub-$100 \u201cfrugal\u201d Raman spectrometer with comparable sensitivity for broad-based biofluid diagnostics at the point-of-care (POC). We predict that our method will have sufficient signal for many diagnostics in just a 3-minute scan. Unlike Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (RS), our technique requires no special reagents, allowing the cost per test to drop to almost zero. We will first target tuberculosis (TB), for which such a fast, affordable test, deployed at TB centers, can save nearly 200,000 lives per year by reducing patient loss to follow-up.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn parallel, we are developing a fast, sub-$100 POC sample-drying instrument that enables biofluids to be preserved and transported without a cold-chain. This will enable remote POCs to offer a wider array of diagnostic tests without forcing the patient to travel. Our $60 prototype can dry a 1 mL sample in under 20 minutes where the Labconco Centrivap, a \u0026gt;$20,000 commercial instrument, takes over 5 hours (18x faster).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFinally, we have developed two machine learning techniques for analyzing the metabolomic cell state in Raman microscopy images. We use these to show that Raman microscopy can potentially identify the state of live cells to comparable or better resolution than transcriptomics. One of the techniques, SampleMAP, is of interest to the wider data science community as a dimensionality reduction technique with a significantly enhanced ability to identify clusters in data compared to UMAP.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Bringing Universal Diagnostics to the Point-of-Care: Raman Spectroscopy, Sample Preservation, and Machine Learning\u0022 -Rajas Poorna\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Bringing Universal Diagnostics to the Point-of-Care: Raman Spectroscopy, Sample Preservation, and Machine Learning\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-03-20 13:38:19","changed_gmt":"2024-03-20 13:38:19","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-03-25T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-03-25T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-03-25T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-03-25 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-03-25 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-03-25 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673523":{"#nid":"673523","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Zikai Yu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThesis Advisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EProf. Hang Lu (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProf. Mark Styczynski (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProf. Patrick McGrath (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProf. Todd Sulchek (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProf. Eva Dyer (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAutomated pipeline for building whole-brain anatomical atlases and comparative analysis of diverse biological factors in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAbstract\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe roundworm \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;offers a unique opportunity as a model organism to develop necessary methodologies for studying head anatomy. Existing approaches, while providing valuable insights, have technical limitations in terms of accuracy, throughput, robustness, and accessibility. This proposal introduces an optimized pipeline to overcome these challenges and explore its application across diverse scenarios. In aim 1, an experimental and computational pipeline will be presented for constructing complete whole-brain data-driven anatomical atlases for N2 young adult worms. In Aim 2, the pipeline will be adapted for comparative studies across various biological factors such as genetic backgrounds and developmental stages, with carefully chosen metrics to understand underlying biology from observed differences. In Aim 3, our standard N2 atlas will be incorporated to address challenges in functional imaging analysis, accompanied by advancements in image processing techniques. This proposed pipeline has the potential to enhance our understanding of \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;brain and may contribute to a broader comprehension of nervous systems in other biological organisms.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Automated pipeline for building whole-brain anatomical atlases and comparative analysis of diverse biological factors in C. elegans\u0022 -Zikai Yu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Automated pipeline for building whole-brain anatomical atlases and comparative analysis of diverse biological factors in C. elegans\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2024-03-14 13:50:58","changed_gmt":"2024-03-14 13:50:58","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2024-03-26T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2024-03-26T16:00:18-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2024-03-26T16:00:18-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2024-03-26 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2024-03-26 20:00:18","gmt_time_end_last":"2024-03-26 20:00:18","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671319":{"#nid":"671319","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Samuel Waters","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E: Gari Clifford, DPhill \u2013 School of Biomedical Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEva Dyer, PhD \u2013 \u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Biomedical Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThad Starnder, PhD \u2013 \u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Electrical \u0026amp; Computer Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHua Wang, PhD \u2013 Department of Information Technology, ETH Z\u00fcrich\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReza Sameni, PhD \u2013 \u003Cspan\u003EDepartment of Bioinformatics, Emory\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMETHODS FOR GENERALIZED LOW-DIMENSIONAL EEG ANALYSIS\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nUSING TRANSFER LEARNING\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPolysomnography (PSG) is a widely used procedure for diagnosing sleep disorders such as narcolepsy and sleep apnea, however its invasive and time-consuming nature make it infeasible for any form of long-term monitoring. It requires patients to sleep in a hospital setting for several nights while their EEG and other vitals are continuously recorded, after which a trained human clinician must manually score every 30-second block in the entire recording. Long-term monitoring of treatment effectiveness or disease progression thus needs to be conducted using less reliable methods such as wrist actigraphy, sleep diaries, or subjective surveys of sleep quality. The lack of effective methods for long-term monitoring is also problematic for longitudinal studies examining the interaction between sleep quality and other pathologies such as Alzheimer\u0027s. There is thus considerable interest in automated sleep staging using at-home wearable sensors.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA problem in developing automated sleep staging algorithms however is the lack of data available for wearable sensors. There is plenty of data available for in-hospital PSG, but very little for wearable sensors, as they aren\u0027t normally used in clinical practice. A possible solution however is the use of transfer learning - a method of boosting machine learning performance on one task using data from a similar task.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn this thesis, we use transfer learning to make several advances in the field of sleep staging with wearable sensors: 1) We test a variety of transfer learning techniques under a variety of conditions and neural network architectures to determine which transfer learning method is most effective. 2) We develop a novel transfer learning algorithm augmenting training data with synthetic EEG generated using electrophysiological models designed to output data resembling that of the targeted wearable sensor. 3) We used transfer learning to develop a sleep staging model specifically designed for use on mild cognitive impairment patients which is far more effective than models trained on healthy subjects. 4) We used transfer learning to automate sleep staging with an experimental in-ear wearable which is far more comfortable and user-friendly than scalp wearables yet achieves superior sleep staging performance to some commercially available scalp wearables.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0022 METHODS FOR GENERALIZED LOW-DIMENSIONAL EEG ANALYSIS USING TRANSFER LEARNING\u0022 -Samuel Waters\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 METHODS FOR GENERALIZED LOW-DIMENSIONAL EEG ANALYSIS USING TRANSFER LEARNING\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-11-30 17:00:38","changed_gmt":"2023-11-30 17:00:38","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-12-04T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-12-04T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-12-04T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-12-04 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-12-04 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-12-04 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Woodruff Memorial Research Building at Emory, Room 4004 (BMI Classroom)","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671308":{"#nid":"671308","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Rachel Ringquist","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Krishnendu Roy (Engineering, Vanderbilt)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Ankur Singh (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Ahmet Coskun (School of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/span\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Hang Lu (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, \u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/span\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Rabin Tirouvanziam (Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Emory)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAn immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Severe influenza affects 3-5 million people worldwide each year, resulting in \u0026gt;300,000 deaths. Standard-of-care antiviral therapeutics have limited effectiveness in these patients where infection severity is driven by an aberrant immune response. In severe influenza, the hyperactive immune system causes acute cytokine storm, cytopenia, and local tissue damage. Current preclinical models of severe influenza, in small animal models and in vitro, fail to recapitulate the human immune response to severe viral infection accurately. Here, we bioengineered a human lung tissue model that represents small airway structures with tissue-resident and circulatory immune cells. The immune-competent lung tissue model comprises of a 3D, perfusable microvascular network underneath a mature, differentiated epithelium at an air-liquid interface.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002With this model, we demonstrate that a conventional lung-on-chip (LOC) that lacks immune cells induces limited cytokine response to severe influenza infection, and while a LOC with tissue-resident macrophages induces significant response in the airway, the presence of both tissue-resident and circulatory immune cells was necessary to elicit a significant airway and interstitial cytokine storm. We demonstrate through extensive microscopy, secretome, and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses that severe flu infection results in significant lymphopenia, extracellular matrix remodeling, and transcriptional shutdown in fully immune-competent lung tissues. Lastly, we highlight the prominent role of stromal-immune interactions in the response to severe influenza infection, with stromal cells participating in both cytokine signaling and ECM remodeling. The introduction of both tissue-resident and circulatory immune cells into this lung-on-chip model allows for investigation into the distinct role of each immune cell type in the initiation and progression of influenza and may shed light on potential therapeutic avenues targeting immune dysregulation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022An immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u0022 - Rachel Ringquist\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022An immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-11-30 00:42:57","changed_gmt":"2023-11-30 00:42:57","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-12-04T08:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-12-04T10:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-12-04T10:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-12-04 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-12-04 15:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-12-04 15:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671187":{"#nid":"671187","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Bryan Wang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Krishnendu Roy, PhD \u2013 School of Biomedical Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStephen Balakirsky, PhD \u2013 Georgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFani Bukouvala, PhD \u2013 School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnna Temenoff, PhD \u2013 School of Biomedical Engineering, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolyn Yeago, PhD \u2013 Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, GT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProcess Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBiomanufacturing of cell therapies involves highly complex and labor-intensive processes, where the process parameters and biological variabilities can significantly influence product quality, reproducibility, and therapeutic efficacy of the products. The complexity and largely manual unit operations contribute to product variability and high cost. To address these manufacturing challenges, we designed a digital-twin-enabled closed-loop cell manufacturing platform with automation and feedback controls. This platform integrates process analytical technologies (PAT) to enable deeper process understanding and provide real-time control of process variables. Specifically, we designed bench-scale bioreactors with automated sampling, at-line and in-line monitoring, digital twin-enabled media nutrients estimation, and feedback-controlled feeding capabilities. Human umbilical cord tissue-derived MSCs (CT-MSCs) and T cells were used as the example cell therapy product. At-line glucose and lactate monitoring confirmed the accuracy of the digital twin estimations. Spent media samples and detailed functional characterizations of the MSCs and T cells end-products generated from the automation-controlled bioreactor demonstrated that high expansion and functions of the MSCs and T cells were maintained in these closed-loop bioreactors. Real-time imaging with quantitative oblique back illumination microscopy showed high-resolution images of cells in-process in a dynamic 3D environment. Overall, the digital twin-enabled bioreactor platform reduced costs, labor, time, and, more importantly, perturbations; and could improve yield while maintaining the phenotype and quality of cell therapy products. Our integrated automation system provides a blueprint for multiplexed PAT integration, process optimization, feedback-controlled intelligent automation to enable the discovery, monitoring, and control of critical quality attributes and critical process parameters for cell therapy manufacturing.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0022Process Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u0022 - Bryan Wang\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Process Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:36:43","changed_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:36:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-12-04T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-12-04T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-12-04T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-12-04 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-12-04 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-12-04 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671186":{"#nid":"671186","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Thomas Pho","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;Julie Champion, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJennifer E. Curtis, Ph.D. (Physics)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJames E. Dahlman, Ph.D. (Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERavi S. Kane, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMark Prausnitz, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESurface Engineering of Protein Nanoparticles for Intranasal Vaccination\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIntranasal delivery of vaccines offers a promising alternative approach to invasive intramuscular injection, with additional benefits such as inducing mucosal antibodies and cellular responses to neutralize pathogens before entering systemic circulation. However, nasal secretions and mucosa are biological barriers that have been shown to inhibit the delivery of antigens and nanoparticles to nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and lungs. Protein nanoparticles are composed of proteins at high mass-to-carrier ratio, while allowing for biocompatibility and tunable physiochemical properties. They have been demonstrated to be effective vaccines and drug delivery carriers. The surfaces of these carriers can be decorated with coatings and chemical modifications, which can alter transport and immune responses due to their interaction with biological barriers and cells. In this work, we evaluate intranasal localization of engineered surface-coated protein nanoparticles and assess their immune response following vaccination in murine models. To understand the principles behind modifying nanoparticle surface formulations will assist in improving accessibility to the NALT and delivery of protein-based nanocarriers for non-vaccine intranasal delivery. We screened ovalbumin nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and layer-by-layer coating of trimethyl chitosan and CpG oligodeoxynucleotide adjuvants delivered intranasally in murine models and compared to unmodified protein nanoparticles. The localization and biodistribution were observed using non-invasive in vivo imaging and for regional localization and tissues using both flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Surface-coated nanoparticles were used for intranasal vaccination in a murine model and characterized for the mucosal antigen-specific response, as well as systemic humoral and cellular responses through antibody titers and T-cell activation. The findings and designs from screening coatings with model ovalbumin nanoparticles were incorporated into influenza antigen nanoparticle formulations.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Two influenza antigens (hemagglutinin and matrix protein 2 - (A\/California\/07\/2009(H1N1)) were used to construct a subunit protein nanoparticle vaccine with surface structure control using bioconjugation. A layer-by-layer (LBL) coating approach was used to survey specific formulation based on their administration route. Overall, our findings indicated that LBL surface formulation improved nasal biodistribution and immune response upon intranasal delivery, highlighting a new nanoparticle formulation for nasal vaccines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Surface Engineering of Protein Nanoparticles for Intranasal Vaccination\u0022 - Thomas Pho\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Surface Engineering of Protein Nanoparticles for Intranasal Vaccination\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:33:36","changed_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:33:36","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-29T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-29T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-29T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-29 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-29 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-29 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"5029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671185":{"#nid":"671185","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Alex Beach","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Krishnendu Roy (Engineering, Vanderbilt University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommi\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ett\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Andres Garc\u00eda (ME, Georgia Ins\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ei\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ee of\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eechnology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003EErik Dreaden\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (BME, Georgia Ins\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ei\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ee of\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eechnology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Valeria Milam (MSE, Georgia Ins\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ei\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ee of\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eechnology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ESusan M. Thomas\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (ME, Georgia Ins\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ei\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Et\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ee of\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eechnology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUtilizing Combinatory Adjuvant-Loaded Chitosan-Derived Nanoparticles for a Joint SARS-CoV-2\/Influenza Vaccine\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the need for yearly vaccination for flu, there is an ever-growing demand for a single vaccine formulation that can target and immunize against both pathogens. While investigation is ongoing for joint vaccine candidates, the current focus has been mainly on the simultaneous administration of separate vaccines rather than a new hybrid vaccine design. In this work, we have designed and synthesized chitosan and chitosan-IAA-based nanoparticles to use as a platform for combinatorial delivery of multiple vaccine-adjuvants together with soluble delivery of flu and SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Specifically, we have used a combination of the TLR9 agonist CpG and the RLR agonist pUUC.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EIn vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;testing in two distinct primary bone-marrow-derived antigen-presenting cell (APC) cultures demonstrated a strong cell-phenotype-dependent cytokine response to these nanoparticle systems. After administering these with SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1 influenza antigens in a dual-vaccine formulation, we confirmed high pathogen-specific antibody titers in serum and BAL fluid. Our results provide further insights into the impact of immune cell phenotype on vaccine responses and show promise for creating a novel joint subunit vaccine for two prevalent pathogens.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Utilizing Combinatory Adjuvant-Loaded Chitosan-Derived Nanoparticles for a Joint SARS-CoV-2\/Influenza Vaccine\u0022 - Alex Beach\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Utilizing Combinatory Adjuvant-Loaded Chitosan-Derived Nanoparticles for a Joint SARS-CoV-2\/Influenza Vaccine\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:30:30","changed_gmt":"2023-11-21 14:30:30","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-27T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-27T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-27T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-27 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-27 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-27 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670788":{"#nid":"670788","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Sanchita Bhat","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELakshmi Prasad Dasi, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAjit P. Yoganathan, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Breuer, M.D. (Nationwide Children\u2019s Hospital)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERudolph Gleason, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EScott Hollister, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDevelopment and Biomechanical Assessment of Heart Valve Replacements Designed for \u003Cem\u003EIn Utero \u003C\/em\u003EDeployment\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) account for nearly one third of all congenital defects. Patients born with complex congenital cardiac anomalies often require heart valve replacements in their lifetimes. Prenatally,\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;attempts have been made to restore biventricular healthy anatomy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ein utero\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eby balloon valvuloplasty. A lot of patients that undergo this procedure develop re-atresia or re-stenosis, requiring valve replacements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThere has been an investigation into providing a permanent solution to heart valve replacements in children using tissue engineering. \u0027Neo-tissue\u0027 develops using the patient\u2019s own cells, and therefore eradicates the susceptibility of severe rejection possessing the ability to grow, repair and remodel.\u0026nbsp;Tissue engineering can be used as a viable tool in the fetal population due to the high regenerative capacity. This study developed a fetal transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement. T\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehe overall hypothesis is that \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eimproved understanding of the biomechanics of manufacturing and testing of biodegradable materials can help engineer fetal sized tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs) and guide future transcatheter device interventions\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002Specific Aim 1 shed light on the stress distributions and stent characteristics of candidate stent designs simulated with four candidate materials (metal and polymeric).\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EResults showed differences in stress distributions and stent performance metrics (dog boning, foreshortening and recoil) in the three designs. Both metals performed favorably, although polymer performance (due to high elastic modulus) was better suited to current designs. It was also shown that design had a great effect on distribution of high stresses and c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eomposite materials need to be explored in the future to combine the advantages of both metals and polymers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESpecific Aim 2 developed and tested\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ealternative sutureless valve assembly techniques that can overcome potential premature failure of valves and benchtop tested patterns of leaflet degradation. Results showed that changing the material density in the valve assembly can help control degradation and performance of the valve\u003Cem\u003E in vivo\u003C\/em\u003E. Specific Aim 3 looked at\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Efetal valve hemodynamic performance and downstream fluid profiles in a pulse duplicator and durability in an AWT. Results showed that although performance values differ between prototypes, all performed well individually and durability in a non-degrading medium was high, indicating the possible longevity of valve \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002\u2002T\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehe development of such a TEHV will eliminate the need for repeat interventions and serve as a permanent alternative. Given the few durable options for pediatric patients, this study will improve the feasibility of developing such a device right from the manufacturing to the testing stage. This critical integration of heart valve and tissue\u0026nbsp;engineering may be the first step to the solution that is needed to reverse ventricular hypoplasia and eliminate single ventricle anomalies.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Development and Biomechanical Assessment of Heart Valve Replacements Designed for In Utero Deployment \u0022 -Sanchita Bhat\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development and Biomechanical Assessment of Heart Valve Replacements Designed for In Utero Deployment \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-10-31 13:03:08","changed_gmt":"2023-10-31 13:03:08","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-13T13:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-13T15:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-13T15:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-13 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-13 20:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-13 20:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB Rm 2316 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670787":{"#nid":"670787","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation-Josiah Rudge","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAniruddh Sarkar, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommitee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGabe Kwong, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDavid Myers, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFatih Sarioglu, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESingle-Cell Impedance Cytometry Enabling Novel Single-Cell Electroporation Capabilities in a High Throughput Device\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECell therapies have shown great promise in treating diseases such as CAR-T cells for blood cancers. Manufacturing these therapies presents considerable challenges and costs. These include quality of donor source material, transfection of cells, and controlling and measuring the quality of the product. Current therapies often transfect cells by viral vectors which are costly, have payload limitations, are difficult to target specific cells with, and present safety concerns due to immunogenicity and oncogenicity. The objective of this thesis is to create a microfluidic single-cell electroporation device and scheme that addresses these cell manufacturing concerns. Electroporation is an alternative non-viral method of transfection that is inexpensive and non-immunogenic. Additionally, it is applicable to different cell types or delivery payloads including larger payloads (e.g. CRISPR-Cas). However, electroporation can cause significant cell death, toxicity, and\/or low delivery efficiencies. Here we propose to build a microfluidic device which will electronically measure properties of single cells and apply an electroporation voltage based on that measurement. This feedback can reduce cell death by tailoring the electroporation voltage for each cell. The impedance measurement itself can be used to characterize the quality of cells or distinguish between cell subtypes, all of which can alter electroporation parameters if desired. We propose to use this to develop a scheme for targeted or selective electroporation of specific cells from mixtures. We also propose scale up cell throughput to produce clinically relevant quantities of cells. Finally, we intend to verify the use of this scheme to make CAR-T cells and verify their function using in-vitro assays.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Single-Cell Impedance Cytometry Enabling Novel Single-Cell Electroporation Capabilities in a High Throughput Device\u0022 Josiah Rudge\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Single-Cell Impedance Cytometry Enabling Novel Single-Cell Electroporation Capabilities in a High Throughput Device\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:58:11","changed_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:58:11","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-14T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-14T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-14T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-14 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-14 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-14 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB 5029","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670786":{"#nid":"670786","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Nathan Zavanelli","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;Woonhong Yeo, Ph.D. (Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERudolph Gleason , Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPamela Bhatti, Ph.D. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA Skin-like Sternal Patch to Monitor Autonomic Tone During Cognitive Stress and Sympathetic Arousals in Disordered Sleep\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe central focus of this thesis is the development of skin-like wearable electronics and sensors that seamlessly integrate with the human body and provide hospital quality physiological monitoring and diagnostics in a simple, minimally obtrusive platform. One of the most poignant tragedies in modern medicine is that many pathologies with highly effective treatments remain undiagnosed, especially in marginalized communities. This suffering is fueled by a systemic failure in current diagnostics techniques: one the one hand, hospital grade in lab tests are expensive, low throughput, and ill-suited for continuous monitoring; on the other, wearable electronics are fundamentally limited by rigid mechanics and wired interfaces that prevent conformal skin contact, producing poor signal quality and degraded long-term wearability. To address this critical shortcoming, this work consists of analytical, computational, empirical, and human subjects studies in soft materials and interfaces to enable a new class of wearable, wireless devices and sensors with mechanics finely tuned to transduce electrical, mechanical, and optical bio-signals from the human body, providing advanced diagnostic solutions to tackle some of the most pressing medical diagnostics challenges, both here in the United States and around the world.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022A Skin-like Sternal Patch to Monitor Autonomic Tone During Cognitive Stress and Sympathetic Arousals in Disordered Sleep\u0022 -Nathan Zavanelli\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022A Skin-like Sternal Patch to Monitor Autonomic Tone During Cognitive Stress and Sympathetic Arousals in Disordered Sleep\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:37:46","changed_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:37:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-16T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-16T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-16T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-16 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-16 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-16 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Scheller College of Business 201","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670785":{"#nid":"670785","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Reza Bahranifard","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Ross Ethier (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Stanislav Emelianov (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Mark Prausnitz (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Johnna Temenoff (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Cheng Zhu (ME\/BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMagnetic Steering to Save Sight: Trabecular Meshwork Cell Therapy as a Treatment for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma\u202f\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlaucoma, which affects almost 80 million people worldwide, is the main cause of irreversible blindness. The most common type, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), causes gradual loss of vision by damaging retinal ganglion cells. The major risk factor for POAG is high intraocular pressure (IOP).\u0026nbsp; Current clinical treatments for POAG aim to reduce IOP, but they often have low success rates. The trabecular meshwork (TM) is a key regulator of IOP and has been shown to undergo significant changes in POAG including a loss of cells. This motivates the regeneration or restoration of the TM as a potential treatment for POAG. While TM cell therapy has shown promise in reversal of POAG pathology, previously developed cell delivery techniques have resulted in poor cell delivery efficiency which elevates the risk of tumorigenicity and immunogenicity and undermines therapeutic potential. In addition, a lack of comprehensive characterization of the treatment effects in an appropriate POAG model is a roadblock to clinical translation. We here tackled these shortcomings by: 1) using an optimized magnetic delivery method to significantly improve the specificity and efficiency of delivery of cells to the mouse TM, in turn reducing the risk of unwanted side-effects, and 2) employing this optimized method to test the therapeutic capabilities of two types of cells in a mutant myocilin mouse model of ocular hypertension, characterizing the morphological and functional benefits of the treatment. The central hypothesis of this work is that an optimized magnetically-driven TM cell therapy can lead to long-term clinically significant levels of IOP reduction while minimizing the risks associated with unwanted off-target cell-delivery. This work resulted in the development of a novel magnetic TM cell therapy technique which outperformed those used previously. Employing this technique proved adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSC) and induced pluripotent stem cells differentiated towards a TM phenotype (iPSC-TM) to be effective in IOP lowering. Mesenchymal stem cells showed superior efficacy by stably lowering the IOP by 27% for 9 months, accompanied by increased cellularity in the conventional outflow pathway. These findings, bring magnetic TM cell therapy one step closer to clinical translation.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation - \u0022Magnetic Steering to Save Sight: Trabecular Meshwork Cell Therapy as a Treatment for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma \u0022 - Reza Bahranifard\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Magnetic Steering to Save Sight: Trabecular Meshwork Cell Therapy as a Treatment for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma\u202f\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:31:07","changed_gmt":"2023-10-31 12:31:07","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-11-29T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-11-29T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-11-29T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-11-29 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-11-29 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-11-29 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670395":{"#nid":"670395","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- David Ryoo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. James C. Gumbart (Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Julie Champion (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Thomas DiChristina (Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Harold Kim (Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Todd Sulchek (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBuilding through Thicket and Mesh: a Comprehensive Look at the Outer Membrane Environment of Gram-negative Bacteria\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of microorganisms is quickly becoming a growing concern for the human population. In particular, such resistance in Gram-negative bacteria has become a difficult case to crack, as the outer membrane (OM) of the Gram-negative bacteria provides a substantial physical and chemical barrier against small molecules. In order to elucidate how the OM environment contributes to the AMR of Gram-negative bacteria, we studied three aspects that this environment provides, the virulence factor export by autotransporters (ATs), the biogenesis of the outer membrane proteins (OMPs), and the cell envelope that OM is a part of. We first focused on the virulence factor export or passenger domain secretion of ATs, and how the ATs will secrete through the BamA barrel of the larger \\textbeta-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex. Then, we examined the plausibility of the hybrid model of folding and insertion by BAM complex from the simulations of both constructed hybrid models and cryoEM-resolved structures. Finally, we interrogated the OM and cell wall structure connected by Braun\u0027s lipoprotein (Lpp) which more accurately depicts how the OM portion of the cell envelope would react against the turgor pressure. By examining these aspects of the Gram-negative bacteria, further developments to combat AMR of the Gram-negative bacteria can be made.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0022Building through Thicket and Mesh: a Comprehensive Look at the Outer Membrane Environment of Gram-negative Bacteria\u0022 David Ryoo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Building through Thicket and Mesh: a Comprehensive Look at the Outer Membrane Environment of Gram-negative Bacteria\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-10-12 18:33:05","changed_gmt":"2023-10-12 18:33:05","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-10-26T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-10-26T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-10-26T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-10-26 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-10-26 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-10-26 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Room N110, Howey Physics Building","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670005":{"#nid":"670005","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Kendreze Holland","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Blazeck \u003C\/strong\u003E(Ph.D. Advisor) \u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJulie Champion\u003C\/strong\u003E (School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECorey Wilson \u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFelipe Quiroz \u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Biomedical Engineering, Emory)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWilliam Ratcliff \u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Biological sciences)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EComplex cellular phenotypes and cars are similar in that one can observe their intended purpose (e.g., ability to survive for cells or mobility for cars) but struggle to understand the mechanisms that enable these features. While cars, because they are human-made, can undergo high throughput diagnostics to assess which parts combine to function to allow efficient mobility, methods with an analogous purpose do not exist for complex cellular phenotypes like their ability to survive. Particularly, numerous genes interact in parallel and non-parallel networks to give rise to these complex phenotypes, weakening the understanding gained by testing genes one at a time. In this vein, it is important to note that previous efforts with gene knockout and CRISPR activation\/repression studies do not characterize the vast possibilities of achievable gene interactions per cell. Thus, the field of biology needs a high throughput investigative tool with enhanced characterization potential of these intricate gene networks that control complex phenotypes like survival in response to changing environments. To address this shortcoming, we have developed a novel method involving the high throughput creation of multi-single-guide RNA (sgRNA) cassettes. We have shown that it is feasible to assemble multiplex sgRNA cassettes by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (OE-PCR), and that they can then allow for combinatorial gene expression control in the model organism,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E. We will use our novel platform method to simultaneously activate and repress numerous genes to be able to enhance cell survival when exposed to extracellular stressors, such as hydrogen peroxide. Importantly, this technology will have applicability across eukaryotic organisms, providing \u201cresearch mechanics\u201d with a method that enables improved manipulation of cellular machinery\u2014controlling the expression of multiple genes per cell in a high throughput manner, which is currently an impossible or at least very arduous task.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022A Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput\u0022 - Kendreze Holland\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022A Novel Platform for Simultaneous Control of Multiple Genes at High Throughput\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:35:02","changed_gmt":"2023-09-28 16:35:02","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-10-05T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-10-05T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-10-05T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-10-05 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-10-05 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-10-05 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"118 Kendeda","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659959":{"#nid":"659959","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering graduate committee will meet to review\/approve program policies, program faculty applications and submitted student petitions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-08-05 15:02:55","changed_gmt":"2023-09-12 16:38:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-10-16T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-10-16T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-10-16T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-10-16 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-10-16 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-10-16 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642660":{"#nid":"642660","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Faculty Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering Program faculty meet regularly during the semester to address program policies, events and future research and academic directions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Faculty Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioE Faculty Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:24:35","changed_gmt":"2023-08-19 17:36:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-12-12T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-12-12T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-12-12T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-12-12 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-12-12 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-12-12 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642661":{"#nid":"642661","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Faculty Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering Program faculty meet regularly during the semester to address program policies, events and future research and academic directions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Faculty Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioE Faculty Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:26:00","changed_gmt":"2023-08-19 17:35:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-10-17T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-10-17T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-10-17T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-10-17 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-10-17 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-10-17 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642663":{"#nid":"642663","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Faculty Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering Program faculty meet regularly during the semester to address program policies, events and future research and academic directions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Faculty Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioE Faculty Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:27:24","changed_gmt":"2023-08-19 17:31:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-31T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-31T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-31T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-31 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-31 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-31 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669057":{"#nid":"669057","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Esther Kim","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBilal Haider, Ph.D. (Advisor) (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Rozell, Ph.D. (School of Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStanislav Emilanov, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (School of Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECORTEX-WIDE CALCIUM IMAGING OF VISUALLY EVOKED NEURAL POPULATION ACTIVITY IN MOUSE VISUAL CORTEX\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe traditional method of electrophysiology provides cellular-level, millisecond timescale measurements of neural activity, but it has limitations in probing neural activity across large spatial scales. Widefield imaging (WFI) of genetically engineered calcium-sensitive fluorescence proteins in neurons enables measurements of neural population activity across large areas (~ 5 x 5 mm) with temporal resolution of tens to hundreds of milliseconds. In this thesis, we adapted an experimental and analytical framework for WFI investigation of visually evoked neural activity across the mouse visual cortex. We first validated identification of the primary visual cortex (V1) and higher visual areas (HVAs) through retinotopic mapping experiments. We then measured stimulus-triggered calcium signals in mice performing a visual detection task. The activity profiles were analyzed as a function of task performance and were also compared to profiles measured in mice passively viewing the same visual stimuli with no task. We performed region of interest (ROI) analysis based on the retinotopically registered images across multiple visual areas.\u0026nbsp; The calcium signal amplitude was positively correlated with stimulus contrast, and signal amplitudes were enhanced during visual detection compared to passive viewing. Further work such as optimizing system functionality and applying a more efficient decomposition method on the WFI data could reduce variability across different imaging data sets and provide more accurate understanding of network dynamics across visual areas and other cortical regions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0022CORTEX-WIDE CALCIUM IMAGING OF VISUALLY EVOKED NEURAL POPULATION ACTIVITY IN MOUSE VISUAL CORTEX\u0022 -Esther Kim\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022CORTEX-WIDE CALCIUM IMAGING OF VISUALLY EVOKED NEURAL POPULATION ACTIVITY IN MOUSE VISUAL CORTEX\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-08-19 16:47:28","changed_gmt":"2023-08-19 16:47:28","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-22T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-22T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-22T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-22 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-22 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-22 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"UAW McIntire Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668742":{"#nid":"668742","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Lindsey Trejo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZoom Link:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/5374686038\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/5374686038\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGreg Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThesis Committee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYoung Jang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESabrina Lee, Ph.D. (Simon Fraser University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERich Mahoney, Ph.D. (Intuitive)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EInteraction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDifficulties with mobility were the most commonly reported disability for those age 65 and over. It is well known that older adults are slower and less economical during walking compared to young. This is thought to be brought on by reduced ankle push off power and a redistribution of positive power generation to more proximal joints (e.g., hip). Ankle exoskeletons have been shown to increase ankle push off, increase self-selected speed, and reduce metabolic cost in young adults for a near immediate improvement in walking performance. There is a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ecritical gap\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;in understanding whether beneficial exoskeleton assistance strategies for younger adults will also benefit older adults and if so, what the underlying mechanism is that enables exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost across age.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOlder adults have more compliant tendons than young, or a less stiff spring, operate with shorter less optimal muscle lengths, and exhibit reduced push-off power leading to a loss of the \u2018spring in their step\u2019. This necessitates higher muscle activations and reliance on muscles at less efficient joints like the hips, increasing metabolic cost during walking. Passive ankle exoskeletons have been shown in younger adults to lower the demand at the ankle, optimize complicated muscle-tendon dynamics during stance, and reduce metabolic cost. Muscle level changes in young adults in response to ankle exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost led to wondering how ankle exoskeletons interact with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost. The near-term \u003Cem\u003Eobjective \u003C\/em\u003Eof my work was to evaluate the calf muscles and tendon\u2019s role in modifying metabolic cost during walking with passive, and active ankle exoskeletons across age. My\u0026nbsp;central \u003Cem\u003Ehypothesis\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ewas ankle exoskeletons can offset age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost to that of young walking economy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI used electromyography to measure muscle activity, B-mode ultrasound to track muscle level changes, and a portable indirect calorimetry system to measure metabolic cost in young and older adults with passive and active exoskeleton conditions. These aims yielded a greater understanding of how people interact with ankle exoskeletons to modify metabolic cost. These outcomes can improve the design and control of ankle exoskeletons to improve the cost of walking across age, leading to greater mobility and increased quality of life. The aims also clarified whether passive or active control is best for young or older adults. Passive devices are lighter weight, require less maintenance, and are easier to conceal but they are less tunable and have shown lower reductions in metabolic cost. Active devices can be optimized for each person and provide more assistance at any timepoint in the gait cycle. However, motors and batteries make a lightweight device difficult to create and complicates usage with maintenance, battery life, bulkiness, and noise. Completion of the aims, pave the way for studies in more functional measures such as increasing self-selected walking speed, improving balance, and reducing fatigue that may translate more directly to improved quality of life.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0022Interaction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u0022 - Lindsey Trejo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Interaction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-08-04 16:56:55","changed_gmt":"2023-08-04 16:56:55","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-14T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-14T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-14T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-14 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-14 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-14 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"GTMI Room 114","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668631":{"#nid":"668631","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Rodney Ridley","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKostas Konstantinidis, Ph.D. (Advisor) (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBlair Brettmann, Ph.D. (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThomas DiChristina, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMulti-omic Investigation of Plastic-Associated Microbes: Bioinformatic Insights into Plastic Biodegradation and Novel Degrading Genes across Environments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESynthetic plastics and their resulting waste are ubiquitous across the planet, from the Arctic to the tropics. Despite increasing efforts to understand the fate and transport of these plastics, their impact on the environment and public health is still not well understood. To better comprehend the microbial ecology associated with plastic waste and its potential for bioremediation, we conducted a large-scale analysis of all publicly available meta-omic studies investigating plastics in the environment. Importantly, we observed low prevalence of previously reported plastic degrading populations throughout most environments, except for substantial enrichment in riverine systems. This indicates rivers may be the one of the most promising environments for sources of plastic bioremediation. Ocean samples associated with degrading plastics showed clear differentiation between non-degrading polymers, showing enrichment for novel putative biodegrading taxa. In regards to plastisphere pathogenicity, we observe no association between virulence factors and plastics in any environment. Additionally, we report a co-occurrence network analysis of 10+ million proteins associated with the plastisphere. This analysis shows a localized sub-region enriched with known and putative plastizymes. These novel putative plastizymes may be useful for deeper investigations of nature\u2019s ability to biodegrade man-made plastics. Finally, the combined data from this meta-analysis was used to construct a publicly available database. These data should allow for integrated exploration of the microbial plastisphere and aid the community in continued research efforts.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0022Multi-omic Investigation of Plastic-Associated Microbes: Bioinformatic Insights into Plastic Biodegradation and Novel Degrading Genes across Environments\u0022 - Rodney Ridley\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Multi-omic Investigation of Plastic-Associated Microbes: Bioinformatic Insights into Plastic Biodegradation and Novel Degrading Genes across Environments\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-07-28 15:16:08","changed_gmt":"2023-07-28 15:16:08","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-10T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-10T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-10T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-10 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-10 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-10 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"ES\u0026T L1175","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668623":{"#nid":"668623","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Lindsey Trejo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZoom Link:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/5374686038\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/5374686038\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGreg Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThesis Committee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYoung Jang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESabrina Lee, Ph.D. (Simon Fraser University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERich Mahoney, Ph.D. (Intuitive)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EInteraction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDifficulties with mobility were the most commonly reported disability for those age 65 and over. It is well known that older adults are slower and less economical during walking compared to young. This is thought to be brought on by reduced ankle push off power and a redistribution of positive power generation to more proximal joints (e.g., hip). Ankle exoskeletons have been shown to increase ankle push off, increase self-selected speed, and reduce metabolic cost in young adults for a near immediate improvement in walking performance. There is a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ecritical gap\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;in understanding whether beneficial exoskeleton assistance strategies for younger adults will also benefit older adults and if so, what the underlying mechanism is that enables exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost across age.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOlder adults have more compliant tendons than young, or a less stiff spring, operate with shorter less optimal muscle lengths, and exhibit reduced push-off power leading to a loss of the \u2018spring in their step\u2019. This necessitates higher muscle activations and reliance on muscles at less efficient joints like the hips, increasing metabolic cost during walking. Passive ankle exoskeletons have been shown in younger adults to lower the demand at the ankle, optimize complicated muscle-tendon dynamics during stance, and reduce metabolic cost. Muscle level changes in young adults in response to ankle exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost led to wondering how ankle exoskeletons interact with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost. The near-term \u003Cem\u003Eobjective \u003C\/em\u003Eof my work was to evaluate the calf muscles and tendon\u2019s role in modifying metabolic cost during walking with passive, and active ankle exoskeletons across age. My\u0026nbsp;central \u003Cem\u003Ehypothesis\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ewas ankle exoskeletons can offset age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost to that of young walking economy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI used electromyography to measure muscle activity, B-mode ultrasound to track muscle level changes, and a portable indirect calorimetry system to measure metabolic cost in young and older adults with passive and active exoskeleton conditions. These aims yielded a greater understanding of how people interact with ankle exoskeletons to modify metabolic cost. These outcomes can improve the design and control of ankle exoskeletons to improve the cost of walking across age, leading to greater mobility and increased quality of life. The aims also clarified whether passive or active control is best for young or older adults. Passive devices are lighter weight, require less maintenance, and are easier to conceal but they are less tunable and have shown lower reductions in metabolic cost. Active devices can be optimized for each person and provide more assistance at any timepoint in the gait cycle. However, motors and batteries make a lightweight device difficult to create and complicates usage with maintenance, battery life, bulkiness, and noise. Completion of the aims, pave the way for studies in more functional measures such as increasing self-selected walking speed, improving balance, and reducing fatigue that may translate more directly to improved quality of life.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation \u0022Interaction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u0022\u0026nbsp;- Lindsey Trejo \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Interaction of ankle exoskeleton assistance with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost of walking\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-07-27 20:09:34","changed_gmt":"2023-07-27 20:09:34","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-14T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-14T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-14T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-14 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-14 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-14 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"GTMI Room 114","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668622":{"#nid":"668622","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Likhit Nayak","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERudy Gleason,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMechanical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBrandon Dixon,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Mechanical\u0026nbsp;Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilbur Lam,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Biomedical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMay Wang,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Biomedical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMike Weiler,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELymphaTech, Inc.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReal-time risk-assessment of Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) in pregnant women using longitudinal shape modeling of 3D scans.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) is a mismatch in the size of the maternal pelvis and the fetus, which often leads to obstructed labor. Most cases of CPD require C-section for successful delivery and in low resource settings like Ethiopia, there is a lack of adequate facilities with the infrastructure or expertise to perform a C-section. Currently, obstructed labor is known to account for 11 \u2013 22% of maternal deaths in Ethiopia. Early assessment of the risk of CPD would enable women in these settings to access the proper healthcare services and improve the overall maternal health. This thesis aims to develop a point-of-care tool that would use longitudinal shape modeling to analyze, in real-time, 3D scans of pregnant women and assess the risk of CPD-related obstructed labor at the earliest possible stages of gestation. The longitudinal shape model would be trained on 3D scans of pregnant women across different periods of gestation and would be optimized to run on devices with low computational power. The developed tool is envisioned to be used by nurses and midwife personnel as part of routine antenatal care in low-resource settings.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Real-time risk-assessment of Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) in pregnant women using longitudinal shape modeling of 3D scans.\u0022 - Likhit Nayak\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Real-time risk-assessment of Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) in pregnant women using longitudinal shape modeling of 3D scans.\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-07-27 20:06:36","changed_gmt":"2023-07-27 20:06:36","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-08-04T08:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-08-04T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-08-04T10:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-08-04 12:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-08-04 14:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-08-04 14:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668241":{"#nid":"668241","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Erin Shappell","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHang Lu,\u003Cspan\u003E Ph.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003EChemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia\u003Cspan\u003E Tech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEva\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDyer,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Biomedical Engineering, Georgia \u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGordon Berman, \u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Biology, Emory \u003Cspan\u003EUniversity\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESimon Sponberg, \u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Physics and Biological Sciences, Georgia \u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPatrick McGrath, \u003Cspan\u003EPh.D.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBiology,\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003ETech\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo eat, or not to eat: A deep learning pipeline for quantifying the contribution of monoamines to feeding-related decisions in C. elegans\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHunger is the universal drive to eat. However, the decision to eat or not eat is dependent on more than just hunger signaling; organisms can sometimes experience hunger but \u003Cem\u003Echoose \u003C\/em\u003Enot to eat. The decision to not eat despite feeling hungry can become chronic and pathological, leading to the development of an eating disorder. Despite extensive knowledge of the signals that control hunger, we do not fully understand the origins and mechanisms of pathological eating-related decision making in humans. The challenges associated with studying this problem in humans may be greatly reduced, without sacrificing biological relevance, through the study of a simpler organism such as \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans \u003C\/em\u003Eis a soil-dwelling microscopic nematode with many evolutionary connections to humans whose eating behavior has been widely studied. No group has successfully identified the source(s) of eating-related decision making in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E, but the tools necessary to do so exist. This thesis will refine and combine existing technologies, including deep learning methods and a scalable microscopy system, to measure the effects of two evolutionarily-conserved monoamines on the timescale of eating- related decisions in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E. To do this, eating behavior will first be measured using three methods: a newly proposed pipeline to track eating rate, Faster R-CNN to track worm motion, and DeepLabCut to track worm posture. These eating features will then be compiled into a map of eating \u201cstates\u201d (i.e., distinct types of eating) using an existing pipeline called MotionMapper. Then, eating state maps will be calculated across worms that lack the monoamines of interest; these will be compared to identify how each monoamine controls the length, frequency, and timing of the transitions between different types of eating. We anticipate that the findings from this work will reveal a basic model of how monoamines control eating-related decisions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022To eat, or not to eat: A deep learning pipeline for quantifying the contribution of monoamines to feeding-related decisions in C. elegans\u0022 - Erin Shappell\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022To eat, or not to eat: A deep learning pipeline for quantifying the contribution of monoamines to feeding-related decisions in C. elegans\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-06-27 17:49:43","changed_gmt":"2023-06-27 17:49:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-07-10T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-07-10T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-07-10T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-07-10 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-07-10 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-07-10 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668108":{"#nid":"668108","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Jacob Davis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEberhard Voit, Ph.D. (Advisor) (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSam Brown, Ph.D. (Advisor)\u0026nbsp; (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMelissa Kemp, Ph.D\u0026nbsp; (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nArlene Stecenko, M.D. (Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMark Styczynski, Ph.D (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDenis Tsygankov, Ph.D (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF PATHOGEN EMERGENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN A CYSTIC FIBROSIS AIRWAY INFECTION MODEL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The human body harbors at least twice as many bacteria as it does human cells. Most of these bacteria are harmless, but the emergence of pathogens is common in many human body systems. Treatment of these infections is often done with antibiotics, which can have non-target effects and remove protective flora from the body. This project was designed to create a model system of airway bacterial communities that is amenable to the development of effective experimental and computational investigations that shed light on pathogen emergence and antibiotic resistance. For the experimental analysis, I transformed three bacterial species found in human airways with the goal of making them easily quantifiable with available microscopic and spectrophotometric techniques. The bacteria were grown individually and in combinations of species and their dynamics were studied, as well as the effects of pH on the system. Community resistance to a beta-lactam was studied by tracking the hydrolyzation of the antibiotic by non-targeted species, showing that non-focal species are important to consider when choosing an antibiotic treatment. To quantify interactions among the different species, mathematical models within the Lotka-Volterra framework were developed and parameterized. The existing framework was then expanded to incorporate antibiotic and metabolic data in the community model. Although the community size of the model system is small - to allow for comprehensive data generation - this experimental and mathematical system constitutes a prototype for investigating larger models that can be used to predict how pathogens survive in different communities and under altered environmental conditions and antibiotic treatments.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0022EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF PATHOGEN EMERGENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN A CYSTIC FIBROSIS AIRWAY INFECTION MODEL\u0022 - Jacob Davis\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF PATHOGEN EMERGENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN A CYSTIC FIBROSIS AIRWAY INFECTION MODEL\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-06-15 13:37:10","changed_gmt":"2023-06-15 19:11:44","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-07-05T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-07-05T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-07-05T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-07-05 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-07-05 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-07-05 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667806":{"#nid":"667806","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Felicia Davenport","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETime and Date:\u003C\/strong\u003E 2:00 PM, Thursday, May 18th, 2023\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocation:\u003C\/strong\u003E J. Erskine Love Building \u2013 Room 210 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZoom:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98109368835?pwd=Tmtybmg2WDRrN2JTYU9TREVjQUM0dz09\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/98109368835?pwd=Tmtybmg2WDRrN2JTYU9TREVjQUM0dz09\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeeting ID:\u003C\/strong\u003E 981 0936 8835 \u003Cstrong\u003E| Passcode:\u003C\/strong\u003E 460155\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGregory Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAaron Young Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKarl Zelik, Ph.D. (Vanderbilt University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAjit Chaudhari, Ph.D. (Ohio State University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoint Loading in Industrial Lifts:\u0026nbsp; Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWork-related injuries due to overexertion remain a leading cause of health problems in manual occupations. Manual labor personnel often perform variations of repetitive lifting and twisting under loads throughout their workday. Prolonged exposure to mechanical loading can lead to strain in soft tissues and degradation in bones that can lead to prominent chronic ailments such as low back pain and osteoarthritis which continue to plague the workforce, with about 50% of reported injuries stemming from the back or knee. Chronic bone injuries are tricky to identify in the early stages as it\u2019s difficult to measure in \u003Cem\u003Evivo\u003C\/em\u003E and a considerable amount of deterioration is needed to register the pain. Joint contact forces capture the internal force felt by the bone and can be estimated through computational neuromusculoskeletal modeling methods. Thus, providing insight on internal joint loading. Therefore, there is a \u003Cem\u003Ecritical gap\u003C\/em\u003E in understanding and mitigating injuries from chronic joint loading in the back and knee.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDespite initiatives implemented in the workplace to combat chronic overexertion injuries such as methodology training and commercial braces, the problems seem to prevail without a known resolution. In the first aim of the proposed project, I seek to develop a framework which characterizes joint contact forces across work-specific lifting tasks in the back and the knee and identifies tasks in need of assistance. Modern technology has shown promising results to addressing deficits in human capabilities. Exoskeletons have shown reductions in energy expenditure, muscle activity, and joint loading. Since muscle forces are known to be the dominate factor in contributing to joint contact forces, exoskeletons may be a suitable intervention to harmful joint loading. The second aim of my proposed work intends to investigate the effects of exoskeletons on joint contact forces. I hypothesize that prescribing a back and knee exoskeleton can reduce joint contact forces by lowering muscle activity in work-specific tasks. Advances in machine learning have also proven effective at estimating and predicting biological metrics such as kinematics and kinetics from wearable sensors. The objective of the third aim is to create a system to estimate joint contact forces using machine learning technologies and determine the minimal amount of input data required for reliable performance. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EElectromyography (EMG) will be used to measure muscle activity and computational software (OpenSim and the Calibrated EMG-Informed Neuromusculoskeletal Modeling Toolbox (CEINMS)) will calculate joint kinematics, kinetics, and contact forces with (1) no exoskeleton, (2) an active knee exoskeleton, and (3) a passive back exoskeleton. Later, a wearable sensor-driven machine learning algorithm will be used to estimate joint contact forces. Successful completion of the aims will prove beneficial to ergonomists, clinicians, and applied engineers alike by informing rehabilitation strategies, exoskeleton design and controllers, and real-time biofeedback systems.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022Joint Loading in Industrial Lifts: \u0026nbsp;Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u0022 - Felicia Davenport\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Joint Loading in Industrial Lifts:  Informing Mitigation Strategies through Joint-Level Biomechanics\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-05-17 21:21:38","changed_gmt":"2023-05-17 21:21:38","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-05-18T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-05-18T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-05-18T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-05-18 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-05-18 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-05-18 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"J. Erskine Love Building \u2013 Room 210 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667542":{"#nid":"667542","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Elio Challita","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaad Bhamla, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDavid Hu, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESunghwan \u2018Sunny\u2019 Jung, Ph.D. (Cornell University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESheila Patek, Ph.D. (Duke University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESimon Sponberg, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFast and Furious: Principles of droplets, jets, and damping in ultrafast Invertebrates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis thesis presentation delves into the world of tiny ultrafast organisms, specifically sharpshooters, springtails, and slingshot spiders, to explore the role of fluid dynamics in their rapid biological movements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn the first part, we investigate the fluidic, energetic, and biomechanical principles that enable sharpshooter insects (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to thrive on a nutrient-sparse xylem sap diet. We examine their remarkable superpropulsion strategy during droplet ejection through the temporal coordination between the stylus and the droplet. Employing experimental, mathematical, and computational approaches, we explore the physical limits of this unique droplet propulsion strategy and demonstrate why it is energetically favorable for these insects to fling their droplet excreta instead of using alternative mechanisms such as \u0027jetting\u0027 and \u0027dripping\u0027. Using dimensionless analysis, we show how biological organisms living in a world governed by surface tension develop novel strategies to overcome capillary adhesion during fluidic ejection.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn the second part of the presentation, we introduce a mathematical framework for the arrest and damping of ultra-fast movements in biological organisms. We contextualize and validate this framework through field and lab experiments on two organisms: the rapid launch of slingshot spiders (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) and the controlled landing of semi-aquatic springtails (Arthropoda: Collembola) at the water-air interface. For slingshot spiders, we demonstrate how these organisms use their tension line and viscous drag to halt their ultra-fast movements. For springtails, we investigate the adhesive landing mechanisms employed by these creatures on water surfaces, revealing how collophore adhesion assists in controlling their upward movement after reaching maximum depth. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBy analyzing the movement of these extreme invertebrates through physics-based arguments, we unveil how these finely tuned ultrafast organisms harness their structure-fluid interactions to survive and fulfill their biological functions, including excretion, predation, and predator avoidance.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0022Fast and Furious: Principles of droplets, jets, and damping in ultrafast Invertebrates\u0022\u0026nbsp; -\u0026nbsp; Elio Challita\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Fast and Furious: Principles of droplets, jets, and damping in ultrafast Invertebrates\u0022 "}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-27 12:59:19","changed_gmt":"2023-04-27 12:59:19","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-05-09T09:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-05-09T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-05-09T11:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-05-09 13:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-05-09 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-05-09 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Ford ES\u0026T - L1255 https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/8187267888?pwd=OHpWSEpPNTZSQ3k2YnNxY0h4SVJ6dz09 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667367":{"#nid":"667367","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-Alyssa Pybus","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELevi Wood, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EErin Buckley, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle LaPlaca, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EManu Platt, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology, NIH NIBIB\u003C\/span\u003E)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESrikant Rangaraju, MD MS (\u003Cspan\u003EEmory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProfiling the Neuroimmune Cascade after Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is responsible for about 2 million emergency department visits and an estimated cost burden of $17 billion in the United States every year. Moreover, \u003Cem\u003Erepeated\u003C\/em\u003E mTBI (rmTBI) can result in cumulative effects and worse clinical outcomes than a single injury. Despite its prevalence and cost, current treatment for mTBI is severely lacking and targets symptoms rather than drivers of adverse clinical outcomes. Research into new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of mTBI patients is constrained by our limited understanding of the biological mechanisms behind how brain injury impacts outcomes, such as cognitive deficit and neurodegenerative pathology similar to that seen in Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD). Recent studies unveil new evidence that neuroimmune signaling may be a key driver of long-term outcome after single or repeated mTBI, but there remains an urgent need to identify the specific cellular and molecular pathways involved to assess their potential for targeting in new therapeutic intervention strategies. The work of this dissertation seeks to comprehensively define the neuroimmune response to single and repeated mTBI alongside cognitive and pathological outcome measures to improve our understanding of brain injury and propose potential targets for therapeutic intervention.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe present work uses \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E murine models of rmTBI to determine the acute effects of injury on neuroimmune signaling in correlation to biomarkers of cognitive and pathological outcome. Our findings in wild type mice suggest that elevated neuroimmune signaling is strongly linked to cognitive outcome (Aim 1). Next, we used transgenic mice capable of displaying human-like pathology to relate neuroimmune signaling to pathological outcomes (Aim 2). We identified specific cytokines elevated after injury in correlation to markers of AD-like pathology, suggesting involvement with brain injury-induced pathogenesis and potential for use as diagnostic or prognostic clinical biomarkers. Interestingly, we found that cytokines correlated to outcome in both aims were primarily localized to neurons, suggesting a previously unappreciated role of immune regulation by neurons. Lastly, transcriptional profiling revealed rapid neuronal dysfunction within 24 hours after injury followed by changes in astrocyte- and microglia-related gene expression within days. \u0026nbsp;Collectively, our data suggest rapid changes in specific neuronal pathways involved in immune signaling after injury, followed by changes in other cell types. These findings support the need for future work to assess the efficacy of therapeutic targeting of neuroimmune signaling to improve outcomes after single and repeated mTBI.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Profiling the Neuroimmune Cascade after Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u0022 - Alyssa Pybus\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Profiling the Neuroimmune Cascade after Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-17 12:57:15","changed_gmt":"2023-04-17 12:57:15","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-20T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-20T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-20T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-20 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-20 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-20 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Pettit Building (Microelectronics Research Center) 102B  \u0026 https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/97975985202 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667358":{"#nid":"667358","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense- Sujay Kestur","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAaron Young, Ph.D. (Advisor) (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nKinsey Herrin, M.S., CPO (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (School of Biological Sciences,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EComparing the Biomechanics of Powered and Passive Microprocessor Knees during Community Ambulation Tasks\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cspan\u003EMany individuals undergo lower limb amputations as a result of various conditions such as diabetes, vascular diseases, cancer and trauma. The use of a lower limb prostheses is one of the most common solutions to return the ability to complete locomotion tasks of daily living to this population. As the number of amputees is predicted to grow, advances in prosthetic technology have been made to improve patient mobility and quality of life. One of the most significant of these developments has been the introduction of the Microprocessor Prosthetic Knee (MPK). This type of prosthesis is designed to better mimic the natural movement of the knee joint and improve stability, mobility and safety during locomotion.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cspan\u003EHowever, there is still a debate over which type of MPK results in better performance: a passive or a powered device. In addition, it remains unclear to what degree one type of MPK has an advantage over the other and specifically during which locomotion modes is this advantage present. Few studies have been done comparing the use of commercial powered and passive MPKs and how these devices affect different aspects of the user\u0027s biomechanics. The aim of this study is to address this research gap. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cspan\u003EIn this thesis, an experiment was conducted in which individuals with transfemoral amputation performed various community ambulation tasks while wearing one of three commercial MPKs: the \u00d6ssur Power Knee, the \u00d6ssur Rheo Knee and the Ottobock C-Leg 4. The Power Knee is a powered device while the Rheo and C-Leg are passive devices. Several biomechanics variables were analyzed and the evaluation of the prosthesis\u0027 performance was determined based on the amount of biological joint energy used. Additionally, an evaluation of the modeling of powered devices was performed in order to validate the inverse dynamics being obtained from them. This thesis covers the experimental procedures performed, an analysis of the results and the further efforts made to improve the modeling of powered prosthetic devices.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense- \u0022Comparing the Biomechanics of Powered and Passive Microprocessor Knees during Community Ambulation Tasks\u0022 - Sujay Kestur\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Comparing the Biomechanics of Powered and Passive Microprocessor Knees during Community Ambulation Tasks\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-14 17:54:12","changed_gmt":"2023-04-14 17:54:12","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-21T09:52:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-21T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-21T11:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-21 13:52:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-21 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-21 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"GTMI Auditorium (Room 101) ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667336":{"#nid":"667336","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Mighten Yip","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECraig Forest, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMing-fai Fong, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBrandon Dixon, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Valenta, PhD (Georgia Tech Research Institute)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMatt Rowan, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EEmory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStephen Traynelis, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EEmory University)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETowards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUnderstanding how neurons of the brain communicate, connect, and respond to stimuli is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Whole-cell patch clamp recording in vitro represents the gold standard method for measuring electrophysiology of single neurons because of its high spatiotemporal resolution. However, the manual and time-consuming nature of patch clamping experiments has limited the throughput and number of cells that can be sampled per day. To overcome these limitations, this dissertation aimed to (1) integrate automated patch clamp with discovery experiments for cellular indicators and effectors, (2) develop a machine learning algorithm for real-time neuron detection of neurons in brain slices for in vitro patch clamping, and (3) create a coordinated, multi-pipette patch clamp algorithm for enabling high throughput synaptic connectivity studies. Towards these aims, this thesis demonstrated the first robotic system to perform ligand-gated ionotropic receptor protocols autonomously leading up to a 10-fold reduction in research effort over the duration of the experiment. In addition, a fully automated patch clamp robot was deployed to discover a brighter and more sensitive chemigenetic voltage indicator, Voltron2, over its predecessor exhibiting 3-fold higher sensitivity in response to sub-threshold membrane potential changes. Towards the second aim, a novel, deep learning-based method was developed to accomplish automated, real-time neuron detection in brain slice with high accuracy, achieving an F1 score of 80%. To facilitate efficient probing of local synaptic connections between neurons, the first ever forward-thinking multipatching robot demonstrated automatic, sequential recordings in a brain slice using a coordinated route plan. With these technologies combined, this thesis enabled the first robot that can automatically search for connected neurons in brain tissue and also outperforms manual patch clamping-based screening assays to significantly advance the field of neuroscience and reveal new insights into brain function.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Towards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u0022 - Mighten Yip\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Towards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-13 20:44:35","changed_gmt":"2023-04-13 20:44:35","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-14T09:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-14T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-14T11:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-14 13:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-14 15:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-14 15:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/99278579697 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667089":{"#nid":"667089","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- M. Reza Bahranifard","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EC. Ross Ethier, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStanislav Emelianov, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECheng Zhu, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMark Prausnitz, Ph.D. (ChE, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnna Temenoff, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMAGNETIC STEERING TO SAVE SIGHT: TRABECULAR MESHWORK CELL THERAPY AS A TREATMENT FOR PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlaucoma, which affects almost 80 million people worldwide, is the main cause of irreversible blindness. The most common type, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), causes a gradual loss of vision by damaging retinal ganglion cells. The major risk factor for POAG is high intraocular pressure (IOP). \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECurrent clinical treatments for POAG aim to reduce IOP, but they often have low success rates. The trabecular meshwork (TM) is a key regulator of IOP and has been shown to undergo significant changes in POAG including a loss of cells. This motivates the regeneration or restoration of the TM as a potential treatment for POAG. While TM cell therapy has shown promise in reversal of POAG pathology, previously-developed cell delivery techniques have resulted in poor cell delivery efficiency which elevates the risk of tumorigenicity and immunogenicity and undermines therapeutic potential. In addition, a lack of comprehensive characterization of the treatment effects in an appropriate POAG model is a roadblock to clinical translation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWe here tackle these shortcomings by: 1) using an optimized magnetic cell delivery method to significantly improve the specificity and efficiency of delivery of stem cells to the TM, in turn reducing the risk of unwanted side-effects, and 2) employing this optimized method to test the therapeutic capabilities of two types of cells in the current best mouse model of POAG, characterizing the morphological and functional benefits of the treatment. The central hypothesis of this work is that an optimized magnetically-driven TM cell therapy can restore IOP homeostasis while minimizing unwanted off-target cell-delivery effects.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0022MAGNETIC STEERING TO SAVE SIGHT: TRABECULAR MESHWORK CELL THERAPY AS A TREATMENT FOR PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA\u0022- M. Reza Bahranifard\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022MAGNETIC STEERING TO SAVE SIGHT: TRABECULAR MESHWORK CELL THERAPY AS A TREATMENT FOR PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-05 14:36:33","changed_gmt":"2023-04-05 14:36:33","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-13T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-13T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-13T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-13 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-13 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-13 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667088":{"#nid":"667088","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- D. Andre Norfleet","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMelissa Kemp, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EBiomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECraig Forest, PhD (Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERavi Kane, PhD (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESung Jin Park, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EBiomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EManu Platt, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EBiomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEberhard Voit, PhD (\u003Cspan\u003EBiomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMetabolic and Bioelectric Crosstalk in Directed Differentiation and Spatial Patterning of iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe goal of multi-cellular engineered living systems is the design and manufacturing of multi-cellular systems with novel form or function using engineering design principles. Induced pluripotent stem cells represent an excellent tool to enable actualization of these design goals because of their intrinsic pluripotent capacity and previous recapitulation of various embryogenesis and organogenesis processes. The objective of this research was to investigate through computational modeling how molecular components of bioelectric and metabolic systems alter multicellular bioelectric patterning and cell metabolic flux dynamics, and to this extend system understanding to guide emergent morphogenic outcomes via external modulation of the culturing environment. The central hypothesis of this work was that specific media compositions can alter molecular components of bioelectric and metabolic multicellular systems in a predictable manner, leading to desired morphologies, cell phenotypes, and novel functionalities. In the first study, In multi-scale bioelectric computational model describing human iPSC tissue-scale membrane voltage potentials (Vmem) was developed to understand unexplored patterning outcomes when various molecular components of the bioelectric system are altered by culture media. Model simulations accurately predicted multicellular Vmem patterns when one or more molecular components were altered, as quantitatively confirmed by a machine learning-based quantitative image pattern similarity analysis. In the second modeling analysis, a genome-scale computational model of the human metabolic network was expanded with additional descriptors to investigate how induced pluripotent stem cells reroute metabolic fluxes and achieved cell growth objectives during cardiomyocyte differentiation under various culture media compositions. This framework integrated transcriptomic, thermodynamic, kinetic, and proteomic and novel fluxosome constraints including transport exchange between the cytosol and extracellular environment. From a comparative analysis across multiple published studies and our own experimental validations, we observed that the combination of novel and previous model constraints was required to replicate experimental media-induced changes in metabolic network dynamics during pluripotency and hiPSC-cardiomyocyte (hiPSC-CM) differentiation. We extended this study to a novel media supplementation condition of glutamine and ascorbic acid and found that experimental extracellular flux assays supported the model-predicted improvements to metabolic respiration of iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte progenitor cells. In summary, these results collectively validate the potential for model-guided media design of engineered living systems using understanding of bioelectric and metabolic systems properties.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Metabolic and Bioelectric Crosstalk in Directed Differentiation and Spatial Patterning of iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes\u0022- D. Andre Norfleet\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Metabolic and Bioelectric Crosstalk in Directed Differentiation and Spatial Patterning of iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-04-05 14:30:58","changed_gmt":"2023-04-05 14:30:58","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-18T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-18T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-18T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-18 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-18 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-18 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"4029 EBB ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666870":{"#nid":"666870","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Phoebe Welch","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors: \u003C\/strong\u003EProf.\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003EChengzhi Shi (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Craig R. Forest (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Costas Arvanitis (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Brooks Lindsey (Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Lilo D. Pozzo (Chemical and Biological Engineering, Univ. of Washington)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Levi Wood (Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUltrasound imaging of cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltrasound imaging greatly benefits from the use of contrast agents to highlight regions of the body that typically exhibit low contrast. While gas microbubbles are the primary ultrasound contrast agent for certain medical imaging applications, they cannot be used for intracellular imaging because of their limited stability in physiological conditions. This thesis investigates two newer ultrasound contrast agents, gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets, that can be generated by cells or delivered intracellularly for localization of a specific cell type or a particular cell, respectively. We first explore mammalian acoustic reporter genes (mARGs), which enable gas vesicle expression in mammalian cells for localization in deep tissue. In Aim 1, we modify the original mARG construct to increase the proportion of cells that express gas vesicles by making the genes drug selectable, simplifying the process of creating a gas vesicle-expressing cell line with high ultrasound contrast. While mARGs are useful for imaging cell populations, the resulting gas vesicles do not produce sufficient ultrasound contrast to identify individual cells.\u0026nbsp; To achieve ultrasonic single cell localization, we shift our focus to PFCnDs. In Aim 2, we examine the lipid shell composition of PFCnDs to find an optimal ratio of lipid components that enable PFCnDs to generate ultrasound contrast with reduced risk of cell damage. In Aim 3, we microinject HEK293T cells with PFCnDs using patch clamp, noting the time and pressure parameters that result in successful nanodroplet injection, and demonstrate ultrasonic single-cell localization using this technique. These dissertation studies advance the use of both gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets as intracellular ultrasound contrast agents for various applications of cellular imaging.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0022Ultrasound imaging of cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u0022-\u0026nbsp; Phoebe Welch\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Ultrasound imaging of cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:34:53","changed_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:34:53","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-14T14:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-14T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-14T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-14 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-14 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-14 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"1128 IBB","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666869":{"#nid":"666869","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Saeyoung Sunny Kim","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E Brooks D. Lindsey (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStanislav Emelianov (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlessandro Veneziani (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Oshinski (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECostas D. Arvanitis (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevelopment of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECoronary artery disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease, affecting \u0026gt; 18 million adults, and is responsible for \u0026gt; 365k deaths per year in the U.S. alone. Wall shear stress (WSS) is an indicator of likelihood of plaque rupture in coronary artery disease, however, non-invasive estimation of 3D blood flow velocity and WSS in coronary arteries is challenging due to the requirement for high spatial resolution at high penetration depths. For this reason, a catheter-based forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound (FV IVUS) imaging system is being developed to estimate real-time 3D velocity fields in patients already undergoing minimally-invasive diagnostic procedures in the cardiac catheterization lab. A novel WSS estimation technique was developed for a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound array transducer in a coronary artery. Specific outcomes were: 1) Two different ultrasound-based blood flow velocity estimation approaches (Doppler and echo PIV) and resulting WSS estimates were compared in a patient-specific coronary artery geometry. 2) Motion-compensated blood flow velocity and WSS estimation techniques were developed to accurately estimate blood flow velocity and WSS in the presence of dynamic cardiac motion. 3) Developed blood flow velocity and WSS estimation techniques were demonstrated in the coronary artery of an \u003Cem\u003Eex vivo \u003C\/em\u003Ebeating pig heart. Approaches for characterizing the coronary hemodynamic environment in 2D and 3D using forward-viewing, high frequency ultrasound transducer were developed and demonstrated for use in a catheter-based device. Future work will include \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Evalidation of velocity and WSS estimation techniques using catheter-based FV IVUS imaging system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Development of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u0022 - Saeyoung Sunny Kim\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:32:25","changed_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:32:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-10T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-10T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-10T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-10 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-10 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-10 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"3402 Conference Room, Klaus Advanced Computing Building ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666868":{"#nid":"666868","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Breandan Yeats","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAjit P. Yoganathan, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Oshinski, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERudolph Gleason, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVinod H. Thourani, MD (Piedmont Heart Institute)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect and is associated with numerous pathologies including calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) which requires replacement of the native valve. Replacements are delivered through either surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) approaches. The number of TAVR in BAV cases is expected to increase substantially due to the recent removal of the FDA precautionary label for TAVR use in BAV patients and deemed safe in low-surgical risk patients. Two of the main concerns when treating BAV patients with TAVR are paravalvular leak (PVL), a known associate of increased patient mortality, and long-term durability. Highly calcified BAV patients have shown increased incidence of PVL following TAVR. Additionally, stent asymmetry and undersizing are common in BAV patients both being indicators of reduced device durability however, very limited data exists on TAVR long-term durability in BAV patients. Determining the risk of these complications based on BAV anatomy is very difficult as current morphology classification systems do not encompass all aspects of the anatomy and there is limited data correlating anatomy to these outcomes beyond calcium scoring. The impact of device placement and balloon filling volume across varying BAV anatomies is also not fully understood. The studies contained within this thesis document aim to contribute to answering these clinical unknowns with the overarching goal of better understanding TAVR biomechanics in BAV patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first aim details a study in which the aortic valve and aortic arch were parametrically quantified and a classification framework was developed for each. The aortic valve was classified based on the commissure orientation and characteristics of the fused region. The aortic valve was classified based on the severity of local area changes and high curvature in the ascending and descending aorta. In the second aim, simulation models of the stent deployment, bioprosthetic leaflet pressurization, and PVL were developed and used to assess the deformation and integral portions of the device functionality following simulated patient-specific device implantation. Analysis of patient cohorts of BAV and trileaflet patients revealed BAV patients to have worsened device deformation and leaflet functionality. BAV patients that had excessive calcification or abnormal anatomies lead to the worst outcomes. Several mechanisms for PVL were found which were caused by non-symmetric features of the BAV anatomy including local vessel enlargements and calcification. In the third aim, varying TAVR strategies were tested. Lower balloon filling volume led to worsened device deformation and leaflet functionality and increased PVL. No structural impact was found with varying deployment depth. PVL was reduced with a higher deployment depth. Finally, clinical translation of the developed models was demonstrated through model use to guide clinical planning of TAVR treatment for a BAV patient with an extremely large annulus. The outcomes of this thesis can help clinicians better analyse BAV anatomy, select BAV patients for TAVR, and choose optimal TAVR strategies when treating BAV patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0022Biomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves\u0022 - Breandan Yeats\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Biomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:29:52","changed_gmt":"2023-03-29 14:29:52","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-04-11T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-04-11T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-04-11T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-04-11 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-04-11 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-04-11 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/91933628382?pwd=OEtVY2Z5QkwvalR5N1d2ZnZNODlNZz09 ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666543":{"#nid":"666543","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Farbod Sedaghati","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERudolph L. Gleason, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlexander Alexeev, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESusan Thomas, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELuke Brewster, MD.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;(School of Medicine, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1-D Mathematical Modeling to Study the Mechanics of Pregnancy and Preeclampsia, Lymphedema, and Peripheral Arterial Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMathematical modeling, along with experimental tools, has demonstrated promising strategies in understanding, diagnosing, and treating pathophysiological conditions. Among different modeling approaches, wave propagation models, including 1-dimensional solid-fluid interaction models, have presented acceptable outcomes when compared to clinical or experimental data. In that regard, we will utilize a 1-D modeling approach along with other accepted paradigms, such as those applied in arterial wall mechanics, including growth and remodeling mechanisms and vasoactive responses, to study some aspects of three common human complications, including preeclampsia, lymphedema, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). The significance of this combined study is that these complications together affect more than 10% of the US population each year. For each physiological condition, a modeling framework will be developed based on fundamental physics laws and other governing equations, such as wall mechanics. Following the development of the model for each condition and based on the nature of the problem, available data sources, and accessibility of experimental methods, a practical technique or procedure will be used to validate the mathematical model. Thus, by the end of the study, three mathematical models that correspond to each physiological condition, along with the validation dataset, will be provided that most likely will shed light on the progression of each complication. For example, to develop the mathematical model of PAD, we will perform a ligation surgery on the femoral arteries of a mouse model and track the hemodynamic and vascular changes due to the controlled PAD conditions. This can be extrapolated to human studies to design better experiments to understand the PAD.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;1-D Mathematical Modeling to Study the Mechanics of Pregnancy and Preeclampsia, Lymphedema, and Peripheral Arterial Disease\u0026quot; Farbod Sedaghati\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u00221-D Mathematical Modeling to Study the Mechanics of Pregnancy and Preeclampsia, Lymphedema, and Peripheral Arterial Disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-03-08 20:15:05","changed_gmt":"2023-03-08 20:15:05","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-03-15T16:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-03-15T18:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-03-15T18:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-03-15 20:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-03-15 22:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-03-15 22:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"665781":{"#nid":"665781","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Rebecca Schneider","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s J. Garc\u0026iacute;a, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur A. Lam, MD, PhD (Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERoss Marklein, PhD (University of Georgia)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHigh-throughput 3D on-chip potency assay for improved cell therapy product clinical prediction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022_Toc439062360\u0022\u003ECell therapies offer promising strategies to treat diverse oncologic, inflammatory, and immune applications. Despite promising early phase clinical data, cell therapy candidates face new translational challenges, in part, due to a poor understanding of the cell therapy product during drug development and scale up. Current potency testing is often overly simplified and strongly biased by traditional 2D culture techniques. By engineering improved, well-defined, physiological-relevant \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E systems, we aim to provide high-throughput and reproducible potency assays with improved outcome prediction of \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E and\/or clinical response. We have demonstrated proof-of-concept of the on-chip platform by showing improved \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E immunomodulatory prediction and stronger fidelity to \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Esecretion compared to traditional 2D culture for n=9 mesenchymal stem\/stromal cell (MSC) donors. We have further evaluated n=60 MSC and MSC-derivative clinical samples using the on-chip platform and found secretion outcomes with greater correlation and\/or variance across donor-matched characteristics compared to 2D culture secretion. Future work will include platform clinical validation by evaluation of on-chip secretion correlation to patient-matched outcomes. The data presented here is in strong support of the value of the on-chip system to deliver scalable and high throughput cell product secretion information more predictive of \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E and\/or clinical settings.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;High-throughput 3D on-chip potency assay for improved cell therapy product clinical prediction\u0026quot; -Rebecca Schneider\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022High-throughput 3D on-chip potency assay for improved cell therapy product clinical prediction\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-02-14 15:08:46","changed_gmt":"2023-02-14 15:08:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-02-28T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-02-28T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-02-28T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-02-28 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-02-28 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-02-28 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"665780":{"#nid":"665780","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Carla Kumbale","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EEberhard O. Voit, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Qiang Zhang, Ph.D. (Environmental Health, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa L. Kemp, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPeng Qiu, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark P. Styczynski, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can cause a variety of adverse health effects. Lipophilic POPs like dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; TCDD) are particularly harmful over a long time horizon because they can remain in fatty tissue for several decades after exposure. TCDD has been demonstrated to impact several organs, including the liver, which is considered the primary organ for detoxifying the effects of environmental contaminants and other xenobiotics. It is known that short-term exposure to high levels of dioxin may result in the development of skin lesions such as chloracne. Long-term exposure is associated with the impairment of cholesterol dynamics and reproductive functions.\u0026nbsp; Moreover, chronic dioxin exposure has been demonstrated to pose an immensely increased risk of developing diabetes and various cancers, often in the form of soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and liver cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDue to the ubiquity of dioxins, all people worldwide have background exposure and a certain level of dioxins in the body. Given the high toxic potential of this class of compounds, efforts need to be undertaken to reduce current background exposure and counteract their effects. Many of the individual contributions of the impact of TCDD on human health have been documented in a host of toxicological studies. However, a comprehensive understanding of the overall impact of TCDD on the human body is required to develop countermeasures against these toxic effects.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this dissertation I propose\u0026nbsp;a computational multi-scale approach, using a \u0026ldquo;template-and-anchor\u0026rdquo; model that permits a valid integration of the various contributions of TCDD toward meaningful health risk assessments.\u0026nbsp;Generically, a template is a high-level model that focuses exclusively on the main physiological components of a system and involves correspondingly few parameters and variables. It provides a coarse-grained representation of the system under investigation. Anchor models provide more elaborate views of the specific biological details characterizing the mechanisms that govern the system and are represented in the template model. Specifically, I will create a template model along with a collection of pertinent anchor models. Once the specific mathematical structure of these models is established, I will demonstrate how different concentrations of TCDD drive the input and output of each anchor model and, subsequently, the overarching template model. The overall objective of this proposal is to: (1) elucidate details of dioxin-induced changes in cholesterol dynamics (2); model the TCDD-induced effects on endocrine hormones such as estradiol to understand the mechanism by which dioxin exposure may contribute to diseases such as endometriosis; and (3) integrate all anchor models into a comprehensive template model that will allow us to assess the global effects of dioxin on the human body. The results of this work are hoped to be translatable into an overall\u0026ndash;and possibly even personalized\u0026ndash;human health risk assessment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Assessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u0026quot; -Carla Kumbale\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Assessing the Impact of Dioxin on Human Health through Mathematical Modeling\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-02-14 15:06:47","changed_gmt":"2023-02-14 15:06:47","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-02-27T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-02-27T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-02-27T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-02-27 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-02-27 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-02-27 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"665329":{"#nid":"665329","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Shelley Gooden","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAjit P. Yoganathan, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMani A. Vannan, MD (Piedmont Heart Institute)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVinod H. Thourani, MD (Piedmont Heart Institute)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKonstantinos D. Boudoulas, MD (The Ohio State University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPredicting Hemodynamic and Biomechanical Implications of MitraClip Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge Therapy on Treatment of Functional Mitral Regurgitation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMitral regurgitation (MR) is the leading cause of heart valve disease, where moderate MR is present in at least 1.7% of the adult population, increasing to 11.7% in those age 75 years and older. MR occurs when the two leaflets of the mitral valve (MV) do not close properly when they should. Left untreated, MR severity can increase and lead to heart failure. Patients with moderate-to-severe or severe MR who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy and are deemed at high surgical risk by a heart team are candidates for transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the commercially available MitraClip. Though clinical trials show promising outcomes, challenges with MitraClip use include sufficient reduction of MR while preventing elevated MV pressure gradient (MVG), as these two unfavourable outcomes worsen prognosis. Optimal use and predictive modeling of MVG post-MitraClip is not well defined, especially with four device sizes available in the current G4 generation. Further guidelines to optimize MitraClip usage is needed, as transcatheter MV repair has overtaken surgical repair in the United States. Impact of MitraClip size was first assessed using an excised porcine ventricular functional MR model, where residual regurgitation with device size was found to be dependent upon baseline MR conditions, and post-therapy MVG was found to increase most with the largest device size. A parameterization approach was developed to simplify human MV geometries, and MitraClip placement was simulated. Post-therapy MVG was found to be greatest for smaller MVs and for larger device size. Forward flow measured by clinical means (CW Doppler) and by the engineering means (conservation of mass) showed strong correlation. Applying this \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E, a post-therapy MVG predictive model was developed, which showed good agreement to \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E outcomes. The outcomes of this thesis can help clinicians assess patient MitraClip candidacy and help optimize MitraClip treatment strategies by predicting post-therapy MVG.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Predicting Hemodynamic and Biomechanical Implications of MitraClip Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge Therapy on Treatment of Functional Mitral Regurgitation \u0026quot; -\u0026nbsp;Shelley Gooden\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Predicting Hemodynamic and Biomechanical Implications of MitraClip Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge Therapy on Treatment of Functional Mitral Regurgitation \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-02-01 15:22:02","changed_gmt":"2023-02-01 15:22:02","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-02-14T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-02-14T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-02-14T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-02-14 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-02-14 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-02-14 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"664522":{"#nid":"664522","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Liana Hatoum","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors: \u003C\/strong\u003EManu O. Platt, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Edward A. Botchwey, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESpencer H. Bryngelson, Ph.D. (College of Computing, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERudolph L. Gleason, Ph.D. (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn N. Oshinski, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlessandro Veneziani, Ph.D. (Mathematics, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELongitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder affecting 100,000 Americans. People living with SCD experience deteriorating disease progression with accelerated damage to carotid and cerebral arteries occurring as early as 2 years old. 11% of children with SCD suffer an overt stroke and 37% will suffer a silent stroke. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is currently the only known cure for SCD. Children may continue to be at risk for strokes and other complications after HSCT. The pathogenesis of how arterial damage is initiated, and progresses is not fully understood. Recent studies have shown using a humanized sickle cell transgenic mouse model that cathepsin K, a powerful protease, is upregulated in SCD and mediates elastin and collagen degradation in the arterial wall. In those studies, expansive remodeling was observed in the common carotid arteries associated with aneurysms and weakened artery mechanics. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that chronic inflammation in SCD stimulates cathepsin K overexpression leading to pathological expansive arterial remodeling that can cause accelerated progression of aneurysms and hemorrhagic strokes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo analyze the mechanisms that cause arterial damage in SCD, a combination of both in-vitro and in-silico studies will be used to investigate the morphology and hemodynamics of carotid arteries in mice with SCD. In this longitudinal study, a label free magnetic resonance angiography method will be used for the quantification of morphological changes to carotid and cerebral arteries in SCD mice as they age thereby reducing subject variability.\u0026nbsp; The objective of this proposal is to use magnetic resonance angiography to (1) determine the role of cathepsin K in expansive arterial remodeling using sickle cell transgenic mice genetically null for cathepsin K, (2) determine the effect of curative HSCT in preventing arteriopathy in SCD, and (3) identify pathological fluid flow profiles that would indicate arterial damage in SCD in an age-dependent manner. This research will provide a foundation for understanding cathepsin-mediated arterial remodeling and to determine why arterial damage persists in some patients after HSCT. These studies will potentially help develop novel therapies to prevent arteriopathy and strokes in SCD.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;Liana Hatoum\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Angiography to Quantify Arterial Remodeling in Sickle Cell Disease\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2023-01-09 17:48:29","changed_gmt":"2023-01-09 17:48:29","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-01-17T10:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2023-01-17T12:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-01-17T12:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-01-17 15:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-01-17 17:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-01-17 17:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"663583":{"#nid":"663583","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Dan Y. Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa L. Kemp, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur A. Lam, MD, PhD (BME\/Pediatrics, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu O. Platt, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDavid K. Wood, PhD (BME, University of Minnesota)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi B. Wood, PhD (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInforming Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal of precision medicine is to provide optimal treatment to patients based on their individual characteristics or disease state. Current genomic-based approaches are limited by the amount of patient sample needed, high turnaround time, and reliant on reported mechanisms of drug action and patient response. Microfluidic devices provide a way to directly and efficiently test small quantities of patient samples for functional outcomes; these devices can incorporate features such as the cellular environment to better model physiological variables. Turning microfluidics-derived data into actionable precision medicine insights requires collaboration between the fields of microsystems engineering, computational biology, and clinical medicine. On the computational side, novel data analysis pipelines and interpretable statistical modeling methods are needed to extract the maximal amount of information from microfluidics data and to generate clinically actionable insights.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe objective of this work was to leverage computational and mathematical approaches to develop robust predictive models of patient sample response assayed in microfluidic devices. This approach was validated using microfluidics-generated datasets from two hematologic applications: combination drug screening in leukemia, and rheological biomarker correlation in sickle cell disease. Specific outcomes were: 1) development of an analytical pipeline that measures drug synergy and efficacy metrics for combinations used in leukemia, 2) identification of a subpopulation of patients with sickle cell disease that may benefit from a novel therapy, and 3) correlation of microfluidic-based rheological metrics to symptomatic severity in patients with sickle cell disease. Overall, this work demonstrates the ability of the combined experimental-computational frameworks to extract important patient-specific features from multi-factorial experiments, optimize discovery of synergistic drug interactions, and provide personalized recommendations for therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026quot;Informing Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u0026quot; -\u0026nbsp; Dan Y. Zhang\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Informing Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-12-01 17:22:57","changed_gmt":"2022-12-01 17:22:57","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-12-15T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2022-12-15T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-12-15T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-12-15 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-12-15 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-12-15 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"663478":{"#nid":"663478","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Mercedes Gonzalez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Craig Forest, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Matthew Rowan, Ph.D. (Biological Sciences, Emory)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnnabelle Singer, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Biomedical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Rozell , Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBilal Haider, Ph.D. (Biomedical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAutomated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u0026#39;s Disease\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlzheimer\u0026#39;s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide each year. AD is characterized by progressive decline in cognition and memory, often detected late in disease progression. A prevailing theory of AD has been that cognitive decline and memory loss is caused by progressive deposition of toxic amyloid and tau proteins. While significant efforts have been made to elucidate mechanisms behind these symptoms based on this idea, effective therapies remain elusive. An alternative hypothesis is that cognitive loss in early AD results from neuronal circuit dysregulation. In particular, parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons are prone to changes in excitability in AD which contributes to circuit dysfunction. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of interneuron dysregulation throughout the brain is unclear. In addition, recent studies have found that 40 Hz optogenetic stimulation of PV-interneurons activates microglia and reduces amyloid beta load in aged AD mice, further supporting the idea that interneuron dysregulation plays a key role in AD progression. They also found that non-invasive light stimulation at 40 Hz effectively mitigated amyloid beta load in aged AD mice. This non-invasive therapeutic approach, however, is not yet thoroughly studied and lacks cell-type-specific characterization. In particular, the role of PV-interneurons in this phenomenon is not yet clear. Studying the intrinsic physiological properties of these PV-interneurons requires patch clamp electrophysiology, a time intensive and low-throughput neuroscience technique which allows one to record sub-threshold current and voltage membrane changes from individual neurons. Recent advances in the field of patch clamp have automated this laborious process; however, there are still bottlenecks that limit the throughput and yield. Thus, the objective of this proposal is to (1) optimize and leverage automated patch clamp electrophysiology, subsequently (2) explore the spatiotemporal emergence of PV-interneuron dysfunction in AD, and (3) investigate and quantify the effects of 40 Hz light and sound sensory stimulation on PV-interneurons in AD.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Automated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u0026#39;s Disease \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot; - Mercedes Gonzalez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Automated cellular electrophysiology to investigate the role of interneurons in Alzheimer\u0027s Disease  \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-11-29 14:15:58","changed_gmt":"2022-11-29 14:15:58","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-12-09T09:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2022-12-09T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-12-09T11:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-12-09 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-12-09 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-12-09 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"663477":{"#nid":"663477","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Nathan Zavanelli","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Woonhong Yeo, Ph.D. (Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERudolph Gleason , Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOmer Inan, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPamela Bhatti, Ph.D. (Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudy of Soft Materials, Skin-like Device Mechanics, and Nano-Microfabrication to Develop Flexible Wearable Physiological Monitors for Advanced Diagnostics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe central focus of this research is the development of skin-like wearable electronics and sensors that seamlessly integrate with the human body and provide hospital quality physiological monitoring and diagnostics in a simple, minimally obtrusive platform. One of the most poignant tragedies in modern medicine is that many pathologies with highly effective treatments remain undiagnosed, especially in marginalized communities. This suffering is fueled by a systemic failure in current diagnostics techniques: one the one hand, hospital grade in lab tests are expensive, low throughput, and ill-suited for continuous monitoring; on the other, wearable electronics are fundamentally limited by rigid mechanics and wired interfaces that prevent conformal skin contact, producing poor signal quality and degraded long-term wearability. To address this critical shortcoming, this work consists of analytical, computational, empirical, and human subjects studies in soft materials and interfaces to enable a new class of wearable, wireless devices and sensors with mechanics finely tuned to transduce electrical, mechanical, and optical bio-signals from the human body, providing advanced diagnostic solutions to tackle some of the most pressing medical diagnostics challenges, both here in the United States and around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Study of Soft Materials, Skin-like Device Mechanics, and Nano-Microfabrication to Develop Flexible Wearable Physiological Monitors for Advanced Diagnostics\u0026quot; -Nathan Zavanelli\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Study of Soft Materials, Skin-like Device Mechanics, and Nano-Microfabrication to Develop Flexible Wearable Physiological Monitors for Advanced Diagnostics\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-11-29 14:14:15","changed_gmt":"2022-11-29 14:14:15","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-12-08T11:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2022-12-08T13:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-12-08T13:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-12-08 16:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-12-08 18:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-12-08 18:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"663007":{"#nid":"663007","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Rachel Ringquist","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003EKrishnendu Roy, PhD (Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, PhD (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun, PhD (Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERabin Tirouvanzium, PhD (Department of Pediatrics, Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdvances in microphysiological organ-on-chip technologies have enabled spatiotemporal investigation into the complex physiology of organ systems in healthy and disease-like conditions \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E. The highly-tunable nature of on-chip models permit direct manipulation of the microenvironment and provides the framework to study disease progression in ways not feasible through other \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Emodels or through \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eanimal models. Organ-on-chip models encompass cellular heterogeneity and structural organization that mimics an \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eorgan microenvironment, while still allowing for real-time, cellular-level spatial and temporal analysis. While organ-on-chip systems are becoming increasingly popular, there remains a disconnect between \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Emodels of the immune system and organ-on-chip models, with very few organ-on-chips incorporating immune components. Immune dysregulation is a hallmark of nearly all disease states and thus the ability to model immune signals \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Eis paramount for the development of effective therapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe aim to address this knowledge gap through the development of an immune-competent, fully microvascularized, microfluidic human lung-on-chip device. Our overall hypotheses are (1) incorporation of tissue-resident macrophages and circulating immune cells into a lung-on-chip model will enable the recapitulation of hallmark immune dysfunction in an influenza A (H1N1) infection model and (2) development of the human lung disease model will allow identification of key drivers of disease-specific immune dysregulation and illuminate potential immunomodulatory therapies. The proposed specific aims to test these hypotheses are to (1) develop an immune-competent lung-on-chip device with tissue-resident and circulating immune populations and (2) develop and characterize viral infection in a lung-on-chip model using H1N1-induced immune activation. To date, we have demonstrated the successful incorporation of tissue-resident macrophages and circulating immune cells into a microvascularized, human lung-on-chip device. Furthermore, we have evaluated the role of tissue-resident macrophages in the immune response to H1N1 infection. Future work aims to identify key circulating immune cells involved in the response to H1N1 infection and identify potential avenues for immunomodulatory therapies. The \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Eimmune response will be fully characterized using single cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, multiplexed cytokine analysis, and spatial-omics techniques, and the resulting information will be used to inform treatment strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;An immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u0026quot; - Rachel Ringquist\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022An immune-competent microvascularized human lung-on-chip device for studying immunopathologies of the lung\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-11-08 16:20:13","changed_gmt":"2022-11-08 16:20:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-11-14T15:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2022-11-14T17:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-11-14T17:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-11-14 20:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-11-14 22:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-11-14 22:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"663006":{"#nid":"663006","#data":{"type":"event","title":"MS Thesis Presentation- Sydney Wimberley","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Julie Champion, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Manu Platt, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark Prausnitz, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Bovine Serum Albumin Nanoparticles for Improved Endosomal Escape and The Treatment of Endometriosis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEndometriosis is an estrogen driven condition that affects about 10% of menstruating women. It causes severe pain and infertility, and limited treatment options are available. This work uses the anti-inflammatory protein, AvrA, an effector protein found in Salmonella that inhibits nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal cascades. However, this protein is highly insoluble and requires a carrier for delivery to the cytosol, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles are used to deliver AvrA. AvrA-BSA nanoparticles were delivered to End1\/E6E7, an epithelial cell line derived from a woman\u0026rsquo;s endometrium with endometriosis. To measure functionality of AvrA-BSA nanoparticles, inflammatory cytokines were measured in this cell type under inflammatory conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAvrA-BSA nanoparticles are internalized by cells using endocytosis. Their delivery to the cytosol is highly inefficient and endosome contents are trapped and later destroyed or recycled out of the cell following fusion with lysosomes, this is phenomenon is called endosomal entrapment. To overcome this entrapment, BSA nanoparticles were modified by conjugating histidine to their hydroxyl groups. Histidine\u0026rsquo;s variable chain is imidazole, and it can act as a buffer in lower pH environments, such as endosomes. In an endosome at lower pH protons and ions will enter the endosome causing them to swell due to a concentration gradient and an increase in osmotic pressure, eventually causes rupture. Endosomal escape of nanoparticles was evaluated using a Galectin-8 assay, to quantify endosomal disruption events; and a functional readout, where nanoparticles are loaded with toxic proteins allowing cell death to be an indication of nanoparticle escape. Overall, imidazole conjugated BSA nanoparticles do increase endosomal disruption events, and are able to incur an increased cell death when nanoparticles are loaded with a toxic protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMS Thesis Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Engineering Bovine Serum Albumin Nanoparticles for Improved Endosomal Escape and The Treatment of Endometriosis\u0026quot; - Sydney Wimberley\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Bovine Serum Albumin Nanoparticles for Improved Endosomal Escape and The Treatment of Endometriosis\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-11-08 16:14:28","changed_gmt":"2022-11-08 16:14:28","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-11-17T14:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2022-11-17T16:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-11-17T16:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-11-17 19:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-11-17 21:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-11-17 21:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"661526":{"#nid":"661526","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Phoebe Welch","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Chengzhi Shi \u0026ndash; School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Craig Forest \u0026ndash; School of Mechanical Engineering (co-advisor)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Costas Arvanitis \u0026ndash; School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Brooks Lindsey \u0026ndash; School of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Levi Wood \u0026ndash; School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Lilo D. Pozzo \u0026ndash; School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Washington\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUltrasound imaging of deep tissue and cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltrasound imaging is a technique that can be applied to a vast array of body systems thanks to its safety and versatility. However, there are still several drawbacks to ultrasound imaging, namely that the resolution pales in comparison to optical techniques (hundreds of micron resolution vs. hundreds of nanometer scale) and lacks any ability for long-term imaging with current commercially-available ultrasound contrast agents. As a result, there is a critical need for ultrasound contrast agents that can improve ultrasound resolution and enable long-term imaging for diagnostic applications, cell tracking, tissue graft monitoring, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo ultrasound contrast agents, perfluorocarbon nanodroplets and gas vesicles, have recently emerged and are becoming more commonplace in academic research. Perfluorocarbon nanodroplets are phase-change contrast agents that can extravasate into tumors via endothelial gaps in blood vessels and can remain in the body for days, enabling long-term imaging, but the use of these nanodroplets for single-cell imaging has yet to be explored. Gas vesicles are produced by certain cyanobacteria and archaea to help with buoyancy, and recent work has enabled gas vesicle expression in mammalian cells for prolonged periods of time using mammalian acoustic reporter genes (mARGs). However, these mARGs have only been integrated in certain cell lines, and the methods to isolate cells that successfully express gas vesicles are complex. These two nanoscale ultrasound contrast agents both have the potential to be used for deep tissue, high resolution, and long-term \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E imaging, but require alterations to achieve this. This thesis proposal seeks to modify these ultrasound contrast agents and employ them for long-term, deep tissue imaging \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E. For perfluorocarbon nanodroplets, I will optimize their\u0026nbsp; outer shell parameters to improve nanodroplet phase-transitioning, utilize patch clamping to isolating the nanodroplets in individual cells, monitor the long-term cell health to ensure the nanodroplets do not hinder cell viability, and ultrasonically image the nanodroplets injected into the cell within a gel tissue phantom. For the genetically expressed gas vesicles in mammalian cells, I will expand gas vesicle integration into other mammalian cells, specifically induced pluripotent stem cells, and simplify the procedures for generating gas vesicle-expressing mammalian cells using improved plasmids and drug selection techniques.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Ultrasound imaging of deep tissue and cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u0026quot; - Phoebe Welch\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Ultrasound imaging of deep tissue and cells using gas vesicles and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-09-26 13:13:00","changed_gmt":"2022-09-26 13:13:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-10-07T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-10-07T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-10-07T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-10-07 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-10-07 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-10-07 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"661525":{"#nid":"661525","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Nischita Kaza","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrancisco E. Robles, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAhmet F. Coskun, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPeng Qiu, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThomas K. Gaylord, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur A. Lam, M.D., Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology and\u0026nbsp;Emory University School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimple, high-resolution molecular imaging for biological and clinical applications via label-free Deep ultraviolet microscopy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;Imaging with deep ultraviolet (~200 - 400 nm) light enables label-free molecular imaging due to the distinctive absorption and dispersion properties of several physiologically important, endogenous biomolecules in this spectral region. In addition, the shorter wavelength of UV light offers higher spatial resolution than conventional imaging systems that use visible light. Furthermore, recent advances in UV light sources and detectors have resulted in simple, low-cost setups that enable contiguous imaging of live cells over long durations without significant photodamage. Therefore, deep-UV microscopy yields quantitative molecular and structural information from biological samples that can aid in monitoring or diagnosing diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;This proposal focuses on hyperspectral, multispectral, and single-wavelength deep-UV microscopy techniques for cellular phenotyping and analysis. We first develop methods to extract quantitative absorption information from biological samples using non-interferometric hyperspectral imaging and multispectral deep-UV microscopy and validate our approach using red blood cells. We then leverage recent advances in deep learning to realize a fully automated pipeline for label-free hematology analysis using single-wavelength UV microscopy images. The results of this work can pave the way for low-cost, label-free imaging systems for use in clinical, at-home, and point-of-care settings. Finally, we propose a UV microscopy system capable of 3D live cell imaging with molecular specificity, which would not only provide unique biological insights but also enable robust cell phenotyping and disease diagnosis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Simple, high-resolution molecular imaging for biological and clinical applications via label-free Deep ultraviolet microscopy \u0026quot; - Nischita Kaza\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Simple, high-resolution molecular imaging for biological and clinical applications via label-free Deep ultraviolet microscopy \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-09-26 13:11:01","changed_gmt":"2022-09-26 13:11:01","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-10-06T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-10-06T17:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-10-06T17:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-10-06 19:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-10-06 21:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-10-06 21:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"661300":{"#nid":"661300","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Jihoon Lee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStanislav Emelianov, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM. G. Finn, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEric Sorscher, M.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJason Spence, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHuman airway organoids with reversed biopolarity for high-throughput anti-SARS-CoV-2 Compound Screening\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has resulted in 6.5 million deaths worldwide since its emergence (as of 09\/16\/2022). Although slowed down in its pace thanks to the scientific advances achieved over the past two years, the virus remains a considerable threat. In a pressing demand for a rapid and efficient research tool for the ongoing pandemic, organoids have provided timely and powerful\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Emodels to study viral tropism, host immune response, drug screening, and vaccine development. However, despite the immense number of research outputs, there have been varying and inconsistent results on host responses and pharmacodynamics, even within the same type of organoids. The observed variability may be attributed to challenging apical access in the conventional organoids, wherein the apical surface is sequestered away (\u0026ldquo;apical-in\u0026rdquo;) from the surrounding environment. Therefore, apical access is highly implicated, as it is the apical surface where the host-virus interactions predominantly occur. Our lab has recently demonstrated a high-throughput culture method of reproducible and uniform geometrically-inverted mammary epithelial organoids, in which the apical surface is stably oriented toward the organoid exterior (apical-out). The goal of the proposal is to adapt this method to human primary airway cells and utilise the resulting apical-out organoids as a high-throughput anti-SARS-CoV-2 compound screening platform. In Aim\u0026nbsp;I, we will establish and optimise a culture of human bronchial epithelial organoids with reversed biopolarity (hBORBs). In Aim\u0026nbsp;II, we will test and validate hBORBs as a high-throughput anti-SARS-CoV-2 compound screening platform. In Aim\u0026nbsp;III, we will adapt the developed protocol to generate human nasal epithelial organoids with reversed biopolarity (hNORBs) derived from freshly isolated nasal epithelial cells.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Human airway organoids with reversed biopolarity for high-throughput anti-SARS-CoV-2 Compound Screening \u0026quot; -Jihoon Lee\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Human airway organoids with reversed biopolarity for high-throughput anti-SARS-CoV-2 Compound Screening \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-09-20 12:50:45","changed_gmt":"2022-09-20 12:50:45","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-09-30T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-09-30T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-09-30T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-09-30 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-09-30 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-09-30 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"661193":{"#nid":"661193","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal - Afsane Radmand","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames E. Dahlman, Ph.D. Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhilip J. Santangelo, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie A. Champion, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilber Lam, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Mechanical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext-generation lipid nanoparticle formulations for non-liver delivery of nucleic acid-based therapies and vaccines \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe clinical application of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) delivering RNA therapies has advanced remarkably over the past few decades with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of ONPATTRO\u0026reg; in 2018 for treating liver genetic disease following systemic administration and the most recent COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna Therapeutics Inc. and Pfizer-BioNTech in 2021. Despite the success of first-generation LNP-RNA therapies, there still remains needs to rationally design next-generation LNP formulations for systemic non-liver delivery and for vaccination against other malignant diseases such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In this work, we aimed to (i) identify helper lipid design rules and biological response for systemic lung mRNA delivery of LNPs, (ii) investigate the effect of cationic lipids in LNP formulation on systemic \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E non-liver tropism, and (iii) develop a mRNA-based LNP vaccine for RSV. This work will establish the foundation towards two crucial objectives: (1) exploiting lipid nanoparticle design rules for systemic \u003Cem\u003Enon-liver \u003C\/em\u003Edelivery of nucleic acid-based therapies (2) determining factors for LNP mRNA-based vaccine immunogenicity which will allow for taking a leap towards developing clinically relevant nucleic acid-based vaccines. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal - \u0026quot;Next-generation lipid nanoparticle formulations for non-liver delivery of nucleic acid-based therapies and vaccines \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot; - Afsane Radmand\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Next-generation lipid nanoparticle formulations for non-liver delivery of nucleic acid-based therapies and vaccines  \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-09-14 15:45:37","changed_gmt":"2022-09-14 15:45:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-10-03T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-10-03T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-10-03T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-10-03 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-10-03 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-10-03 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"660652":{"#nid":"660652","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Michael Hunckler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEdward Botchwey, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECristina Nostro, PhD (University of Toronto)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic Hydrogels for the Maturation and Engraftment of Stem Cell-Derived Beta Cells\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStem cell-derived \u0026beta;-cells are positioned to be a transformative cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) by replacing the insulin-producing \u0026beta;-cells destroyed by the autoimmune system. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can differentiate into insulin-producing cells that phenotypically and functionally resemble immature \u0026beta;-cells. While promising, fully functional \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E differentiation of these hiPSCs into mature \u0026beta;-cells remains elusive. Current \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Edifferentiation protocols of hiPSCs cannot provide the precise microenvironmental cues necessary for complete maturation. Consequently, \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eimplantation is often used to direct end-stage maturation of stem cells, resulting in an uncontrolled environment to direct \u0026beta;-cell maturation. Furthermore, there are few suitable delivery vehicles for transplantation to clinically-translatable extrahepatic sites. These challenges highlight the need for strategies that enhance the \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E maturation of the hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells and improve their engraftment and function in a clinically-translatable transplant site. The objective of this project is to engineer advanced synthetic hydrogels to direct \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E maturation of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells and enhance engraftment in an extrahepatic murine site. In Aim 1, I demonstrate that engineered synthetic hydrogels support the viability and differentiation of encapsulated hiPSCs to a mature \u0026beta;-cell stage. In Aim 2, I demonstrate that an engineered vasculogenic synthetic hydrogel supports the engraftment of pancreatic progenitors and immature \u0026beta;-cells into the mouse fat pad. In Aim 3, I develop a novel hydrolytic hydrogel that demonstrates tunable \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Edegradation kinetics to promote enhanced stem cell engraftment and vascularization. This project will provide a significant foundation for translation of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells into more clinically-relevant sites and establish innovative materials that promote survival, engraftment, and function of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Synthetic Hydrogels for the Maturation and Engraftment of Stem Cell-Derived Beta Cells\u0026quot; - Michael Hunckler\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic Hydrogels for the Maturation and Engraftment of Stem Cell-Derived Beta Cells\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-08-29 18:20:13","changed_gmt":"2022-08-29 18:20:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-09-06T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-09-06T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-09-06T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-09-06 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-09-06 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-09-06 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"660361":{"#nid":"660361","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Karen Martin","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEdward Botchwey, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENick Willett, PhD (University of Oregon)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEsma Yolcu, PhD (University of Missouri)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHydrogel-delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to modulate the local immune environment and direct tissue repair\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMesenchymal stem\/stromal cells (MSC) are actively being explored for use in a variety of regenerative medicine applications due to their potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. Traditionally, these cells have been delivered by bolus injection, but the need to prolong the survival and retention of MSC at sites of injury has spurred the development of a variety of biomaterial-based MSC delivery vehicles. Many studies have explored how biomaterial properties modulate MSC behaviors in both \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E contexts. However, a majority of the \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E studies were carried out in immunocompromised mice, neglecting the key interaction of the host immune system with these biomaterial-MSC constructs. Additionally, while many properties of synthetic biomaterials are well-defined, controlling biomaterial degradation rates in \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eenvironments remains a significant, therapeutic-limiting challenge. The objective of this thesis is to utilize immunocompetent mouse models to evaluate the immunomodulatory and regenerative effects of engineered biomaterial-MSC constructs. In Aim 1, I demonstrate that subcutaneous delivery of murine MSC within synthetic hydrogels in immunocompetent mice modulates the local cytokine milieu and temporal recruitment of immune cells to the hydrogel. In Aim 2, I show that, when delivered subcutaneously in a hydrogel, the fetal bovine serum used for \u003Cem\u003Eex vivo\u003C\/em\u003E MSC expansion elicits a robust type 2 immune response characterized by infiltration of eosinophils and CD4\u003Csup\u003E+\u003C\/sup\u003E T cells and that this immune response impairs bone repair. Finally, in Aim 3, I utilize hydrolytically degradable ester linkage groups to engineer PEG hydrogels with tunable \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E degradation kinetics for enhanced delivery of MSC to diabetic cutaneous wounds. Overall, this work yields critical insights into MSC-immune cell interactions \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E and highlights strategies for modulating these interactions through the use of engineered biomaterial MSC delivery vehicles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Hydrogel-delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to modulate the local immune environment and direct tissue repair\u0026quot; - Karen Martin\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Hydrogel-delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to modulate the local immune environment and direct tissue repair\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-08-20 18:30:14","changed_gmt":"2022-08-20 18:30:14","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-09-01T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-09-01T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-09-01T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-09-01 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-09-01 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-09-01 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659703":{"#nid":"659703","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Hannah Viola","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERabindra Tirouvanziam, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJocelyn R. Grunwell, Ph.D., MD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndres Garcia, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModeling Distal Pulmonary Physiology in Microphysiological Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;\u0026ensp;The distal airways can become obstructed and limit lung function in many pulmonary diseases, both acute and chronic. This small airway dysfunction results from aberrant mechanical forces, inflammatory mediators, abnormal fluid properties, and other factors. However, studying these contributions to small airway disease is challenging. Existing methods, such as biopsy of human tissue, animal models, and 2D in vitro models cannot reflect the dynamic processes of fluid-mediated injury and inflammation in the small airways with adequate precision and control. Therefore, in this Thesis I develop methods to model the small airways in vitro using microphysiological systems (MPS). MPS are complex cell culture models that capture functional aspects of the tissue in a human-cell based, controlled microenvironment. Here, I utilize microfluidic platforms and high throughput culture systems to recreate phenomena that contribute to small airway injury. In Aim 1, I demonstrate that fluid-mediated injury results in small airway epithelial cell death. In Aim 2, I develop a high throughput method for generation of small airway air-blood barrier mimetic microtissues that respond to viral exposure with epithelial-endothelial coordination. Finally, in Aim 3 I apply the air-blood barrier array (ABBA) to develop a standardized, high throughput method for modeling and studying the infiltration of neutrophils into the epithelial lumen. I demonstrate the model\u0026rsquo;s disease-mimetic capability and generate patient-specific dose-response curves for anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Overall, this Thesis contributes substantially to the field of lung-mimetic microphysiological systems and contributes novel applications of such systems for the investigation of complex contributors to small airway dysfunction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Modeling Distal Pulmonary Physiology in Microphysiological Systems\u0026quot; - Hannah Viola\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Modeling Distal Pulmonary Physiology in Microphysiological Systems\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-07-27 17:56:32","changed_gmt":"2022-07-27 17:56:32","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-08-09T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-08-09T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-08-09T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-08-09 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-08-09 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-08-09 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659686":{"#nid":"659686","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Dillon Brown","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMachelle Pardue, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EC. Ross Ethier, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERafael Grytz, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJ. Brandon Dixon, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur Lam, MD, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn Investigation of Scleral Biomechanics and Myopia in the Mouse\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe prevalence of myopia, or \u0026rdquo;nearsightedness\u0026rdquo; is on the rise globally, set to affect about half of the global population by 2050. A myopic eye is characterized by a mismatch between the focal point of incoming light and the position of the photosensitive retina, most commonly due to excessive axial elongation of the eye (axial myopia). Axial myopia is thought to be driven by remodeling of the scleral microstructure and altered biomechanics. Certain types of visual cues drive or protect against myopigenic axial elongation, coupling retinal signaling to scleral remodeling via a complex \u0026rdquo;retinoscleral\u0026rdquo; signaling cascade. However, the key signaling molecules that may propagate retinal signal(s) through the choroid to the sclera are largely unknown. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) has been suggested to be both capable of trans-choroidal signaling and influencing scleral remodeling of glycosaminoglycans, biomechanically relevant extracellular matrix components known to change rapidly upon presentation of visual cues.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe mouse can be an excellent model organism for causal studies of myopigenesis, yet its small eye makes confirming axial elongation and scleral changes technically challenging. The central hypothesis of this work was that visual cues will lead to scleral remodeling and altered biomechanics comparable to other species. Additionally, we hypothesized that artificially increasing atRA concentration in the eye leads to a myopic phenotype.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address these hypotheses, we developed a method to quantify the material properties of the mouse sclera using compression testing and a poroelastic material model, permitting the first characterizations of mouse scleral compressive\/tensile stiffness and hydraulic permeability. In the mouse model of form-deprivation myopia, we then showed that the extensibility and permeability of the mouse sclera are greatly increased during myopigenesis, even without measurable axial elongation. We then characterized the ocular phenotype of mice treated with atRA, showing that atRA is myopigenic in the mouse and that scleral biomechanics are altered in a manner similar to that seen in visually mediated myopigenesis. These results implicate retinoic acid in the myopigenic retinoscleral signaling cascade and lay the groundwork for future studies of myopigenesis in the mouse.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;An Investigation of Scleral Biomechanics and Myopia in the Mouse\u0026quot; -\u0026nbsp;Dillon Brown\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022An Investigation of Scleral Biomechanics and Myopia in the Mouse\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-07-27 15:44:16","changed_gmt":"2022-07-27 15:44:16","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-08-10T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-08-10T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-08-10T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-08-10 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-08-10 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-08-10 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659495":{"#nid":"659495","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS thesis defense presentation- Fredrick Bulondo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulia E. Babensee, PhD | School of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESusan Thomas, PhD | School of Mechanical Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStanislav Emelianov, PhD | School of Electrical \u0026amp; Computer Engineering, \u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOPTIMIZATION OF IL-10 INCORPORATION FOR DENDRITIC CELLS Embedded IN PEG-4MAL HYDROGELS.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the recent decades, translational research in biomaterials and immunoengineering has been appreciated by science, which is corroborated by the development of novel advanced therapies to treat cancer, autoimmunity, and other immune-related pathologies. Dendritic cells (DCs) have been at the core center of pharmaceutical and biological therapeutics as vital mediator of the immune system leveraging on its function to bridge the innate and adaptive immune system. This thesis focuses on developing a biomaterial system to ameliorate autoimmunity.\u0026nbsp; This biomaterial system is comprised of a poly (ethylene glycol)- 4 arms maleimide (PEG-4MAL) hydrogels conjugated with the immunosuppressive cytokine, interleukin, IL-10, which is injectable, \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E cross linkable and degradable system for localized delivery of immunosuppressive DCs. Studies conducted here aimed at optimizing the amount of IL-10 incorporated in hydrogel at 500ng concentration, which exhibited highest DC viability, immunosuppressive phenotype and protection against pro-inflammatory insult as compared to hydrogel-incorporated DCs at lower loading IL-10 amounts. Additionally, the studies addressed the optimization of degradability of the hydrogel to control the release rate of IL-10 from the gel, by varying the ratio of adhesive peptides: VPM (degradable) and DTT (non-degradable) peptide crosslinkers. The results obtained are promising and shall be significant for \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E model optimization of immunosuppressive viability and functionality for incorporated DCs in cell delivery immunotherapy function.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHenceforth, it important to incorporate optimal loading amounts of IL-10 with hydrogels embedding DCs because this immunosuppressive cytokine provides a tolerogenic environment that keeps DCs in their immature phenotype which consequently enhances cell viability and optimizes the system\u0026rsquo;s immune modulatory functionality.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS thesis defense presentation- \u0026quot;OPTIMIZATION OF IL-10 INCORPORATION FOR DENDRITIC CELLS EMBEDDED IN PEG-4MAL HYDROGELS. \u0026quot; - Fredrick Bulondo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022OPTIMIZATION OF IL-10 INCORPORATION FOR DENDRITIC CELLS EMBEDDED IN PEG-4MAL HYDROGELS. \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-07-20 14:25:34","changed_gmt":"2022-07-20 14:25:34","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-07-21T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-07-21T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-07-21T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-07-21 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-07-21 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-07-21 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659160":{"#nid":"659160","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Pawel Golyski","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGregory S. Sawicki, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ET. Richard Nichols, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELena H. Ting, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKeith E. Gordon, Ph.D. (Northwestern University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExoskeletons are promising tools to improve multiple aspects of our daily lives \u0026ndash; they can increase our strength, improve our efficiency during walking and running, and lower our risk of injury during tasks such as lifting. Further, passive exoskeletons with elastic elements can be lighter and cheaper than their motor-driven counterparts, while also being able to assist us by modulating the mechanics of muscles and biological joints. However, one critical aspect of locomotion which we do not understand the influence of passive exoskeletons on is stability. This overall project addresses the interaction between the areas of locomotion stability, muscle mechanics, and passive exoskeleton assistance through the lens of mechanical energetics with two principal aims: 1) to determine the multi-scale response to transient mechanical energy demands of proximal joints and muscles, and 2) to evaluate the influence of a passive hip exoskeleton on stability during perturbed walking. By addressing these aims, this work provides valuable initial insights into the role of proximal joints and muscles in responding to perturbations during walking in humans and establishes the potential of passive exoskeletons for improving stability in daily life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Tuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking\u0026quot; - Pawel Golyski\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Tuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-06-29 18:27:46","changed_gmt":"2022-06-29 18:27:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-07-11T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-07-11T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-07-11T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-07-11 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-07-11 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-07-11 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"659106":{"#nid":"659106","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense - Alejandro Da Silva Sanchez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames E. Dahlman, Ph.D. BME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhilip J. Santangelo, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie A. Champion, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark P. Styczynski, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMG Finn, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENucleic acid therapies have advanced over the last decade with the FDA approval of the first siRNA drug in 2018 and the recent approval of COVID vaccines leveraging mRNA technology. While surface receptors and endocytosis genes have been shown to influence the effectiveness of RNA drug delivery with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the effect of the metabolic state of a cell upon therapies seeking to produce or silence proteins remains understudied. This project therefore aims to (i) understand whether metabolic perturbations to the mTOR pathway upon PIP3 extracellular administration affect LNP-mediated mRNA delivery, (ii) develop cell- and mouse-agnostic high throughput LNP screening systems for siRNA and mRNA drugs that will allow scientists to perform mechanistic studies on functional delivery with genetic knockout mice, and (iii) leverage these platforms to study whether cells exhibiting different levels of activity across the mTOR signaling pathway are more or less receptive to different nucleic acid drugs. This work will constitute early steps toward two equally important goals: (a) exploiting natural differences in cell signaling to improve cell type\u0026ndash;specific nanoparticle delivery and (b) understanding how different physiological states can lead to different delivery potencies of nucleic acid therapeutics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense -\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;The impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics \u0026quot; - Alejandro Da Silva Sanchez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022The impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-06-27 14:43:50","changed_gmt":"2022-06-27 14:43:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-07-11T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-07-11T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-07-11T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-07-11 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-07-11 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-07-11 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658986":{"#nid":"658986","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Victor Menezes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECostas Arvanitis, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn McDonald, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssessment of Chemotherapy Cytotoxic Activity in Brain Tumors with Cancer Soluble Biomarkers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMicrobubble enhanced focused ultrasound (MB-FUS) is a promising minimally invasive technology for targeted drug delivery in brain tumors. As this technology is currently under clinical evaluation, methods to assess effective drug delivery and refine treatment protocols beyond the anatomical information (e.g., tumor size) provided by MRI are needed. In this study, we investigated the abilities of cancer soluble molecules to assess effective chemotherapy agent delivery in glioma tumors, track tumor growth, and confirm blood-brain and blood-tumor barrier (BBB\/BTB) opening. We employed the glioblastoma cell line GL261 that was transfected to express the secretable bioluminescent molecule Gaussia luciferase (GLuc), which was used as a test molecule for assay development. We separately applied three different chemotherapeutic agents (Doxorubicin, Carboplatin, Temozolomide), which are currently in clinical trials in combination with MB-FUS and assessed the secretion of GLuc molecule and gene, using bioluminescence assay and PCR. Our analysis and quantification of soluble cancer biomarkers suggest that cfDNA can be employed to assess effective chemotherapy delivery to brain cancer, however these approaches might not be as effective with all types of chemotherapy. Further research to assess the potential of cfDNA to monitor effective chemotherapy delivery in brain tumors using MB-FUS is warranted.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation- \u0026quot;Assessment of Chemotherapy Cytotoxic Activity in Brain Tumors with Cancer Soluble Biomarkers\u0026quot; - Victor Menezes\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Assessment of Chemotherapy Cytotoxic Activity in Brain Tumors with Cancer Soluble Biomarkers\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-06-21 01:51:50","changed_gmt":"2022-06-21 01:51:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-06-21T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-06-21T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-06-21T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-06-21 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-06-21 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-06-21 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658850":{"#nid":"658850","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense- Yirui Li","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERavi Kane,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EValeria Milam,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames Dahlman,\u0026nbsp;Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Recombinant Protein Vesicles for Delivery Applications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecombinant proteins have emerged as promising building blocks for self-assembly of nanoparticles. Their versatility, accessibility through genetic manipulation, and biocompatibility are key advantages compared with synthetic block copolymers. One example of recombinant protein materials is hollow protein vesicles self-assembled from recombinant fusion proteins containing thermoresponsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP). While synthetic nanoparticles typically require chemical conjugation or physical adsorption to incorporate biofunctional proteins, protein vesicles are made directly from biofunctional proteins. This prevents loss of protein structure and activity, and enables control over protein orientation. Vesicles use high-affinity leucine zippers, ZE and ZR, to enable a range of different biofunctional proteins to be displayed on the surface at a controlled density. The overall goal of this work is to translate protein vesicles into biofunctional materials made from bioactive proteins with the required physical and biological properties for use as delivery vehicles. For increased stability at physiological conditions, a photo-crosslinkable unnatural amino acid is incorporated into the ELP domain. Additionally, ELP hydrophobicity and length are engineered for desired size and stability. Vesicle size was reduced from micron-scale to nano-scale by tuning ionic strength, ELP hydrophobicity and length. To demonstrate the therapeutic potential of protein vesicles, a small molecule cancer treatment drug, doxorubicin, is encapsulated in the vesicle lumen and delivered into cancer cells. In addition to small molecule cargo in the lumen, a model antigen protein, ovalbumin, is fused ZE and incorporated into the surface of self-assembled vesicles with a controlled size and antigen density. The resulting antigen-displaying protein vesicles induce antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in a mice model. This work is the first to make therapeutic protein vesicles and demonstrates the value of this platform in delivering a wide range of cargos with vastly different properties, ranging from small hydrophobic molecules to large, folded proteins.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense- \u0026quot;Engineering Recombinant Protein Vesicles for Delivery Applications\u0026quot; - Yirui Li\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Recombinant Protein Vesicles for Delivery Applications\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-06-14 14:46:01","changed_gmt":"2022-06-14 14:46:01","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-06-23T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-06-23T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-06-23T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-06-23 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-06-23 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-06-23 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658647":{"#nid":"658647","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense- Paul Archer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESusan Thomas, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EValeria Milam, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnalysis of nanomaterial physiochemical property influences on lymph node accumulation and leukocyte association\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELymph nodes house high concentrations of immune cells, and are critical tissues for regulating and priming the adaptive immune response. Thus, these tissues are an important therapeutic target for treatments that modulate immune activity, including but not limited to vaccination, induction of tolerance, and cancer immunotherapy. However, lymph nodes are also highly structured with physical and cellular barriers that can limit therapeutic access to important immune cell targets housed within them. Nanomaterial delivery approaches have been established to increase accumulation within the lymph node via locoregional methods of administration, but nanomaterials that highly efficiently accumulate within lymphatics are also restricted from entering the lymph node\u0026rsquo;s deeper regions in a size-dependent manner, limiting their delivery to lymphocytes. This motivates the need for better understanding and control over therapeutic access to cells within the lymph node, which is the overall objective of this thesis work. As such, work in the first part of this thesis quantifies the influences of lymphatic transport barriers on access of locoregionally administered nanomaterials to immune cell subsets within the tissue, and describes engineered biomaterial approaches to mitigate these barrier influences. Delivery to the lymph node from the blood supply via intravenous administration is next explored as a means to alter route of entrance to the lymph node and therefore distribution of cells accessed. Intravenous delivery is also standard practice for many cancer immunotherapies in the clinical setting, but delivery to the lymph node from this administration method is not well characterized, so nanomaterial properties favorable for intravenous delivery to immune cells within the lymph node are thoroughly studied. Finally, a cell-targeted antibody nanoparticle conjugate approach is employed to enhance delivery to T cells subsets specifically relevant in cancer immunotherapy. As a whole, this work provides new insights into therapeutic considerations for delivery to specific immune cell subsets within the lymph node and informs biomaterial design approaches to improve therapeutic outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense- \u0026quot;Analysis of nanomaterial physiochemical property influences on lymph node accumulation and leukocyte association \u0026quot; - Paul Archer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Analysis of nanomaterial physiochemical property influences on lymph node accumulation and leukocyte association \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-06-02 13:28:16","changed_gmt":"2022-06-02 13:28:16","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-06-15T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-06-15T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-06-15T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-06-15 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-06-15 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-06-15 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658601":{"#nid":"658601","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Camila Camargo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Susan Thomas (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Andr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Krishnendu Roy (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Shuichi Takayama (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Edmund Waller (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdhesion analysis of CD8+ T cells using engineered microfluidic platforms to interrogate extravasation capacity for adoptive cell therapy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdoptive cell therapy (ACT) has emerged as a powerful treatment option for patients with metastatic melanoma. Despite encouraging results with this treatment modality, responses are seen in only a minority of patients. It is now known that low patient rates of response are due to poor tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) survival post-transfer as well as poor trafficking of transferred cells to relevant tissues. For TILs to infiltrate disease tissue from the blood vasculature, they utilize a highly orchestrated adhesion cascade that begins with selectin-mediated rolling adhesion to endothelial cells, chemokine-triggered integrin activation, followed by integrin-mediated firm adhesion and subsequent extravasation. These adhesion ligand-receptor interactions have been implicated in TIL homing, however, an outstanding problem in the field is a lack of understanding of how TIL\u0026rsquo;s surface adhesion ligands initiate and sustain adhesion interactions within the tumor vasculature, and how this may lead to improved engraftment of TILs to the tumor microenvironment. As such, the overall objective of this project is to utilize engineered microfluidic devices that enable the interrogation of adhesive behavior of cells under relevant hemodynamic forces to 1) analyze how cell adhesion is regulated by different microenvironments of the tumor vasculature, 2) determine what adhesion receptors, cytokines, and activation markers are present in highly adhesive cells and 3) determine if high adhesivity leads to increase tumor engraftment and therapeutic effects. Using \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E microfluidic devices that mimic the hemodynamic environment of the tumor vasculature, we have elucidated the cellular characteristics of CD8+ T cells associated with selectin-mediated adhesion in flow. This work will provide insight into which subpopulation of CD8+ T cells is the most appropriate for enhanced tumor homing for ACT.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Adhesion analysis of CD8+ T cells using engineered microfluidic platforms to interrogate extravasation capacity for adoptive cell therapy\u0026quot; -Camila Camargo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Adhesion analysis of CD8+ T cells using engineered microfluidic platforms to interrogate extravasation capacity for adoptive cell therapy\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-05-31 16:36:42","changed_gmt":"2022-05-31 20:51:09","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-06-13T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-06-13T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-06-13T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-06-13 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-06-13 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-06-13 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658599":{"#nid":"658599","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal  Presentation- Lindsey Trejo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGreg Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung Jang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESabrina Lee, Ph.D. (Simon Fraser University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERich Mahoney, Ph.D. (Intuitive)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe interaction of passive and active ankle exoskeletons with age-related physiological changes to improve metabolic cost\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDifficulties with mobility were the most commonly reported disability for those age 65 and over. It is well known that older adults are slower and less economical during walking compared to young. This is thought to be brought on by reduced ankle push off power and a redistribution of positive power generation to more proximal joints (e.g., hip). Ankle exoskeletons have been shown to increase ankle push off, increase self-selected speed and reduce metabolic cost in young adults for a near immediate improvement in walking performance. There is a \u003Cem\u003Ecritical gap\u003C\/em\u003E in understanding whether beneficial exoskeleton assistance strategies for younger adults will also benefit older adults and if so, what the underlying mechanism is that enables exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost across age. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOlder adults have more compliant tendons than young, or a less stiff spring, operate with shorter less optimal muscle lengths, and exhibit reduced push-off power leading to a loss of the \u0026lsquo;spring in their step\u0026rsquo;. This necessitates higher muscle activations and reliance on muscles at less efficient joints like the hips, increasing metabolic cost during walking. Passive ankle exoskeletons have been shown in younger adults to lower the demand at the ankle, optimize complicated muscle-tendon dynamics during stance, and reduce metabolic cost. Muscle level changes in young adults in response to ankle exoskeletons to reduce metabolic cost led to wondering how ankle exoskeletons interact with age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost. The near-term \u003Cem\u003Eobjective\u003C\/em\u003E of my work, is to evaluate the calf muscles and tendon\u0026rsquo;s role in modifying metabolic cost during walking with (i) passive, and (ii) active ankle exoskeletons across age. My \u003Cem\u003Ecentral hypothesis\u003C\/em\u003E is that ankle exoskeletons can offset age-related changes in physiology to reduce metabolic cost to that of young walking economy. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI will use electromyography to measure muscle activity, B-mode ultrasound to track muscle level changes, and a portable indirect calorimetry system to measure metabolic cost in young and older adults with passive and active exoskeleton conditions. It is anticipated that these Aims will yield a greater understanding of how people interact with ankle exoskeletons to modify metabolic cost. These outcomes are expected to improve the design and control of ankle exoskeletons to improve the cost of walking across age, leading to greater mobility and increased quality of life. This will also clarify whether passive or active control is best for young or older adults. Passive devices are lighter weight, require less maintenance, and easier to conceal but they are less tunable and have shown lower reductions in metabolic cost. Active devices can be optimized for each person and provide more assistance at any timepoint in the gait cycle. However, motors and batteries make a lightweight device difficult to create and complicates usage with maintenance, battery life, bulkiness, and noise. This work will pave the way for studies in more functional measures such as increasing self-selected walking speed, improving balance, and reducing fatigue that may translate more directly to improved quality of life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal \u0026nbsp;Presentation- \u0026quot;The interaction of passive and active ankle exoskeletons with age-related physiological changes to improve metabolic cost \u0026quot; - Lindsey Trejo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022The interaction of passive and active ankle exoskeletons with age-related physiological changes to improve metabolic cost \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-05-31 16:33:30","changed_gmt":"2022-05-31 16:33:30","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-06-08T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-06-08T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-06-08T15:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-06-08 17:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-06-08 19:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-06-08 19:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658192":{"#nid":"658192","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Michelle Quizon","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s J. Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThesis Committee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEdward A. Botchwey, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERebecca D. Levit, M.D. (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEdward A. Phelps, Ph.D. (University of Florida)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic, debilitating disease\u0026nbsp; characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing b-cells located within pancreatic islets. The gold standard for T1D cell therapy is clinical islet transplantation (CIT), the infusion of islets through the hepatic portal vein. While CIT recipients demonstrate enhanced blood glucose control,\u0026nbsp; the procedure is limited to a marginal subset of T1D patients, in part due to the inhospitable nature of the intrahepatic site Indeed, an expected \u0026gt;60% loss of therapeutic cargo is expected within three days following transplantation. Thus, there is a significant need to establish an alternative extrahepatic transplant site that supports the engraftment of islets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe subcutaneous space is an attractive extrahepatic transplant site for T1D cell therapy given its high clinical potential in terms of surgical accessibility, ease of monitoring, and convenience for replenishment and\/or retrieval of therapeutic cargo. However, the unmodified subcutaneous space lacks adequate vascularization necessary to preserve functional islets. An elegant, facile strategy to promote neovascularization is the biomaterial-mediated delivery of proangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The objective of this project is to engineer injectable VEGF-delivering synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG] hydrogels that promote islet vascularization, engraftment, and function in the subcutaneous space. My central hypothesis is that the VEGF-delivering hydrogel can be tuned to do so.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo test my hypothesis, I will first identify VEGF-PEG hydrogel formulations that support islet vascularization using an \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E platform of vascularized islets. Next, I will evaluate lead VEGF-PEG hydrogel formulations in their ability to promote allogeneic islet vascularization, engraftment, and function in the subcutaneous spaces of diabetic rats and nondiabetic pigs. My work will result in an optimized injectable hydrogel for islet vascularization, engraftment, and function. Most significantly, it will provide a solid foundation for future work in a translational diabetic large animal model.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Synthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u0026quot;-\u0026nbsp; Michelle Quizon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic hydrogels for islet vascularization and engraftment in the subcutaneous space\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-05-13 14:12:54","changed_gmt":"2022-05-13 14:12:54","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-05-31T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-05-31T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-05-31T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-05-31 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-05-31 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-05-31 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658191":{"#nid":"658191","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense- Maggie Manspeaker","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u003C\/strong\u003ESusan Thomas, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHaydn Kissick, PhD (Emory University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe advent of immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), to treat advanced cancers has drastically improved outcomes for some patients. These ICB mAbs work by blocking inhibitory immune checkpoint pathways and more recently have been shown to cause a proliferative burst of effector T cells attributable to a subset of antigen-specific CD8 T cells with stem cell-like properties, which are thought to reside in lymphoid tissues and in particular tumor\u0026ndash;draining lymph nodes (TdLNs). TdLNs are a critically important tissue that mediates the mounting of effective anti-tumor immunity and are central in the response to ICB immunotherapy both due to active immune checkpoints in TdLNs and their role in housing CD8 stem-like cells. However, despite the promising clinical advances ICB mAbs represent, some patients experience no clinical benefit from therapy, leading to an increase in clinical investigations into various combination therapies that enhance patient response, such as adjuvants and chemotherapies. Additionally, success of cancer therapeutics is often stymied by low accumulation in target tissues and off-target effects. Therefore, a better understanding of how these combination therapies interact with the TdLN and resulting immune response is needed, which can be enabled with the use of nanotechnologies that improve therapeutic efficacy while avoiding success-limiting off-target effects. As such, the overall objective of this project is to use nanotechnologies that enable drug accumulation in the TdLN to 1) investigate how nanotechnology alters the efficacy of combination chemo- and immunotherapy and characterize the involvement of the TdLN in anti-tumor immunity following treatment, and to 2) elucidate the dynamics of CD8 stem-like T cells in response to adjuvant and ICB combination therapy, and characterize the efficacy of engineered drug delivery nanotechnologies on these combinations. This work will provide insight into role of the TdLN, and dynamics of important cell populations within, in the efficacy of drug and ICB combination therapies with clinical relevance and inform promising future therapeutic strategies for cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense- \u0026quot;Engineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u0026quot; -Maggie Manspeaker\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-05-13 14:10:32","changed_gmt":"2022-05-13 14:10:32","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-05-19T10:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-05-19T12:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-05-19T12:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-05-19 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-05-19 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-05-19 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657898":{"#nid":"657898","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Elio Challita","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ESaad Bhamla, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDavid Hu, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESunghwan \u0026lsquo;Sunny\u0026rsquo; Jung, Ph.D. (Cornell University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESheila Patek, Ph.D. (Duke University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESimon Sponberg, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFast, furious, and frugal: Principles of drops, jets, and damping in extreme invertebrates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eand design of low-cost scientific tools\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESharpshooter insects (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) are pierce-sucking insects that feed on plant\u0026rsquo;s xylem fluid. Due to the poor nutritious content of the xylem sap, sharpshooter insects extract almost 300 times their body weight worth in plant fluids. To prevent fluidic buildup, these insects discharge their liquid excreta in the form of discrete water droplets before flinging them away using a resilin-based biological spring found in their anal stylus. In this thesis, we consider this distinctive droplet-catapulting phenomenon observed in sharpshooter insects during excretion. Through an experimental, mathematical and computational approach, we explore the physical limits of such a unique droplet propulsion strategy and show why it is energetically favorable for these insects to fling their droplet excreta instead of using other mechanisms such as \u0026lsquo;jetting\u0026rsquo; and \u0026lsquo;dripping\u0026rsquo;. Using dimensionless analysis, we show how biological organisms living in a world governed by surface tension develop exquisite strategies to overcome capillary adhesion during fluidic ejection.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn parallel, we present a mathematical framework for the arrest and damping of ultra-fast movements in biological organisms. We consider the behavior of two organisms: the rapid launch of slingshot spiders (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) and the controlled landing springtails (Arthropoda: Collembola) at the water-air surface.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinally, we define the principles of curiosity-driven frugal science. We discuss two open-hardware devices: Trackoscope, a low-cost microscope for autonomously tracking micro-organisms; and Opencell, a low-cost platform for synthetic biology that reproduces the functionality of three ubiquitous devices - a cell disruptor, microcentrifuge, and vortex mixer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Fast, furious, and frugal: Principles of drops, jets, and damping in extreme invertebrates and design of low-cost scientific tools\u0026quot; - Elio Challita\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Fast, furious, and frugal: Principles of drops, jets, and damping in extreme invertebrates and design of low-cost scientific tools\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-05-03 15:51:35","changed_gmt":"2022-05-03 15:52:15","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-05-10T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-05-10T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-05-10T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-05-10 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-05-10 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-05-10 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657653":{"#nid":"657653","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Bryan Wang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, Ph.D. (Advisor), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECarolyn Yeago, Ph.D. (Co-Advisor), Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026amp; Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFani Boukuvala, Ph.D. School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStephen Balakirsky, Ph.D., Georgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProcess Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECell therapies have the potential to effectively treat and even cure complex, currently untreatable diseases with unprecedented success. Despite the tremendous promise, significant and unique challenges must be overcome to make cell therapy manufacturing reproducible, scalable, high-quality, and cost-effective.\u0026nbsp;The many challenges of cell therapy manufacturing are primarily because the therapy itself is composed of live cells. Cells are highly responsive to their surrounding conditions and endure rigorous processing from procurement to administration into a patient. The upstream cell expansion process is critical for producing high-yield and high-quality cell products. This step utilizes bioreactors as a unit operation to cultivate desired cell types. Current bioreactors for cell therapies are unresponsive, manual, and poorly characterized for each specific product. Process analytical technology (PAT) is a system to characterize, monitor, and eventually control the process to ensure final product quality. PAT is a powerful tool that has been successfully implemented in the pharmaceutical industry but remains mostly unexplored in the cell therapy industry. This thesis project aims to (1) design bench-scale bioreactors and processes configurable to PAT integration; (2) utilize PAT and biological assays to characterize expansion processes and products to determine critical process parameters; (3) compare different bioreactor types and use PAT to understand how process parameters contribute to product differences. The overall approach will be applied to two different cell types: Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and T Cells, each requiring a unique culture environment. The overall objective of this thesis is to leverage engineering tools to better understand the biology behind the cell expansion processes in bioreactors. The central hypothesis is that bioreactors can effectively expand therapeutic cells, and PAT integration on bioreactors can enhance process understanding and mitigate risks associated with at-scale cell therapy manufacturing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Process Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u0026quot; - Bryan Wang\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Process Development and Process Analytical Technology Integration for Cell Therapy Manufacturing\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-27 13:41:59","changed_gmt":"2022-04-27 13:41:59","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-05-11T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-05-11T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-05-11T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-05-11 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-05-11 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-05-11 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657508":{"#nid":"657508","#data":{"type":"event","title":"9th Annual BioE Day","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECelebrating the 30th anniversary of IBB\u0026#39;s interdisciplinary Bioengineering program.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPresentations from 2022 BioE Award Winners, featured BioE Alum Seminar, Rapid Fire Thesis Competition, and Outstanding Abstract Presentations. Lunch to be served.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/9th-annual-bioe-day-may-13-2022\u0022\u003EBioE Day Website\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOpen to all Bioengineering Students and Faculty!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Georgia Tech\u0027s interdisciplinary Bioengineering program."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2022-04-22 15:35:22","changed_gmt":"2022-04-22 15:53:27","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-05-13T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-05-13T18:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-05-13T18:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-05-13 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-05-13 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-05-13 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"},{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:m.gonzalez@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMercedes Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/spencerzhang@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHanhao Spencer Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657380":{"#nid":"657380","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Troy Batugal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERavi S. Kane, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBlair Brettmann, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECorey Wilson, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MODIFIED LYTIC ENZYMES AND NANOPARTICLE-BASED VACCINES TO COMBAT \u003Cem\u003ES. AUREUS\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere is an imminent threat posed by the expanding list of \u0026ldquo;superbugs\u0026rdquo; or antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause life-threatening infections. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one such superbug that is easily spread in hospitals and within communities. Many therapeutics fail to adequately treat infections caused by MRSA, leaving clinicians and patients with few options such as last resort antibiotics. The rapid pace of evolution of antimicrobial resistance to new and last resort antibiotics necessitates research and development of viable alternative strategies for preventing and treating infections. Our approach for tackling this growing public health concern involves three aims: incorporation of reactive handles into lytic enzymes, modification of lytic enzymes to reduce their immunogenicity, and designing vaccines that elicit broadly protective antibodies against \u003Cem\u003ES. aureus\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst, lytic enzymes such as lysostaphin are modular antimicrobials that could have activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Engineering these enzymes with reactive moieties can greatly broaden their potential applications to include incorporation in wound-healing biomaterials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESecond, the efficacy of lytic enzymes \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E is stymied by their low half-life and the potential to elicit an immune response. We offer two different approaches for reducing the immunogenicity of lytic enzymes: using site-specific pegylation or using site-specific glycosylation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThird, \u003Cem\u003ES. aureus\u003C\/em\u003E has an arsenal of toxins and mechanisms that facilitate evasion of the host immune system. A vaccine that can elicit broad protection against multiple\u003Cem\u003E S. aureus\u003C\/em\u003E toxins is needed to reduce infections and disease severity. We aim to design and characterize a protein-based vaccine against \u003Cem\u003ES. aureus\u003C\/em\u003E that can elicit antibodies that can neutralize multiple members of a family of \u003Cem\u003ES. aureus\u003C\/em\u003E toxins.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;DESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MODIFIED LYTIC ENZYMES AND NANOPARTICLE-BASED VACCINES TO COMBAT S. AUREUS \u0026quot; - Troy Batugal\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022DESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MODIFIED LYTIC ENZYMES AND NANOPARTICLE-BASED VACCINES TO COMBAT S. AUREUS \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-18 14:21:39","changed_gmt":"2022-04-18 14:21:39","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-26T11:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-26T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-26T13:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-26 15:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-26 17:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-26 17:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657189":{"#nid":"657189","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Elijah Holland","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECheng Zhu, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur Lam, Ph.D.(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D.(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJiangping Fu, Ph.D. (University of Michigan)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch1\u003EMechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h1\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDynamic cell-cell and cell-ECM (extracellular matrix) interactions regulate tissue morphogenesis and wound healing through modulating cellular processes such as differentiation and cell migration. Adhesive interactions function as the primary way cells turn upstream ECM cues into downstream cellular processes. Focal adhesions (FA), clusters of structural and signaling proteins, function as principal sites of force transfer and mechanotransduction. Previous studies in mechanobiology demonstrated that FAs are mechanosensitive, but the mechanism for how FAs are involved in mechanotransduction remains poorly defined. Recent studies have implicated FAs with yes associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator that can turn mechanical cues like substrate rigidity into changes in gene expression. These studies have shown that the inhibition of certain FA proteins has led to a reduction in YAP nuclear localization, and it was demonstrated that YAP also promotes the transcription of FA-related genes. This link needs to be explored; however, this can only be accomplished with an experimental platform with high spatiotemporal resolution. The objective of this project is to elucidate the mechanism by which cells take information at the cell periphery and communicate it to the nucleus. This proposal hypothesizes that FAs function as mechanosensors through focal adhesion kinase (FAK), where FAK impacts YAP nuclear localization by either modulating nuclear lamin phosphorylation or expression, therefore, altering nuclear stiffness or by modulating PLC\u0026gamma;1 activity, therefore, altering levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) which alters RAP2 activity, and that FAs utilize their quantity and spatial distribution across the cell to direct YAP nuclear localization. This hypothesis will be tested via three specific aims: (1) characterize the effect of FAK-talin-vinculin functionalities and interactions on YAP nuclear localization and YAP related transcriptional activity; (2) characterize the effects of FA number, area, and spatial distribution across the cell body on YAP nuclear localization and YAP related transcriptional activity; and (3) investigate whether FAK modulates YAP localization by regulating PLC\u0026gamma;1 activity leading to changes in RAP2 activity and YAP nuclear localization or by altering lamin expression or phosphorylation leading to changes in nuclear stiffness and nuclear pore organization which alters YAP nuclear localization. With these studies, an experimental platform with high spatiotemporal resolution will be generated; the molecular mechanism by which FAs and FAK impact YAP signaling will be explored; and new insights will be generated in mechanobiology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP \u0026quot; - Elijah Holland\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAK, and YAP \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-12 14:35:41","changed_gmt":"2022-04-12 14:35:41","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-20T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-20T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-20T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-20 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-20 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-20 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"657076":{"#nid":"657076","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense- Anna Harrison","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOmer T. Inan, Ph.D. (Advisor) (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJ. Douglas Bremner, M.D. \u0026nbsp;(Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRobert J. Butera, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ETRANSCUTANEOUS CERVICAL VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the United States, opioid use disorder is quickly becoming a leading cause of death and a public health emergency.\u0026nbsp; Opioid dependence is incredibly debilitating and pervasive; even if patients would like to end opioid use, the extreme withdrawal symptoms often discourage patients.\u0026nbsp; Medication assisted treatment of opioid use disorder is the current gold standard for patient care, but patients must undergo a \u0026lsquo;washout\u0026rsquo; period wherein they are unable to use opioids or begin medication assisted treatment and are particularly susceptible to withdrawal symptoms and accidental overdose.\u0026nbsp; Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) is a treatment modality that has been proposed for opioid use disorder patients during this period of early abstinence, as this treatment effects the same brain regions that are responsible for withdrawal and craving symptoms.\u0026nbsp; Additionally, tcVNS offers a device-based (rather than medication-based), noninvasive, low-risk, inexpensive option for treatment of opioid use disorder.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis thesis outlines a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical study to determine the effectiveness of tcVNS for patients undergoing acute opioid withdrawal.\u0026nbsp; Several sensors were used to record biosignals and extract biomarkers of autonomic nervous system functionality; additionally, subjective surveys were used to determine patient perception of their withdrawal and craving symptoms.\u0026nbsp; Methodologies of biomarker extraction are explored, and the effectiveness of tcVNS for reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms is assessed.\u0026nbsp; Though more investigation is required, preliminary data suggests that tcVNS is effective in reducing withdrawal symptoms, pain, and distress; additionally, several biomarkers showed significant differences between active and sham groups, suggesting that autonomic nervous system activity is altered during tcVNS in patients undergoing active opioid withdrawal.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot; TRANSCUTANEOUS CERVICAL VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER\u0026quot; - Anna Harrison\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 TRANSCUTANEOUS CERVICAL VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-07 18:14:08","changed_gmt":"2022-04-07 18:14:08","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-18T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-18T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-18T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-18 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-18 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-18 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656994":{"#nid":"656994","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Mighten Yip","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECraig Forest, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMing-fai Fong, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChengzhi Shi, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Valenta, PhD (Georgia Tech Research Institute)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatt Rowan, PhD (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStephen Traynelis, PhD (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETowards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how the neurons of the brain communicate, connect, and respond to stimuli is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Whole-cell patch clamp recording in vitro represents the gold standard method for measuring electrophysiology, morphology, and connectivity properties of single neurons\u0026mdash;an ideal method for classifying neuronal cell types. Furthermore, the high spatiotemporal resolution provided by whole-cell patch clamping is particularly helpful in engineering better pharmacological, optogenetic, and chemigenetic effectors which can help lead to better tools to treat neural diseases and study the brain. However, the manual, laborious, and time-consuming nature of patch clamping experiments have limited the throughput and number of cells that can be sampled per day. To improve the throughput for these single cell, high spatiotemporal experiments, this work will focus on developing automated, robotic methods for cell-specific patch clamping to enable rapid characterization of cells to study their electrophysiological response to effectors and local synaptic connectivity. Towards this goal, I propose to (1) integrate automated patch clamping with discovery experiments for cellular indicators and effectors, (2) develop a machine learning algorithm for real-time neuron detection of neurons in brain slices for in vitro patch clamping, and (3) create a coordinated multi-pipette patch clamp algorithm for enabling high throughput synaptic connectivity studies. The development of these technologies will create a system that allows for high-efficiency experiments that yield multimodal cellular electrophysiology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Towards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u0026quot; -Mighten Yip\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Towards automation of multimodal cellular electrophysiology\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-05 15:11:46","changed_gmt":"2022-04-05 15:15:16","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-13T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-13T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-13T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-13 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-13 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-13 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656995":{"#nid":"656995","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense - Seleipiri Charles","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EZhexing Wen, Ph.D. (Emory School of Medicine)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur Lam, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMicrofluidic tools for studying development in embryos and brain organoids\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDevelopment in multicellular organisms is a complex process requiring multiple intracellular and extracellular signaling events. High content screening tools enable the cellular and subcellular assessment of developmental changes, which in turn have led to a variety of genetic, pharmacological, and therapeutic advancements involving multicellular organisms. Developing high-content screening tools for multicellular systems requires high-resolution imaging of protein and gene expression changes, a relatively large number of samples to better characterize inter and intra-population differences, and multiplexed readouts using the same sample to obtain layered information about developmental changes. Microfluidics can address these challenges by enabling high magnification imaging, parallelization, rapid reagent delivery and exchange, and lower reagent consumption. Hence, this\u0026nbsp;thesis\u0026nbsp;seeks to address high content screening challenges that affect the study of development in active areas of research in my lab using microfluidics:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;embryogenesis and cellular development of brain organoids. This thesis will demonstrate this through three specific aims that involve developing and improving microfluidic-based technology and assays for large-scale imaging and characterization. As a result, I will develop a microfluidic-based assay for conducting high temporal resolution measurements of gene expression changes during\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;embryogenesis using single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (aim 1). Next, I developed an integrated platform to enable robust and long-term culturing of brain organoids. I designed a mesofluidic bioreactor device based on a unique diffusion-reaction scaling theory, which achieves convective media exchange for sufficient nutrient delivery in long-term culture (aim 2). Finally, I modified aspects of the integrated platform developed in aim 2 to enable live and longitudinal imaging of organoids during culture for \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E characterization of cell quality and differentiation (aim 3). Combining high throughput microfluidic technology with high content imaging tools will improve the characterization of factors affecting development in these two biological systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBioE PhD Defense -\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Microfluidic tools for studying development in embryos and brain organoids \u0026quot; -Seleipiri Charles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Microfluidic tools for studying development in embryos and brain organoids \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-04-05 15:14:37","changed_gmt":"2022-04-05 15:14:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-18T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-18T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-18T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-18 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-18 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-18 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656804":{"#nid":"656804","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Emily Upton","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAaron Young, Ph.D. (Advisor) (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGregory Sawicki, Ph.D. (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nTrisha Kesar, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExoskeleton Assistance with Vibrotactile and Auditory Biofeedback for Post-Stroke Gait Retraining\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStroke is the leading cause of disability in America with 80% of post-stroke individuals left with gait impairments. Rehabilitation post-stroke is very important to encourage, retrain, and assist proper gait mechanics. Usually, post-stroke gait is highly asymmetric between the affected and non-affected limbs. Due to hemiplegia on the affected limb, a smaller ankle moment causes reduced propulsion and slower walking speed. Using various rehabilitation strategies (including exoskeletons and biofeedback), these deficits can be reduced, and gait can be improved. It is unknown how the combination of biofeedback and exoskeleton assistance changes the kinematic, kinetic, and spatiotemporal outcomes of post-stroke individuals. In this thesis, a biofeedback system was created to measure the trailing limb angle in real-time and provide vibrotactile and auditory biofeedback to the user. By targeting the trailing limb angle, propulsion and walking speed can be improved. Experiments were performed to analyze the effects of an ankle exoskeleton and hip exoskeleton with and without biofeedback on post-stroke individuals. This was done to determine whether the combination of exoskeleton assistance and biofeedback improves propulsion and walking speed more than the paradigms alone and when compared to baseline. This thesis covers the design of the biofeedback system, the experimental procedures performed, and analysis of the results of each experiment. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Exoskeleton Assistance with Vibrotactile and Auditory Biofeedback for Post-Stroke Gait Retraining\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp; Emily Upton\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Exoskeleton Assistance with Vibrotactile and Auditory Biofeedback for Post-Stroke Gait Retraining \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-03-30 12:53:22","changed_gmt":"2022-03-30 12:53:22","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-11T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-11T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-11T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-11 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-11 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-11 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-852-5232\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656803":{"#nid":"656803","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Gilad Doron","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERobert Guldberg, PhD (University of Oregon)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENick Willett, PhD (University of Oregon)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi Wood, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Evans, PhD (Mayo Clinic)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle: \u003C\/strong\u003ECulture Systems for controlling mesenchymal stromal cell, protein, and cell-secreted protein release\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are highly-secretory cells that are of great clinical interest, due to their immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative properties when transplanted \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo. \u003C\/em\u003EDespite their clinical potential, current methods commonly used for MSC culture are unsuitable for their production as secretory cell therapies at clinical- or commercial scales. Furthermore, their development has been limited by a poor understanding of mechanisms regulating MSC secretory and therapeutic function. Comprehensive investigation of different conditioning strategies and culture systems is needed to identify those critical to improving the production of MSCs and MSC-secreted factors. Doing so may also reveal key cellular processes controlling therapeutic factor release, which may be further leveraged to improve MSC potency.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe long-term goal of this thesis was to develop culture systems for better understanding and controlling the release of cells, proteins, and cell-secreted proteins towards improved MSC scaling and, ultimately, potency as a therapeutic product. First, multiomics characterization of MSCs cultured in monolayer and as aggregates was performed to evaluate changes to cell physiology corresponding with enhanced secretory activity. Additionally, MSCs were cultured on hydrogel substrates with different mechanical and biochemical properties to determine those most important for controlling MSC proliferation and secretion. Next, one critical culture substrate property (stiffness) was utilized to develop microcarriers for improving secretion by genetically-modified MSCs. Lastly, a novel culture substrate responsive to Factor Xa was developed for on-demand release of MSCs from culture, as well as for the release of proteins for therapeutic applications. Overall, this work provides strategies for better interrogating and improving MSC bioactive factor release, which may be used to further develop highly efficacious MSC-based therapies, as well as other therapies that rely on responsive release of bioactive agents.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Culture Systems for controlling mesenchymal stromal cell, protein, and cell-secreted protein release\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp; Gilad Doron\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Culture Systems for controlling mesenchymal stromal cell, protein, and cell-secreted protein release\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-03-30 12:43:33","changed_gmt":"2022-03-30 12:43:33","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-11T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-11T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-11T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-11 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-11 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-11 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656346":{"#nid":"656346","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Presentation- Vidisha Goyal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERoss C. Ethier, Ph.D. (Advisor) (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBrandon Dixon, Ph.D. (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPamela T. Bhatti, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp; (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeep Learning-based Optic Nerve Analysis\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAxon loss and degeneration are used to quantify the progression of several neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, etc. in animal models. In glaucoma, the gold standard for quantifying nerve health post-mortem is manual counting of axons from light micrographs of the optic nerve, which is subjective and laborious. This research is focused on developing a deep-learning model to segment normal-appearing axons, their axoplasm, and myelin sheath, from whole optic nerve images. These segmentation maps are fed into an image-processing pipeline for post-processing and for computing morphometric properties such as axoplasmic area, eccentricity, diameter, etc. With this technology, we will be able to answer important questions such as \u0026ldquo;Which axon size is preferentially damaged during glaucoma?\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;How does axon morphology change with increase optic nerve damage?\u0026rdquo; etc. Therefore, a reference RGC axonal atlas for Brown Norway rats was also constructed.\u0026nbsp;A reference atlas of optic nerve RGC axonal morphological metrics could facilitate studies of neuro-ophthalmic diseases, such as glaucoma, by allowing sensitive detection of subtle RGC axonal changes and help answer some of the questions posed above. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Deep Learning-based Optic Nerve Analysis \u0026quot; Vidisha Goyal\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Deep Learning-based Optic Nerve Analysis \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-03-15 13:30:25","changed_gmt":"2022-03-15 13:30:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-04-15T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-04-15T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-04-15T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-04-15 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-04-15 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-04-15 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656147":{"#nid":"656147","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Saeyoung Kim","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvisor: \u003Cstrong\u003EBrooks D. Lindsey\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStanislav Emelianov\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlessandro Veneziani\u003C\/strong\u003E (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Oshinski\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECostas D. Arvanitis\u003C\/strong\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevelopment of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECoronary artery disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease, affecting \u0026gt; 18 million adults, and is responsible for \u0026gt; 365 k deaths per year in the U.S. alone. Wall shear stress (WSS) is an indicator of likelihood of plaque rupture in the coronary artery disease, however, non-invasive estimation of 3D blood flow velocity and WSS is challenging due to the requirement for high spatial resolution at deep penetration depths. For this reason, catheter-based forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound (FV IVUS) imaging system is being developed to estimate real-time 3D velocity fields. This study aims to develop a velocity and WSS estimation technique for a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound array transducer in a coronary artery with an intermediate stenosis. The Aims of this project are: 1) Ultrasound-based blood flow velocity and WSS estimation approaches will be compared in a patient-specific coronary artery geometry, 2) motion correction techniques will be developed and implemented to accurately estimate WSS even in the presence of dynamic cardiac motion, and 3) the developed techniques will be evaluated in an \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E coronary environment. This work will determine the accuracy of ultrasound-based blood flow velocity and WSS estimation techniques using a forward-viewing, high frequency ultrasound transducer for characterizing the coronary environment and assessing plaque vulnerability.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Development of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u0026quot;-\u0026nbsp;Saeyoung Kim\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of a forward-viewing high frequency ultrasound for velocity and wall shear stress estimation in coronary arteries\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2022-03-09 14:57:06","changed_gmt":"2022-03-09 14:57:06","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2022-03-21T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2022-03-21T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2022-03-21T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2022-03-21 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2022-03-21 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2022-03-21 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"653352":{"#nid":"653352","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Jacob Davis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEberhard Voit, Ph.D. (Advisor) (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSam Brown, Ph.D. (Advisor)\u0026nbsp; (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMelissa Kemp, Ph.D\u0026nbsp; (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nArlene Stecenko, M.D. (Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMark Styczynski, Ph.D (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDenis Tsygankov, Ph.D (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExperimental and Computational Analysis of Pathogen Emergence and Antibiotic Resistance in a Cystic Fibrosis Airway Infection Model\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe human body harbors at least twice as many bacteria cells as human cells. Most of these bacteria are harmless, but the emergence of pathogens is common in many human body systems. Treatment of these infections are often with antibiotics can have non-target effects and remove protective flora from the body. This dissertation project was designed to create a model system of airway bacterial communities that is amenable to the development of effective experimental and computational investigations that shed light on pathogen emergence and antibiotic resistance. For the experimental analysis, I will transform three common bacterial species in human airways with the goal of making them easily quantifiable with available microscopic and spectrophotometric techniques. The bacteria will be grown in a minimal medium and their dynamics will be studied. To quantify the interactions among the different species and predict the dynamics of the community under different settings, mathematical models within the Lotka-Volterra framework will be developed and parameterized. Validation will be performed with a synthetic sputum medium in a porcine lung model. Select metabolites in the model community will be tracked over time, using mass spectrometry and enzymatic assays. Community resistance to a common beta-lactam antibiotic will be studied by tracking how the antibiotic is hydrolyzed by beta-lactamase enzymes of non-targeted species. The existing modeling framework will be expanded to incorporate this antibiotic and metabolic data in the community model. Although the community size of the model system will be small - to allow for comprehensive data generation - this experimental and mathematical system will constitute a prototype for investigating larger models that can be used to predict how pathogens survive in different communities and under altered environmental conditions and antibiotic treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Experimental and Computational Analysis of Pathogen Emergence and Antibiotic Resistance in a Cystic Fibrosis Airway Infection Model\u0026quot; - Jacob Davis\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Experimental and Computational Analysis of Pathogen Emergence and Antibiotic Resistance in a Cystic Fibrosis Airway Infection Model\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:43:56","changed_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:43:56","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-20T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-20T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-20T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-20 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-20 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-20 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"653351":{"#nid":"653351","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Phillip Tran","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Jaydev P. Desai (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Omer Inan (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Boris Prilutsky (School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Greg Sawicki (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Aaron Young (School of Mechanical\u0026nbsp;Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETitle:\u0026nbsp;Development of a tendon-driven, voice-controlled soft robotic hand exoskeleton\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFunctional hand movement is an important component of many activities of daily living, such as using a phone or eating. Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can severely impact hand motor and sensory function, and accordingly, patients with SCI are often unable to complete basic everyday tasks without assistance. The focus of this proposed work is to develop and evaluate a robotic system to improve hand and finger functionality during the performance of everyday tasks in individuals with hand dysfunction. First, a tendon-driven, voice-controlled soft robotic assistive hand exoskeleton is designed and developed with the purpose of providing active assistance to users during grasping and pinching motions. Second, a self-sealing suction cup is developed and integrated into an exoskeleton system to explore alternate strategies for the manipulation of objects. Finally, the developed exoskeleton system is evaluated on individuals with and without hand dysfunction to characterize the performance of the system in clinically relevant settings. Successful completion of the proposed work will result in a step towards a clinically relevant assistive robotic system for individuals with hand dysfunction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Development of a tendon-driven, voice-controlled soft robotic hand exoskeleton\u0026quot; - Phillip Tran\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development of a tendon-driven, voice-controlled soft robotic hand exoskeleton\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:40:45","changed_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:40:45","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-14T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-14T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-14T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-14 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-14 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-14 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"653350":{"#nid":"653350","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Adriana Mulero- Russe","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAndre\u0301s Garci\u0301a, Ph.D.,\u0026nbsp;School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichael A. Helmrath, M.D., Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children\u0026rsquo;s Hospital Medical Center\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D. School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAsma Nusrat, M.D., Department of Pathology University of Michigan\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohnna S. Temenoff, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered Synthetic Platform for Human Intestinal Organoid Generation and Delivery\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuman intestinal organoids (HIOs) are three-dimensional (3D) multicellular structures, derived from either adult intestinal stem cells or human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), that recapitulate human intestinal tissue architecture. HIOs are a promising cell source for intestinal tissue repair, disease modeling, and drug screening. Previous work has demonstrated that HIOs engraft to the injured intestinal wall in vivo, however, these approaches are significantly limited by the lack of an appropriate delivery vehicle to drive HIO engraftment. HIO generation from hPSCs is a multi-stage directed differentiation process comprising three stages: (I) a definitive endoderm 2D monolayer, (II) self-organized 3D aggregates (human intestinal spheroids, HIS), and (III) intestinal specification into HIOs within a 3D extracellular matrix. This in vitro culture process spans a 2D growth substrate (stage I and II) to a 3D matrix (stage III). The growth stages (2D and 3D) are supported by Matrigel, a murine tumor-derived basement membrane extract with ill-defined composition, lot-to-lot variability, and limited clinical translation potential presenting a major roadblock to HIOs clinical translation. Another roadblock to HIO technologies is the low yield and consistency of HIS differentiation in HIOs. The objectives of this project are to (1) engineer a synthetic hydrogel platform with independent control of the biochemical and biophysical cues guiding the entire\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;in vitro\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Edifferentiation of hPSCs into HIOs, and (2) deliver HIOs in a synthetic coating to intestinal injuries\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E. The central hypothesis of this work is that engineering a PEG-based synthetic matrix to support HIO\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;generation and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Edelivery will increase the reproducibility, yield, and clinical translatability of this transformative organoid technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Engineered Synthetic Platform for Human Intestinal Organoid Generation and Delivery \u0026quot; - Adriana Mulero- Russe\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered Synthetic Platform for Human Intestinal Organoid Generation and Delivery \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:37:58","changed_gmt":"2021-12-02 20:37:58","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-15T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-15T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-15T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-15 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-15 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-15 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"653221":{"#nid":"653221","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Sri Krishna Sivakumar","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisors\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELakshmi Dasi, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. John Oshinski, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Ajit P. Yoganathan, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Brandon Dixon, Ph.D., School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Vinod H. Thourani, M.D., Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Piedmont Heart Institute\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPredicting the Biomechanics and risk of coronary obstruction in transcatheter aortic valve replacement using image-based computational modeling\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAortic valve stenosis (AS) is a disease caused by valve degeneration, most commonly due to calcific aortic valve disease, that affects 3% of all adults over 65 years of age and aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the only treatment option for patients with severe AS. Currently, transcatheter based approaches to aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are being widely adopted, especially in patients who are at increased risk of mortality from conventional open-heart surgery. However, adverse procedural complications such as coronary obstruction and aortic root rupture can severely impact the success of TAVR. Despite low incidence of such events, they can present high mortality rates of up to 40% at 30-day follow-up. Pre-procedural cardiac computed tomography (CT) imaging is often insufficient in visualizing the complex interactions between the transcatheter heart valve (THV) stent and the diseased aortic valve. Therefore, reliable prediction of occurrence of these complications based on CT measurements remains a challenge. The goal of this research is to (1) characterize the effects of device type, positioning and procedural adaptations such as valve fracture and alterations to filling volume of balloon-expanded THVs on the biomechanics of THV deployment using a validated computational framework, (2) create a quantitative predictive model for different modes of coronary obstruction and understand the effects of valve type, deployment on the risk of coronary obstruction, and (3) investigate the hemodynamics of coronary ostial flow after TAVR to better understand mechanisms surrounding delayed coronary obstruction using computational fluid dynamics. This study will improve the understanding of biomechanics of TAVR and its adaptations, thus leading to better patient selection. The integration of computational modeling in the procedural planning for TAVR could be the next major step towards reducing the rates of complications and maximize the success rate of TAVR.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;\u003Cstrong\u003EPredicting the Biomechanics and risk of coronary obstruction in transcatheter aortic valve replacement using image-based computational modeling\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026quot; -Sri Krishna Sivakumar\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Predicting the Biomechanics and risk of coronary obstruction in transcatheter aortic valve replacement using image-based computational modeling\u00a0\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-30 00:37:34","changed_gmt":"2021-11-30 00:37:34","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-07T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-07T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-07T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-07 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-07 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-07 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652967":{"#nid":"652967","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense - Venu Ganti","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOmer T. Inan, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDavid Frakes, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRishikesan Kamaleswaran, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJin-Oh Hahn, PhD\u0026nbsp;(University of Maryland, College Park)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAnimesh Tandon,\u0026nbsp;MD (Cleveland Clinic Children\u0026#39;s Hospital)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnabling Wearable\u0026nbsp;Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiomarkers such as blood pressure and stroke volume are instrumental to understanding the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, the monitoring of these hemodynamic parameters is still tethered to in-clinic measurements or is too unaccommodating and inconvenient for ubiquitous use. To address this gap, in this work, we explore seismocardiogram-based wearable multimodal sensing techniques to estimate and enable the use of digital biomarkers\u0026mdash;in particular, blood pressure and stroke volume. First, the performance of a multimodal, wrist-worn device capable of obtaining noninvasive pulse transit time measurements is used to estimate blood pressure in an unsupervised, at-home setting. Second, the feasibility of this wrist-worn device is comprehensively evaluated in a diverse and medically underserved population over the course of several perturbations used to modulate blood pressure through different pathways. Finally, the ability of wearable signals\u0026mdash;acquired from a custom chest-worn biosensor\u0026mdash;to noninvasively quantify stroke volume in patients with congenital heart disease is examined in a hospital setting. Collectively, this work demonstrates the advancements necessary towards enabling noninvasive, longitudinal, and accurate measurements of these biomarkers in remote settings, which offers to advance health equity and disease monitoring in low-resource settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense - \u0026quot;Enabling Wearable Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing Systems\u0026quot; - Venu Ganti\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Enabling Wearable Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing Systems\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:26:43","changed_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:26:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-01T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-01T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-01T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-01 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-01 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-01 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652966":{"#nid":"652966","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense- Matthew Cribb","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJ. Brandon Dixon, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSusan Thomas, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nKrishnendu Roy, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRudolph Gleason, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMark Nicolls,\u0026nbsp;MD (Stanford University School of Medicine)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInvestigation of functional lymphatic changes and the immune response during lymphedema development\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe lymphatic system serves important roles in fluid balance and immune system regulation within the body. Through both passive and active transport of fluid, the lymphatic network transports interstitial fluid back into the circulatory system. When the lymphatic system fails, that excess fluid can no longer be properly transported back into the circulation. This leads to a disease called lymphedema, which manifests as swelling of distal limbs and normally occurs following injury to the lymphatic network. The mechanisms of lymphedema development are not completely understood, but the immune response is known to play an important role in lymphedema pathogenesis. The main goal of this thesis is to investigate both the functional response of the intact lymphatic vasculature and changes in leukocyte populations within draining lymph nodes (dLNs) during lymphedema progression. In the first aim, we used near-infrared (NIR) imaging techniques to quantify changes in lymphatic function \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E following induction of lymphedema in mice using a novel lymphedema model. We specifically investigated the effect of two potential therapeutic mechanisms, antagonism of leukotriene B\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E (LTB\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E) production and deletion of epsin, on lymphatic function following lymphedema surgery. Further \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eex vivo\u003C\/em\u003E analysis was performed to elucidate potential mechanisms regulating the effect of LTB\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E on lymphatic contractile function. In the second aim, we used flow cytometry to investigate changes in leukocyte populations within dLNs during acute lymphedema progression. Our novel lymphedema model leaves a pair of intact collecting lymphatic vessels on one side of the mouse tail while other tail lymphatics are ligated, allowing for analysis of the immune response within dLNs experiencing differences in drainage. Further analysis using a nanoparticle delivery system was used to quantify differences in particle uptake between dLNs as lymphedema progressed. The effect of LTB\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E antagonism on the immune response was also elucidated. Overall, this work furthers understanding of the mechanisms driving lymphedema pathogenesis, by combining comprehensive analysis of changes in lymphatic contractile function \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003Eex vivo \u003C\/em\u003Ewith investigation of changes in the immune response within dLNs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense- \u0026quot;Investigation of functional lymphatic changes and the immune response during lymphedema development\u0026quot;- Matthew Cribb\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Investigation of functional lymphatic changes and the immune response during lymphedema development\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:22:42","changed_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:22:42","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-01T13:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-01T15:03:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-01T15:03:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-01 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-01 20:03:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-01 20:03:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652965":{"#nid":"652965","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal - Tong Yu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Todd Sulchek (School of Mechanical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Sunil Raikar (School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute,\u0026nbsp;Emory University))\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. James Dahlman (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Wilbur Lam (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Gabriel Kwong (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA biomechanics-based delivery strategy to primary immune cells for generating allogeneic cell therapy with multiple gene knockout\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGenetically engineered immune cells, such as those used in Chimeric Antigen Receptor-modified (CAR) T cell therapy and T Cell Receptor-modified (TCR-T) T cell therapy, have transformed the treatment of oncological diseases. Yet manufacturing of cell therapies faces challenges, including low scalability, inefficient workflow, and high production cost. Allogeneic T cell products, in which cells are sourced from healthy donors, genetically modified, and supplied to multiple patients, will greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing and shorten the treatment regimen. Manufacturing process for allogenic CAR-T and TCR-T cells requires genetic knockout of multiple genes related to foreign antigen presentation and recognition to improve safety and persistency of infused cells. Additionally, gene editing has been applied in negative regulator (e.g., PD1) knockout to improve CAR-T function against solid tumor, and in shared target antigen knockout to reduce CAR-T cell fratricide.\u0026nbsp; These applications demand a more efficient and safer strategy for gene reprogramming, which is unmet by current methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECRISPR\/Cas9 system is a powerful choice of gene reprogramming system. Because Cas9 protein induces DNA double stranded breaks (DSB) at targeted loci, multiplexed cas9\/gRNA delivery in one batch increases the possibility of chromosomal deletion and translocation, leading to genetic instability. A TCR-T cells carrying triple edits had 1-4% of cells harboring chromosomal translocation. These cells pose a direct safety concern to patients and lead to low in vivo fitness and persistence that results in low long-term potency\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E Therefore, a new gene editing workflow is needed to reduce incidence of multiple DSB.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal of this research project is to test a microfluidic cell transfection technology with the potential to permit multiple CRISPR edits with high transfection efficiency and viability, and minimal negative impact on genome stability and therapeutic potency. To achieve this goal, the proposed study will apply a microfluidic Volume Exchange for Convective Transfection (VECT) platform for biomechanical transfections. This study pursues 3 aims:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 1: Optimize VECT device for efficient delivery to primary T cells. \u003C\/strong\u003EWe will test various device design and fabrication method to achieve optimal transfection and cell viability.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 2: Demonstrate new editing workflows consisting of sequential triple gene editing and test impact on genome stability and CAR-T cell potency. \u003C\/strong\u003EWe will evaluate VECT\u0026rsquo;s ability to enable consecutive single gene knockout to avoid generating multiple DSB.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAim 3: Relate biomechanical features of T cell to transfection outcome. \u003C\/strong\u003EWe will test the hypothesis that VECT preferentially deliver to cells with certain mechanical features, and altering mechanics can improve transfection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal -\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;A biomechanics-based delivery strategy to primary immune cells for generating allogeneic cell therapy with multiple gene knockout\u0026quot;- Tong Yu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022A biomechanics-based delivery strategy to primary immune cells for generating allogeneic cell therapy with multiple gene knockout\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:18:09","changed_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:18:09","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-01T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-01T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-01T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-01 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-01 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-01 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652964":{"#nid":"652964","#data":{"type":"event","title":"MS Thesis Presentation- Nina Sara Fraticelli-Guzm\u00e1n","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECraig Forest, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDavid Hu, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichael Farrell, PhD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuantitative assessment of methods for bacterial and viral purification and concentration\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom water pathogen detection, SARS-CoV-2 detection, to biological weapon detection, the samples we analyze include much more than our target organism. To accurately detect our targets of choice, the use of various labor intensive, and at times costly techniques, have been used to purify and concentrate the target organism. In this work, we evaluate quick and easily implementable techniques for viral and bacterial purification and concentration. These methods are more cost effective and amenable towards automation, allowing for a decrease in not just cost, but also labor time. The research presented here characterizes the applicability of syringe filters and a tangential flow filtration device for the purification and concentration of bacteria and virus samples, respectively. Furthermore, automation of such systems were explored. We developed a fully automated method for double filter filtration to enable hands-free purification and concentration of bacteria in 5.5 minutes from 5 mL of input volume yielding a 42 \u0026plusmn; 13-fold enrichment improvement (n = 3). Furthermore, the purification and concentration of virus using a manually operated tangential flow filtration device was also explored and yielded modest concentration increases of around 2\u0026nbsp;with a 1,916 \u0026plusmn; 1,839-fold\u0026nbsp; (n = 3) enrichment improvement under one configuration.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMS Thesis Presentation\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Quantitative assessment of methods for bacterial and viral purification and concentration\u0026quot;-\u0026nbsp;Nina Sara Fraticelli-Guzm\u0026aacute;n\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Quantitative assessment of methods for bacterial and viral purification and concentration\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:13:00","changed_gmt":"2021-11-17 20:13:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-12-01T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-12-01T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-12-01T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-12-01 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-12-01 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-12-01 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652880":{"#nid":"652880","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Isaac Robinson","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Susan Thomas (School of Mechanical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Shuichi Takayama (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Edward Botchwey (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Adam Marcus (School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute,\u0026nbsp;Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Andr\u0026eacute;s Garcia (School of Mechanical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering method for characterization of dynamic cell migration with application for cancer metastasis investigation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENovel methods for understanding cell migration are constantly being engineered. However, such tools, while embraced by engineers, have not seen similar levels of adoption by mainstream biology research. There is, therefore, a need to develop not only useful investigational tools, but those that will also be largely accepted\/implemented in biological studies. Despite the numerous microfluidic devices that have been recently developed by engineers specifically for biological or medical investigation, many biological and medical researchers have continued with conventional assays or in vivo studies. To address this, one such conventional assay was identified and enhanced: a simple but ubiquitously used technology in biology for understanding chemotaxis called the Boyden chamber assay (BCA). Rather than design a microfluidic system that more efficiently and precisely does the job of this assay, but with engineering complexities that might deter non-engineers from adoption, it could be more impactful to couple the platform with simple but enhancing technology. Thus, the overall objective is to design a system that combines the ubiquity of BCAs with the high throughput, high resolution analysis capability of a cell photoconversion system in order to provide single cell resolution of transmigration over time. The central hypothesis is that the development of a platform with the capacity to fluorescently tag a cell based on the time at which it first migrates will provide key insights into dynamic migration characteristics that relate to individual cellular protein expression of cancer cells in varied metastatic-mimicking microenvironments. Understanding single cell behavior in this way will provide insight into metastatic cancer progression for use in development of migrastatic therapy. Beyond the direct impact in cancer research, this work will provide a method that can be implemented across many fields involving cell migration to investigate heterogenous cell migration dynamics at high resolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot; Engineering method for characterization of dynamic cell migration with application for cancer metastasis investigation\u0026quot; - Isaac Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 Engineering method for characterization of dynamic cell migration with application for cancer metastasis investigation\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-16 14:52:20","changed_gmt":"2021-11-16 14:52:20","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-11-29T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-11-29T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-11-29T13:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-11-29 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-11-29 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-11-29 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"652803":{"#nid":"652803","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal- Breandan Yeats","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELakshmi Dasi, Ph.D. (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAjit Yoganathan, Ph.D. (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Oshinski, Ph.D. (School of Biomedical Engineering\u0026nbsp;Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERudy Gleason, Ph.D. (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVinod H. Thourani, MD. (Department of Cardiovascular Surgery,\u0026nbsp;Piedmont Heart Institute )\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect and is associated with numerous pathologies including calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) which requires replacement of the native valve. Replacements are delivered through either surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) approaches. The number of TAVR in BAV cases is expected to increase substantially due to the recent removal of the FDA precautionary label for TAVR use in BAV patients and deemed safe in low-surgical risk patients. Two of the main concerns when treating BAV patients with TAVR are paravalvular regurgitation (PVR), a known associate of increased patient mortality, and long-term durability. Highly calcified BAV patients have shown increased incidence of PVR following TAVR. Additionally, stent asymmetry and undersizing are common in BAV patients both being indicators of reduced device durability however, very limited data exists on TAVR long-term durability in BAV patients. Determining the risk of these complications based on BAV anatomy is very difficult as current morphology classification systems do not encompass all aspects of the anatomy and there is limited data correlating anatomy to these outcomes beyond calcium scoring. The impact of device placement and balloon filling volume across varying BAV anatomies is also not fully understood. This research aims to (1) quantify the BAV anatomy and create a new quantitative parameterized aortic valve classification system, (2) assess BAV anatomical relationship to PVR, stent asymmetry, bioprosthetic leaflet stress, and bioprosthetic leaflet opening after TAVR, (3) evaluate the impact of TAVR placement and balloon filling volume on PVR, stent asymmetry, bioprosthetic leaflet stress, and bioprosthetic leaflet opening after TAVR. This study will be extremely valuable in understanding the aortic valve anatomy pertaining to different morphologies and the biomechanics of TAVR for BAV patients leading to more informed patient selection for TAVR and TAVR planning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal- \u0026quot;Biomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves \u0026quot; -Breandan Yeats\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Biomechanics of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Bicuspid Aortic Valves \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-11-12 18:04:50","changed_gmt":"2021-11-12 18:04:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-11-16T15:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-11-16T17:30:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-11-16T17:30:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-11-16 20:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-11-16 22:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-11-16 22:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"651986":{"#nid":"651986","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Andrew Short","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECorey Wilson, Ph.D. (Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERavi Kane, Ph.D. (School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu Platt, Ph.D. (School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatthew Realff, Ph.D. (School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEric Vogel, Ph.D. (School of Materials Science \u0026amp; Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext-Generation Genetic Memory for Synthetic Biology Applications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESynthetic biology seeks to mine engineerable components from complex natural biological systems and reapply them in a way that is amenable to predictive design and other engineering approaches, eventually developing new, useful applications. A significant gap in this approach is an ability to perform biological memory operations (genetic manipulations that permanently store the results of biological information-processing operations) efficiently and controllably. Site-specific recombinases are enzymes that catalyze permanent DNA rearrangements at specific DNA sequences, making them prime targets for use in biological memory circuits. However, these enzymes can be difficult to employ because only a small number of traditional genetic regulatory parts can effectively regulate their expression. We hypothesize that using DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) to sterically block the function of recombinases at their target DNA sequences will enable finer control over recombinase activity, a novel strategy we term \u0026ldquo;interception\u0026rdquo;. To investigate this hypothesis, we will build and test genetic memory circuits that apply interception to fluorescent reporter genes in E. coli. Aim 1 will demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of this approach on single-input deletion circuits. Aim 2 will develop multi-input memory information processing. Aim 3 will exploit a characteristic of recombinase-binding DNA sequences to generate up to six independent memory operations per recombinase, culminating in the development of a novel one-recombinase, seven-input memory array. Interception will enable stronger control over recombinase expression, reduced metabolic burden from their use, and the creation of more complex genetic memory operations. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Next-Generation Genetic Memory for Synthetic Biology Applications\u0026quot; - Andrew Short\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Next-Generation Genetic Memory for Synthetic Biology Applications\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-10-22 20:08:33","changed_gmt":"2021-10-22 20:08:33","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-11-02T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-11-02T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-11-02T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-11-02 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-11-02 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-11-02 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"651604":{"#nid":"651604","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Sri Krishna Sivakumar ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Lakshmi Dasi, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAjit P. Yoganathan, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Oshinski, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, Ph.D., School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVinod H. Thourani, M.D., Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Piedmont Heart Institute\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPredictive Computational Modeling of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAortic valve stenosis (AS) is a disease caused by valve degeneration, most commonly due to calcific aortic valve disease that affects 3% of all adults over 65 years of age. Based on severity, the aortic valve is replaced by a bioprosthetic aortic valve, either surgically or using a transcatheter approach. Currently, transcatheter based approaches to aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are being widely adopted, especially in patients who are at increased risk of mortality with conventional open-heart surgery. However, adverse procedural complications such as coronary obstruction and aortic root rupture can severely impact the success of the procedure. Despite the low incidence of such adverse outcomes after TAVR, they can present high mortality rates of up to 40% at 30-day follow-up. The biomechanics of TAVR complications are not fully understood. Pre-procedural cardiac computed tomography (CT) imaging is often insufficient in visualizing the complex interactions between the bioprosthetic stent and diseased aortic valve and therefore, reliable prediction of occurrence of these complications based on CT measurements remains a challenge. The goal of the proposed research is to develop a patient specific computational framework for TAVR, that is validated using post-procedural clinical imaging data, for use in risk assessment \u0026amp; planning to improve patient selection for TAVR. Finite element methods and computational fluid dynamics will be used to create the predictive models for simulating TAVR in patient specific geometries and for quantitative risk assessment of coronary obstruction. An in vitro flow simulator that allows for reliable reproduction of in vivo conditions in patient specific 3D printed geometries, as well as retrospective procedural outcomes, will be used to validate results from computational modeling and improve the robustness of the prediction. The integration of computational modeling in procedural planning could be the next major step towards reducing rates of complications and maximizing the success of TAVR.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Predictive Computational Modeling of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement\u0026quot; -\u0026nbsp; Sri Krishna Sivakumar\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Predictive Computational Modeling of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-10-12 15:09:19","changed_gmt":"2021-10-12 15:09:19","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-10-21T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-10-21T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-10-21T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-10-21 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-10-21 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-10-21 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"651603":{"#nid":"651603","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Hannah Viola","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShuichi Takayama, PhD (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, PhD (School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, PhD (School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Jocelyn Grunwell (Emory CHOA\/Pediatrics)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Rabindra Tirouvanziam (Emory Pediatrics)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA functional assay of neutrophil recruitment and activation for immunomodulatory drug screening\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis project will develop a functional cell-based assay for testing neutrophil-targeted therapeutics. We apply the assay to understand patient-specific differences in response to drugs for pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS). We hypothesize that therapeutics targeting neutrophil activation will elicit heterogeneous responses depending on the patient\u0026rsquo;s pathobiological features, specifically tracheal aspirate cytokine concentrations. First, we will validate the assay conditions for precise, reliable detection of drug responses. Therefore, we will mitigate sample dilution effects, define a positive control condition, and optimize the timing of each assay step. With these parameters, we will proceed to evaluate 3 immunomodulatory drugs in a trial cohort of 6 patients with severe PARDS: IL-6 receptor antagonist Tocilizumab, IL-1 receptor antagonist Anakinra, and JAK\/STAT inhibitor Baricitinib. We expect drug response heterogeneity due to variable patient-specific cytokine profiles in the tracheal aspirate that neutrophils are primed and recruited to during our assay. We will therefore compare the drug response of each patient to the initial concentration of 21 tracheal aspirate cytokines to determine whether drug responses are related to cytokine profiles in our assay. Ultimately, this platform will enable the identification of \u0026ldquo;likely-responder\u0026rdquo; patients who couldbe treated with targeted interventions or enrolled in trials for anti-neutrophil therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;A functional assay of neutrophil recruitment and activation for immunomodulatory drug screening\u0026quot; -Hannah Viola\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022A functional assay of neutrophil recruitment and activation for immunomodulatory drug screening\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-10-12 15:00:00","changed_gmt":"2021-10-12 15:00:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-10-21T14:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-10-21T15:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-10-21T15:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-10-21 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-10-21 19:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-10-21 19:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643979":{"#nid":"643979","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering graduate committee will meet to review\/approve program policies, program faculty applications and submitted student petitions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-02-08 16:55:42","changed_gmt":"2021-09-07 15:10:37","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-09-30T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-09-30T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-09-30T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-09-30 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-09-30 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-09-30 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"649634":{"#nid":"649634","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Alexander Beach","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Krishnendu Roy, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Andr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D., School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Erik Dreaden, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Valeria Milam, Ph.D., School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Susan N. Thomas, Ph.D., School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInvestigating the Underlying Mechanisms of the Immune Response to Chitosan-Derived Combinatory Adjuvant Nanoparticles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two critical components of subunit vaccines are antigen and adjuvant selection, the former specific to the pathogen, the latter specific to the desired immune response. One of the most used adjuvants is alum, a general-purpose adjuvant comprised of various aluminum salts that can form particle-like complexes with antigen. As this type of adjuvant continues to be widely used, there is a continual gap in knowledge about adjuvants that target more specific, individual pathways of the immune system, especially when used in tandem. From its role as a STING agonist, to its electrostatic methods of adsorbing other adjuvants, chitosan is a very similar material to alum for this application. Furthermore, this shellfish-derived protein also can be further modified with imidazoleacetic acid (IAA) for the purpose of facilitating endosomal escape and lowering toxicity. This research proposal aims to investigate the response to administering chitosan nanoparticles, both with and without IAA modification, loaded with other, more specific adjuvants to better understand the underlying mechanisms therein. By using two common murine bone marrow-derived cell culture methods, we have shown that differences in cell culture environment can affect this response, even demonstrating a complete pathway shift for type I interferon secretion. In terms of future \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E studies, the viability of these particles as a vaccine towards a pathogen of therapeutic interest will be assessed, alongside the molecular mechanisms of the resulting immune response and biodistribution. Through this research, we hope to further knowledge on the topic of combinatorial adjuvants, while also presenting a viable alternative to alum as an electrostatically driven adjuvant particle system for vaccines.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Investigating the Underlying Mechanisms of the Immune Response to Chitosan-Derived Combinatory Adjuvant Nanoparticles\u0026quot;- Alexander Beach\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Investigating the Underlying Mechanisms of the Immune Response to Chitosan-Derived Combinatory Adjuvant Nanoparticles\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-08-12 15:59:30","changed_gmt":"2021-08-12 15:59:30","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-08-26T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-08-26T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-08-26T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-08-26 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-08-26 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-08-26 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648765":{"#nid":"648765","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Shelley Gooden","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Lakshmi Dasi, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Ajit P. Yoganathan, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Mularidhar Padala, Ph.D., School of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Brandon Dixon, Ph.D., School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Vinod H. Thourani, M.D., Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Piedmont Heart Institute\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Konstantinos Dean Boudoulas, M.D., Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPredicting Biomechanical Implications of Transcatheter Atrioventricular Valve Interventions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMitral and tricuspid regurgitation are common valvular disorders in the United States, with 1.7% of the general population and 9.3% of those age 75 years and older having mitral regurgitation and 1.6 million with at least moderate tricuspid regurgitation. For those deemed high-risk for surgical treatment by a heart team, minimally invasive transcatheter therapies can be used. Therapies include transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and transcatheter valve replacement. While clinical results show promising outcomes, fluid mechanic implications of post-operative hemodynamics are not fully understood. This research proposal aims to study pre- and post-intervention hemodynamics, including diastolic ventricular flow velocity and vorticity, fluid stresses, valve and outflow tract pressure gradient and recovery, effective orifice area, and particle washout, with the goal of developing predictive algorithms. An\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;flow set-up allowing reliable reproduction of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;conditions will be used to assess these parameters on parameterized and patient-specific anatomies as well as on animal valves. Both engineering and clinical techniques will be used, such as particle image velocimetry and echocardiography. Studying how these hemodynamic parameters are effected by transcatheter repair and replacement can improve clinician knowledge in device selection for patients in need of transcatheter mitral and\/or tricuspid valve therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Predicting Biomechanical Implications of Transcatheter Atrioventricular Valve Interventions\u0026quot; - Shelley Gooden\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Predicting Biomechanical Implications of Transcatheter Atrioventricular Valve Interventions\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:14:07","changed_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:14:07","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-07-22T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-07-22T18:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-07-22T18:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-07-22 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-07-22 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-07-22 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648764":{"#nid":"648764","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Lucinda Peng","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Hang Lu, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee members\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDaniel Goldman, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPatrick McGrath, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSimon Sponberg, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nLena Ting, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered imaging and behavior assays to study effects of genes and environment on neurodegeneration\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEnvironmental and genetic factors are two main contributors to disease pathology, including neurodegeneration. In particular, particulate matter exposure has been linked with many adverse health effects, including Parkinson\u0026#39;s disease. However, the diversity of genetic backgrounds and environmental exposures make the link between the two hard to study in humans. We use the model organism\u003Cem\u003E, C. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;to tightly control genetic background and environmental exposure and measure the resulting neurodegeneration. Existing systems cannot monitor the development and neurodegeneration of individuals. This work will focus on the effect of traffic-related PM exposure on Parkinson\u0026#39;s disease related neurodegeneration and behavioral decline. The objective of my thesis is to engineer a system which can record the long-term development and behavior of worms during exposure to oxy-PAH, measure the subsequent neurodegeneration through a physically challenging assay which requires sensorimotor integration, and assess the functional integrity of neurons and link that to changes in behavior. This system will allow for linking environmental toxins with cellular stress mechanisms, neural degeneration, and behavior of individuals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Engineered imaging and behavior assays to study effects of genes and environment on neurodegeneration\u0026quot; - Lucinda Peng\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered imaging and behavior assays to study effects of genes and environment on neurodegeneration\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:11:17","changed_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:11:17","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-07-15T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-07-15T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-07-15T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-07-15 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-07-15 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-07-15 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648763":{"#nid":"648763","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Mark Stathos","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERavi Kane, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;(ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndres Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu Platt, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;(ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERonghu Wu, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;(Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineering Tools to Promote and Characterize Wnt-Mediated Stem Cell Differentiation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the development of many tissues in the body, notably cardiac tissue, from the very earliest stage of the process. However, the precise mechanisms of the Wnt pathway and the specific roles it has in development in the context of different tissue types remain poorly understood. This is in part due to the complexity of embryonic development and in part due to the hydrophobicity of Wnt ligands which renders them expensive and difficult to purify in a usable form. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; To overcome issues associated with the use of natural Wnt ligands, we have developed a heterodimer of Fabs which bind to the Wnt co-receptors LRP6 and Frizzled. We have demonstrated that this dimer can activate Wnt signaling with an efficacy comparable to that of the natural ligand. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; To elucidate the mechanisms of downstream events in the Wnt pathway, we constructed a kinetic model consisting of a system of ordinary differential equations. We fit this model to empirical time course data derived from Western blots of HEK293T cells treated with Wnt. From this fit we were able to gain insights into how the intracellular levels of the Wnt pathway component \u0026beta;-catenin are regulated.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; To better characterize the downstream effects of Wnt signaling during the manufacturing of therapeutic cells, we are also generating CRISPR\/Cas9 edited reporter iPSC lines which we hope will be able to detect the expression of Wnt-regulated marker genes such as Brachyury and COUP-TFII with high specificity. Luminescent signals secreted by these cell lines during directed differentiation into cardiomyocytes will permit continuous non-destructive monitoring of the manufacturing process. These cell lines could potentially guide process optimization and enable production of cardiomyocytes with a more mature phenotype. These cells will also be equipped with an inducible suicide mechanism to enable their removal during cell manufacturing applications involving co-culture with unedited cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Engineering Tools to Promote and Characterize Wnt-Mediated Stem Cell Differentiation \u0026quot; - Mark Stathos\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineering Tools to Promote and Characterize Wnt-Mediated Stem Cell Differentiation \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:08:17","changed_gmt":"2021-07-14 18:08:17","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-07-15T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-07-15T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-07-15T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-07-15 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-07-15 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-07-15 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647681":{"#nid":"647681","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Pawel Goylski","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGregory S. Sawicki, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ET. Richard Nichols, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELena H. Ting, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKeith E. Gordon, Ph.D. (Northwestern University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWearable robots such as exoskeletons can be powerful tools for helping an individual accomplish different objectives during locomotion, such as improving economy (\u0026ldquo;gas mileage\u0026rdquo;), increasing strength, or enhancing stability. The latter objective remains a major unmet public health challenge \u0026ndash; falls during walking account for 68% of injuries in the workplace, and 1 in 4 older adults fall each year. Most falls occur because of a destabilizing exchange of mechanical energy between a person and their environment, such as a trip or slip. In terrestrial vertebrates, distal joints and muscles, such as the ankle and plantarflexors, act as dampers to dissipate energy injected by perturbations such as unexpected drops in terrain height. While the hip joint and associated muscles are considered the \u0026ldquo;motors\u0026rdquo; of the lower limb during steady locomotion, the role of proximal joints and muscles in responding to perturbations that demand energy generation is unknown. The first aim of the proposed work is to determine the hip\u0026rsquo;s response, from joint to muscle levels, in responding to destabilizing mechanical energy demands. Elastic exoskeletons could improve stability by tuning biological structures to better perform their energetic roles. Since elastic hip exoskeletons have demonstrated an ability to increase biological mechanical work output at the hip, for perturbations that demand mechanical energy generation elastic exoskeletons may provide a physiology-based approach to improving stability. Thus, the second aim of the proposed work is to evaluate the influence of an elastic hip exoskeleton on stability following transient mechanical energy demands. Together, the completion of the proposed aims will improve our understanding of the role of proximal joints and muscles in the unstable contexts of daily life and can provide the basis for the development of a new generation of bioinspired stability-enhancing exoskeletons.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot; Tuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking \u0026quot;- Pawel Goylski\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 Tuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-05-23 14:23:03","changed_gmt":"2021-05-23 14:23:03","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-06-02T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-06-02T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-06-02T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-06-02 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-06-02 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-06-02 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647369":{"#nid":"647369","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Rebecca Schneider","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u0026eacute;s J. Garc\u0026iacute;a, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh , Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur Lam, Ph.D., MD\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDivision of Hematology\/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERoss Marklein, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHigh-throughput microfluidic potency assay for human mesenchymal stromal cell products with clinical prediction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuman mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are a promising source for regenerative cell therapy. However, MSC market access has been stymied by product variability across MSC donors and manufacturing practices resulting in inconsistent clinical outcomes. The inability to predict MSC \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E performance is a major limitation of MSC market penetration. Standard metrics of MSC potency employ MSC:peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) co-cultures, however, these assays are challenging to scale due to high PBMC donor variability. To address this challenge, I present a high-throughput, scalable, low-cost microfluidic MSC potency assay with improved MSC secretory correlation to \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E performance. Traditional planar potency assays have been largely unsuccessful for MSC clinical translation. I demonstrate improved predictive power of the microfluidic platform compared to traditional planar methods by comparison of MSC secretory responses to PBMC co-culture assays. Further, I show analogous MSC secretory performance achieved in the microfluidic platform compared to an \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E model. Lastly, with early promising results, I am now performing microfluidic potency assay validation by testing clinical samples from the multicenter MILES osteoarthritis clinical study for further system optimization and clinical validation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;High-throughput microfluidic potency assay for human mesenchymal stromal cell products with clinical prediction\u0026quot; - Rebecca Schneider\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022High-throughput microfluidic potency assay for human mesenchymal stromal cell products with clinical prediction\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-05-12 14:57:04","changed_gmt":"2021-05-12 14:57:04","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-05-27T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-05-27T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-05-27T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-05-27 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-05-27 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-05-27 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647368":{"#nid":"647368","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Justin Lee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark P. Styczynski, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;(ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFani Boukouvala, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Kemp, Ph.D. (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAndrew Medford, Ph.D. (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEberhard Voit, Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;(BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EComputational modeling of metabolic pathways toward predicting dynamic phenotypes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMetabolic systems are important to a wide variety of applications, including therapeutic development, agricultural crop production, and manufacturing of industrial chemicals. Developing metabolic models is one of the best approaches to study metabolism, as computational experiments are generally cheaper and faster to perform than experiments in a laboratory. While there are computational frameworks that can model large metabolic systems at steady state or the metabolite dynamics of a small number of key metabolic pathways, it is substantially more difficult to model the dynamics of metabolism at the genome scale. In this thesis dissertation, I present three computational platforms that address several of the challenges in developing dynamic genome-scale metabolic models. First, I devised a stepwise machine learning strategy for identifying the regulatory topology within metabolic systems, which can be used to construct more accurate metabolic models. I then developed a framework for inferring absolute concentrations from relative abundances in metabolomics data, which will allow metabolomics (the systems-scale study of metabolites) to be more easily used with metabolic modeling tools. Finally, I implemented new constraints within a linear programming dynamic modeling framework that increase its ability to model a wider variety of metabolic systems. Together, these three platforms create a cohesive workflow for modeling the dynamics of metabolism at any scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Computational modeling of metabolic pathways toward predicting dynamic phenotypes\u0026quot; - Justin Lee\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Computational modeling of metabolic pathways toward predicting dynamic phenotypes\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-05-12 14:54:24","changed_gmt":"2021-05-12 14:54:24","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-05-24T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-05-24T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-05-24T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-05-24 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-05-24 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-05-24 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646720":{"#nid":"646720","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Paul Archer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESusan Thomas, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandon Dixon, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EValeria Milam, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKrishnendu Roy, PhD\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETransport mechanism and administration route influences on accumulation and targeted leukocyte access in the healthy and tumor draining LN\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELymph nodes are tissues that mediate and organize the congregation of immune cells and are important in the priming of the adaptive immune response. This makes them targets of interest for a variety of immunomodulatory treatments, including cancer immunotherapy. However, achieving therapeutic access to the important leukocyte drug delivery targets within the lymph node can be difficult, as transport from the injection site to the lymph node and transport within the lymph node itself both present significant obstacles due to physical and cellular barriers. To aid in its function facilitating favorable and timely immune responses, the lymph node is a highly structured organ, which introduces compartmentalization of leukocyte subsets and size exclusion parameters to the movements of soluble materials within it; however the influences of these transport barriers on drug delivery system access to the cells involved in the adaptive immune response have yet to be systematically characterized. Furthermore, lymph nodes draining from melanoma tumors undergo significant structural remodeling that may influence drug delivery approaches most suitable for cancer immunotherapy targeted to the tumor-draining lymph node. The objectives of this proposal are to provide fundamental insight into the influences of transport mechanism, route of delivery, material properties, and cell-targeting effects on leukocyte access within the healthy and tumor-draining lymph node, which will be systematically tested using a panel of fluorescent tracers of varied size and flexibility, and nanoparticles with cell-targeted monoclonal antibody moieties in preclinical mouse models. It is hypothesized that delivery to lymph node resident leukocytes can be modulated through lymphatic vs blood vasculature routes of delivery, and that these influences will differ in the tumor draining lymph node due to vascularization changes and structural remodeling. Results will inform the development of improved immunomodulatory treatment delivery strategies broadly, and in the specific application of cancer immunotherapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Transport mechanism and administration route influences on accumulation and targeted leukocyte access in the healthy and tumor draining LN \u0026quot; Paul Archer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Transport mechanism and administration route influences on accumulation and targeted leukocyte access in the healthy and tumor draining LN \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-04-21 17:39:27","changed_gmt":"2021-04-21 17:39:27","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-22T14:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-22T16:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-22T16:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-22 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-22 20:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-22 20:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646706":{"#nid":"646706","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  April Miguez","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark P. Styczynski, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELily S. Cheung, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeleah A. Hickman, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Biology, Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERonghu Wu, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInterfacing systems and synthetic biology for advancements in Bacterial Biosensor engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrent detection platforms ranging from clinical diagnostics to environmental pollutant monitoring often require a time-intensive sample analysis process involving expensive equipment and highly-trained staff. This has led to growing demands for faster, less expensive, more user-friendly platforms. Bacteria have the potential to meet these needs, as they can serve as inexpensive, robust biosensors that can be engineered to detect target molecules while providing fast, easily measurable readouts; however, genetic engineering efforts can often incite metabolic changes that limit biosensing performance. Cell-free bacteria-based biosensors, which use a bacterial protein lysate to perform transcription and translation, can avoid many of the challenges of whole-cell biosensor development, but the uncharacterized metabolic activity in cell-free systems creates a new set of obstacles that must be addressed for effective biosensor design. In this work, I use metabolomics (the systems-scale study of small molecule intermediates involved in the chemical reactions within biological systems) to address these key challenges in whole-cell and cell-free systems to improve their development for biosensing applications. For whole-cell systems, I explore the metabolic effects linked to expression and optimization of a well-characterized biosensor reporter system.\u0026nbsp;For cell-free systems, I characterize their endogenous, dynamic metabolic activity and explore the metabolic impacts of various system perturbations. For both platforms, I identify key metabolites that limit the utility of both whole-cell and cell-free systems and present strategies to address some of the limitations in each platform to facilitate improved biosensor engineering and ultimately broaden the reach of whole-cell and cell-free bacteria-based biosensors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Interfacing systems and synthetic biology for advancements in Bacterial Biosensor engineering\u0026quot; April Miguez\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Interfacing systems and synthetic biology for advancements in Bacterial Biosensor engineering\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-04-21 13:07:00","changed_gmt":"2021-04-21 13:07:00","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-21T11:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-21T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-21T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-21 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-21 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-21 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646597":{"#nid":"646597","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Maggie Manspeaker","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESusan N. Thomas, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Blazeck, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie Champion, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM.G. Finn , Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHaydn T. Kissick, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Urology, Department of\u0026nbsp;Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe advent of immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), to treat advanced cancers has drastically improved outcomes for some patients. These ICB mAbs work by blocking inhibitory immune checkpoint pathways and\u0026nbsp;more recently have been shown to cause a proliferative burst of effector T cells attributable to a subset of antigen-specific CD8 T cells with stem cell-like properties, which are thought to reside in lymphoid tissues and in particular tumor\u0026ndash;draining lymph nodes (TdLNs). TdLNs are a critically important tissue that mediates the mounting of effective anti-tumor immunity and are central in the response to ICB immunotherapy both due to active immune checkpoints in TdLNs and their role in housing CD8 stem-like cells. However, despite the promising clinical advances ICB mAbs represent, some patients experience no clinical benefit from therapy, leading to an increase in clinical investigations into various combination therapies that enhance patient response, such as adjuvants and chemotherapies. Additionally, success of cancer therapeutics is often stymied by low accumulation in target tissues and off-target effects. Therefore, a better understanding of how these combination therapies interact with the TdLN and resulting immune response is needed, which can be enabled with the use of nanotechnologies that improve therapeutic efficacy while avoiding success-limiting off-target effects. As such, the overall objective of this project is to use nanotechnologies that enable drug accumulation in the TdLN to 1) investigate how nanotechnology alters the efficacy of combination chemo- and immunotherapy and characterize the involvement of the TdLN in anti-tumor immunity following treatment, and to 2) elucidate the dynamics of CD8 stem-like T cells in response to adjuvant and ICB combination therapy, and characterize the efficacy of engineered drug delivery nanotechnologies on these combinations. This work will provide insight into role of the TdLN, and dynamics of important cell populations within, in the efficacy of drug and ICB combination therapies with clinical relevance and inform promising future therapeutic strategies for cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Maggie Manspeaker - \u0026quot;Engineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Engineered Nanotechnology for the Delivery of Cancer Immunotherapies to Lymph Nodes to Modulate Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-04-19 13:58:47","changed_gmt":"2021-04-19 13:58:47","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-28T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-28T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-28T17:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-28 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-28 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-28 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646177":{"#nid":"646177","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense -   Mythreye Venkatesan ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAhmet F. Coskun, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGhassan AlRegib (ECE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, PhD (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa L. Kemp, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERapid microfluidic multiplexing of proteins for deciphering spatial organelle networks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew technologies in the advancing biotechnology and biomedical engineering have shown us that organelles play many roles in human health and disease. Being the building blocks of the smallest unit of life, organelles play an important role in the health and well-beings of humans. Cell diversity not only exists between cell types but also between individual cells, thus it is important to understand the distribution of organelles at single-cell level. Mesenchymal stem cells, being multipotent, have been explored as a therapeutic for treating a variety of diseases. Studying how organelles are arranged in these cells will answer questions about their function and potential. This thesis aims to understand the spatial organization of organelles and the interactions between them in mesenchymal stem cells using multiplexed imaging of proteins. In this work, rapidly run cyclic immunofluorescence staining was performed to decipher the subcellular localization of ten organelle markers in bone marrow and umbilical cord stem cells. An automated microfluidic system was developed that handles the repetitive manual processes of blocking, washing, staining and bleaching the sample on coverslip during each cycle. Spatial correlations, colocalization analysis, heatmaps and network analysis were carried out on the 10-plex data to explore relations between the organelles. In future, this data-driven single-cell approach can enable personalized stem cell therapeutics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense - \u0026nbsp; \u0026quot; Rapid microfluidic multiplexing of proteins for deciphering spatial organelle networks \u0026quot; - Mythreye Venkatesan\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022 Rapid microfluidic multiplexing of proteins for deciphering spatial organelle networks \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-04-06 15:57:18","changed_gmt":"2021-04-06 15:57:18","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-13T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-13T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-13T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-13 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-13 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-13 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1789","name":"Conference\/Symposium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646176":{"#nid":"646176","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense -  Pallavi Misra","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu O. Platt, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichael E. Davis, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShamkant B. Navathe, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEvaluating roles of miRNAs in cardiac fibrosis: a meta-analysis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality globally. Cardiac fibrosis is an essential component of changes that occur in heart\u0026rsquo;s size, shape, and composition, in response to cardiac disease or cardiac damage.\u0026nbsp; Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that aid cell-cell communication and carry proteins, metabolites, nucleic acids, etc. miRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that can be transported by exosomes and are uniquely capable of facilitating long-term repair by altering the targeted cells\u0026rsquo; transcriptome. Prior studies have demonstrated relationships between exosomal miRNA content and fibrosis in the heart.\u0026nbsp; In this research, self-built scoring models and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) modeling were used to find miRNAs that can downregulate cardiac fibrosis. miR-21, miR-33, miR-125b, miR-155-5p, miR-34a were identified as profibrotic miRNAs and miR-29b, miR-29a, miR-26a, miR-30c, miR-29c were identified as antifibrotic miRNAs.\u0026nbsp; Few under-studied miRNAs were also identified that might be important regulators of cardiac fibrosis.\u0026nbsp; Computational models were built to predict the extent of cardiac fibrosis with miRNAs\u0026rsquo; fold-changes as inputs. A computational workflow was developed to predict the extent of cardiac fibrosis when exosomes with custom-designed packages of miRNA content will be injected into animal models. This analysis consolidates relationships between selected miRNAs and cardiac fibrosis, and can be used to inform experimental studies of cardiac remodeling.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense - \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Evaluating roles of miRNAs in cardiac fibrosis: a meta-analysis\u0026quot; -Pallavi Misra\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Evaluating roles of miRNAs in cardiac fibrosis: a meta-analysis\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-04-06 15:54:25","changed_gmt":"2021-04-06 15:54:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-19T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-19T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-19T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-19 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-19 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-19 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"645948":{"#nid":"645948","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE MS Thesis Defense - Kristy Yun","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung-Hui Chang, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoris Prilutsky, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGregory Sawicki, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EME, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELess Work After Spaceflight:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHuman Performance Biomechanics\u0026nbsp;Following\u0026nbsp;Adaptation to Simulated Hypogravity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the next decade, humans are planning to return to the Moon and prepare for future explorations to Mars. Despite our\u0026nbsp;intuitive knowledge of gravity, we still do not fully understand how our bodies develop, function, and navigate in hypogravity\u0026nbsp;environments. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hypogravity on the biomechanical adaptation of targeted\u0026nbsp;countermovement jumping performance. Fifteen participants jumped in and out of simulated hypogravity using a reduced-gravity simulator that provided a constant upward force near the body\u0026rsquo;s COM, effectively simulating ~0.5g. The jump was\u0026nbsp;divided into two main phases: (i) Lift (from countermovement initiation to take off) and (ii) Land (from touchdown until\u0026nbsp;stabilization of ground reaction forces). Following hypogravity adaptation, there was a meaningful effect in the normalized work\u0026nbsp;of the Lift and a significant decrease in the Land when compared to the baseline pre-adaptation jumps. Further investigation\u0026nbsp;into the additional parts of the Lift and Land revealed meaningful effects in specifically the last part of the Lift and significant\u0026nbsp;changes in the first part of the Land. Observations of normalized COM work revealed distinct control strategies for the Lift and\u0026nbsp;Land phases. The work generated during the first parts of the Lift appears to be dominantly controlled through a reactive\u0026nbsp;control strategy, as it showed no significant after-effects upon return to 1.0g. In contrast, the work generated during the late\u0026nbsp;part of the Lift and absorbed during the early part of the Land was observed to be predominantly under a predictive control\u0026nbsp;strategy, evidenced by the significant decrease in work upon returning to 1.0g. Thus, upon return to a higher gravity level,\u0026nbsp;movements requiring the legs to quickly generate and absorb energy will be most affected by sensorimotor control prediction\u0026nbsp;errors and should be taken into consideration during the post-adaptation re-acclimation process after prolonged exposure to\u0026nbsp;hypogravity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE MS Thesis Defense Kristy Yun\u0026nbsp; -\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Less Work After Spaceflight: \u0026nbsp;Human Performance Biomechanics Following Adaptation to Simulated Hypogravity\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Less Work After Spaceflight:  Human Performance Biomechanics Following Adaptation to Simulated Hypogravity\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-03-31 15:39:50","changed_gmt":"2021-03-31 15:39:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-09T17:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-09T19:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-09T19:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-09 21:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-09 23:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-09 23:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"645146":{"#nid":"645146","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Dan Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E Melissa L. Kemp, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilbur A. Lam, MD, PhD (BME\/Pediatrics, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu O. Platt, PhD (BME, Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDavid K. Wood, PhD (BME, University of Minnesota)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi B. Wood, PhD (ME, Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInforming Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPrecision medicine has the potential to improve patient outcomes through customized clinical decisions for many diseases but is reliant on availability of robust biomarkers and assays for biomarker detection that can accurately quantify the disease state. Microfluidic devices are powerful diagnostic and research tools for functional testing of patient samples; these devices are increasingly sophisticated by incorporating physiological features such as the cellular environment, thus better recapitulating \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E behavior. As these platforms continue to incorporate more features, analysis and interpretation of patterns within these multi-factorial datasets becomes challenging. For example, high-speed imaging technologies allows for the capture of high throughput quantitative data that incorporate dynamic signals and responses within a single experiment. Without interpretable models of these complex datasets, experimental observations are difficult to translate into clinically actionable insights for precision medicine. New statistical and computational methods are needed to extract the maximal amount of information from the analysis of microfluidics-generated data and overcome the challenges of modeling biological data. The overall objective of this thesis is to leverage computational and mathematical approaches to develop robust predictive models of patient sample response to combinatorial therapies assayed in microfluidic devices. I will validate my approach using microfluidics-generated datasets from application to two hematologic diseases: multi-drug resistance profiling in leukemia, and oxygen-dependent rheological biomarkers in sickle cell disease vaso-occlusion. The frameworks developed here will result in models that can extract important features from multi-factorial experiments, optimize discovery of synergistic interactions, and provide personalized recommendations for therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Informing Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u0026quot; - Dan Zhang\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Informing Precision Medicine Through Data-driven Modeling of Patient-Specific Therapeutic Responses in Microfluidic-based Assays\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-03-09 13:45:12","changed_gmt":"2021-03-09 13:45:12","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-03-09T10:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-03-09T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-03-09T12:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-03-09 15:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-03-09 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-03-09 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644526":{"#nid":"644526","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Venu Ganti","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOmer T. Inan, PhD\u0026nbsp;(Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDavid Frakes, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRishikesan Kamaleswaran, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJin-Oh Hahn, PhD\u0026nbsp;(University of Maryland, College Park)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAnimesh Tandon,\u0026nbsp;MD (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnabling Wearable\u0026nbsp;Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing\u0026nbsp;Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiomarkers\u0026nbsp;such as blood pressure and cardiac output are instrumental to understanding the\u0026nbsp;pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.\u0026nbsp;Unfortunately, the\u0026nbsp;monitoring of these hemodynamic\u0026nbsp;parameters is still tethered to in-clinic measurements or is too unaccommodating\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;inconvenient for ubiquitous use. This\u0026nbsp;focus of this proposed work is to explore\u0026nbsp;seismocardiogram-based wearable multimodal sensing techniques\u0026nbsp;to enable the use\u0026nbsp;of digital biomarkers\u0026mdash;in particular,\u0026nbsp;blood pressure and cardiac output. First,\u0026nbsp;the performance of a multimodal, wrist-worn device\u0026nbsp;capable of obtaining\u0026nbsp;noninvasive pulse transit time measurements is\u0026nbsp;used to estimate blood pressure in\u0026nbsp;an unsupervised, at-home setting.\u0026nbsp;Second, the feasibility of this wrist-worn\u0026nbsp;device is comprehensively evaluated in a diverse\u0026nbsp;and medically underserved\u0026nbsp;population over the course\u0026nbsp;of several perturbations used to modulate blood\u0026nbsp;pressure through different pathways. Finally, as part of the\u0026nbsp;proposed work, the\u0026nbsp;ability of wearable\u0026nbsp;signals acquired from a patch to noninvasively quantify cardiac\u0026nbsp;output in pediatric congenital heart disease patients is\u0026nbsp;examined in a hospital\u0026nbsp;setting. Successful completion of the proposed work will demonstrate that these\u0026nbsp;advancements represent a step towards\u0026nbsp;enabling\u0026nbsp;frequent,\u0026nbsp;reliable,\u0026nbsp;and accurate measurements in ambulatory settings and offer\u0026nbsp;an opportunity to advance health equity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Enabling Wearable Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing Systems\u0026quot; -Venu Ganti\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Enabling Wearable Hemodynamic Monitoring using Multimodal Cardiomechanical Sensing Systems\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-02-21 18:32:42","changed_gmt":"2021-02-21 18:32:42","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-03-05T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-03-05T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-03-05T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-03-05 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-03-05 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-03-05 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644128":{"#nid":"644128","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Musa Mahmood","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EW. Hong Yeo, Ph.D. ME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrank Hammond, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EME, Georgia Institute of Technology \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMinoru Shinohara, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EME, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAudrey Duarte, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPsychology, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudy of soft materials, flexible electronics, and machine learning for fully portable and wireless brain-machine interfaces\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWireless, wearable electroencephalograms and dry non-invasive electrodes can be utilized to allow recording of brain activity on a mobile subject to allow for unrestricted movement. Additionally, multilayer microfabricated flexible circuits, combined with a soft materials platform, provide imperceptible wearable electronics for wireless, portable, long-term recording of brain signals. This proposal focuses on sharing the study outcomes in soft materials, flexible electronics, and machine learning for universal brain-machine interfaces that could offer remedies in communication and movement for these individuals. Integration of materials, mechanics, circuit, and electrode design results in an optimized brain-machine interface allowing for rehabilitation and overall improved quality of life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Study of soft materials, flexible electronics, and machine learning for fully portable and wireless brain-machine interfaces \u0026quot; - Musa Mahmood\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Study of soft materials, flexible electronics, and machine learning for fully portable and wireless brain-machine interfaces \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-02-11 16:43:35","changed_gmt":"2021-02-11 16:43:35","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-02-23T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-02-23T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-02-23T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-02-23 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-02-23 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-02-23 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643430":{"#nid":"643430","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering graduate committee will meet to review\/approve program policies, program faculty applications and submitted student petitions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-26 14:59:45","changed_gmt":"2021-01-26 14:59:45","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-04-13T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2021-04-13T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-04-13T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-04-13 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-04-13 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-04-13 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642984":{"#nid":"642984","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Alyssa Pybus","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELevi B. Wood, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EME, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EErin M. Buckley, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichelle C. LaPlaca, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EManu O. Platt, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESrikant Rangaraju, M.D.\u0026nbsp;M.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDepartment of Neurology, Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESystems Analysis of Neuroinflammation in Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERepetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) has been linked to devastating long-term neurological pathologies including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which disproportionately affects athletes, military service members, and victims of domestic abuse. Despite the grave public health concern that rmTBI presents, current therapeutic strategies are limited. It is necessary to illuminate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration after injury to identify candidate therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENeuroinflammation is implicated in severe traumatic brain injury and represents a likely culprit for driving pathology after rmTBI. The \u003Cstrong\u003Eobjective\u003C\/strong\u003E of this study is to understand the mechanisms driving neuroinflammation after rmTBI. My \u003Cstrong\u003Ehypothesis\u003C\/strong\u003E is that neuroinflammation after rmTBI is driven by specific intracellular signaling pathways first activated in neurons, and that these pathways can be inhibited to improve outcome after rmTBI. The proposed work will identify cell type specific acute phospho-protein signaling pathways and cytokines associated with poor cognitive outcome after rmTBI, investigate neuroinflammatory signaling and its relationship to pathological progression after rmTBI in an Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s disease mouse model, and determine whether small molecule inhibition of inflammatory signaling pathways can improve outcome after rmTBI. Uncovering signaling mechanisms driving neuroinflammation after rmTBI will identify possible therapeutic targets for pharmaceutical intervention to improve clinical outcomes of patients recovering from brain injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Systems Analysis of Neuroinflammation in Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u0026quot; - Alyssa Pybus\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Systems Analysis of Neuroinflammation in Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-15 15:55:46","changed_gmt":"2021-01-15 15:55:46","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-01-22T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-01-22T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-01-22T15:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-01-22 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-01-22 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-01-22 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642655":{"#nid":"642655","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering graduate committee will meet to review\/approve program policies, program faculty applications and submitted student petitions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioEngineering Graduate Committee Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:07:13","changed_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:07:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-01-14T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-01-14T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-01-14T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-01-14 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-01-14 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-01-14 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642654":{"#nid":"642654","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Alejandro J. Da Silva Sanchez ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames E. Dahlman, Ph.D. BME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhilip J. Santangelo, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBME, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJulie A. Champion, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark P. Styczynski, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMG Finn, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENucleic acid therapies have advanced over the last decade with the FDA approval of the first siRNA drug in 2018 and the recent approval of COVID vaccines leveraging mRNA technology. While surface receptors and endocytosis genes have been shown to influence the effectiveness of RNA drug delivery with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the effect of the metabolic state of a cell upon therapies seeking to produce or silence proteins remains understudied. This project therefore aims to (i) understand whether metabolic perturbations to the mTOR pathway upon PIP3 extracellular administration affect LNP-mediated mRNA delivery, (ii) develop cell- and mouse-agnostic high throughput LNP screening systems for siRNA and DNA drugs that will allow scientists to perform mechanistic studies on functional delivery with genetic knockout mice, and (iii) leverage these platforms to study whether mice exhibiting different levels of activity across the mTOR signaling pathway are more or less receptive to different nucleic acid drugs. This work will constitute early steps toward two equally important goals: (a) exploiting natural differences in cell signaling to improve cell type\u0026ndash;specific nanoparticle delivery and (b) understanding how different physiological states can lead to different delivery potencies of nucleic acid therapeutics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;The impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics \u0026quot; - Alejandro J. Da Silva Sanchez\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022The impact of the metabolic state of a cell on nucleic acid therapeutics \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:05:01","changed_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:05:01","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-01-19T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-01-19T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-01-19T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-01-19 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-01-19 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-01-19 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1792","name":"Arts and Performance"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642478":{"#nid":"642478","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Michael Hunckler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Andr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Edward Botchwey (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Krish Roy (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Ankur Singh (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. M. Cristina Nostro (University of Toronto)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic Hydrogel-mediated Maturation and Engraftment of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived \u0026beta;-cells\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA functional cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) could be stem-cell derived \u0026beta;-cell replacement to restore the insulin-producing \u0026beta;-cells that were destroyed by autoimmune system. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can differentiate into insulin-producing monohormonal cells that phenotypically and functionally resemble immature \u0026beta;-cells. While promising, fully functional \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E differentiation of these hPSCs into mature \u0026beta;-cells remains elusive. Current \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro \u003C\/em\u003Edifferentiation protocols of hPSCs cannot provide the precise microenvironmental cues necessary for complete maturation. Consequently, \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eimplantation is often used to direct end-stage maturation of stem cells, resulting in an uncontrolled environment to direct \u0026beta;-cell maturation. Furthermore, there are few suitable delivery vehicles for transplantation to clinically-translatable extrahepatic sites. These challenges highlight the need for strategies that enhance the \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E maturation of the hPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells and improve their engraftment and function in a clinically-translatable transplant site. The objective of this project is to engineer advanced synthetic hydrogels to direct \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E maturation and function of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells and enhance engraftment and vascularization in an extrahepatic murine transplant site. This will be achieved through two specific aims: (1) human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) will be encapsulated in engineered synthetic hydrogels that direct the \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E differentiation to a mature \u0026beta;-cell stage. Encapsulated \u0026beta;-cells will be evaluated for their viability, function, and maturation. (2) Pancreatic progenitors and immature \u0026beta;-cells will be transplanted into the clinically-relevant, extrahepatic gonadal fat pad with synthetic vasculogenic hydrogels to promote \u0026beta;-cell engraftment, maturation, and function. This project will provide a significant foundation for translation of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells into more clinically-relevant sites and establish innovative materials that promote survival, engraftment, and function of hiPSC-derived \u0026beta;-cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Synthetic Hydrogel-mediated Maturation and Engraftment of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived \u0026beta;-cells\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp; -Michael Hunckler\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Synthetic Hydrogel-mediated Maturation and Engraftment of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived \u03b2-cells\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2021-01-04 18:58:13","changed_gmt":"2021-01-04 18:58:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2021-01-12T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2021-01-12T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2021-01-12T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2021-01-12 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2021-01-12 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2021-01-12 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"641692":{"#nid":"641692","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- David Ryoo","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. James C. Gumbart (Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Julie Champion (ChBE, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Thomas DiChristina (Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Harold Kim (Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Todd Sulchek (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResolving the secretion pathway of autotransporters using an AT-BAM complex hybrid structure\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany Gram-negative bacteria invade hosts and evade host cell defense systems by using virulence factors. These virulence factors are exported out of the cell via outer membrane proteins called autotransporters. The autotransporters are composed of the virulence-containing N-terminal passenger domain, and C-terminal translocon, which is folded by the beta-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex. The BAM complex is composed of five proteins from BamA to BamE. As an essential protein of the complex, BamA plays a key functional role in the folding and insertion of other outer membrane proteins, and it was shown experimentally that BamA may play a role in the passenger domain secretion of the autotransporters. However, no clear explanation behind such processes has been elucidated. In this proposal, I aim to address this problem by 1) resolving insertion and folding intermediates of the autotransporters EspP and YadA, 2) identifying the pathway of passenger domain secretion through BamA-autotransporter hybrid, and 3) determining the individual role of accessory proteins to the dynamics of BamA\u0026rsquo;s so-called lateral gate. By addressing these aims, I will uncover a mechanistic link connecting folding, insertion, and secretion of the passenger domain of autotransporters via the BAM complex.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation- \u0026quot;Resolving the secretion pathway of autotransporters using an AT-BAM complex hybrid structure\u0026quot; - David Ryoo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Resolving the secretion pathway of autotransporters using an AT-BAM complex hybrid structure\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:37:13","changed_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:37:13","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-12-08T11:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2020-12-08T13:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-12-08T13:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-12-08 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-12-08 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-12-08 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"641691":{"#nid":"641691","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Jeffrey Gau","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Simon Sponberg (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Saad Bhamla (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Nick Gravish (University of California, San Diego)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. David Hu (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Kurt Wiesenfeld (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond resonance: synchronous and stretch-activated actuation in insect flight\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe generation of high power, rhythmic movement is a common feature of biological and robotic locomotion. Insects stand out among these systems because wingbeat frequencies are often an order of magnitude greater (up to 1000 Hz) and face the extreme energetic costs of flapping wing flight. Given the oscillatory nature of insect flight, insects are believed to be resonant. In this framework, elastic structures significantly reduce inertial power costs by storing and returning excess kinetic energy during a wing stroke. However, evidence suggests that a resonance model of flight is incomplete. Unlike the time-periodic (e.g. sinusoidal) forcing of resonant systems, many insects have evolved strain-dependent muscles. Pairs of these muscles excite each other independently from neural input. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis thesis explores how strain-dependent actuators coupled to deformable systems generate high power, rhythmic movements. In Chapter 1, we identified how spring-like properties emerge from heterogeneous exoskeletal shell. Notably, the exoskeleton alone satisfies the energy exchange demands of flight. In Chapter 2, we perturbed hawkmoths and discovered the capacity for +\/- 16% frequency modulation at the wingstroke timescale. Unlike their robotic counterparts that explicitly abdicate frequency modulation in favor of energy efficiency, frequency modulation is an underappreciated control strategy in insect flight. In Chapter 3, we developed a mechanical model of hawkmoth mechanics and found that wingbeat frequencies are 50% above resonance. These results suggest that resonance tuning is neither a ubiquitous nor necessary feature of insect flight. Finally, in Chapter 4, we introduced both time periodic and stretch activated forcing to the passive mechanical system. We discovered that a small set of parameters drive transitions between synchronous and self-excited wingbeats. This single dynamical system explains evolutionary transitions in insects and generalizes to robotic systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Beyond resonance: synchronous and stretch-activated actuation in insect flight \u0026quot; - Jeffrey Gau\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Beyond resonance: synchronous and stretch-activated actuation in insect flight \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:32:49","changed_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:32:49","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-12-09T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2020-12-09T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-12-09T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-12-09 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-12-09 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-12-09 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"641690":{"#nid":"641690","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation-  Angel J. Santiago-Lopez ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdvisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERobert Gross, MD, PhD (Emory University)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMichelle LaPlaca, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMark Prausnitz, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERavi Kane, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJae-Kyung (Jamise) Lee, PhD (University of Georgia)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevelopment and Characterization of Viral Vectors for Stress-Dependent Transgene Expression in Neurons\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe overarching goal of this work was to design and characterize expression vectors that were responsive to physiological changes associated with neurodegenerative disease. The development of this molecular tool responds to the need for physiologically responsive constructs designed to prevent unwanted side effects related to transgene overexpression in current gene therapy interventions. To accomplish this, we adopted regulatory elements from the unfolded protein response (UPR), a homeostatic mechanism used by cells to cope with stress. Thus, by harnessing a biological signal associated with how cells respond to stress conditions, we created stress-responsive viral vectors and demonstrated their use in neurons. This thesis describes the characterization of these vectors by extensive time-lapse fluorescent microscopy assays in several in vitro models of proteostasis dysfunction, including er stress, proteasome inactivation, phosphatase inhibition, and alpha-synuclein overexpression. Collectively, our results demonstrate the feasibility of mobilizing cellular stress signaling to create physiologically-responsive viral vectors for use in neuroscience. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Development and Characterization of Viral Vectors for Stress-Dependent Transgene Expression in Neurons \u0026quot; - Angel J. Santiago-Lopez\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Development and Characterization of Viral Vectors for Stress-Dependent Transgene Expression in Neurons \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:27:08","changed_gmt":"2020-11-30 15:27:08","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-12-11T15:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2020-12-11T17:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-12-11T17:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-12-11 20:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-12-11 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-12-11 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"640896":{"#nid":"640896","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Proposal Presentation- Ashkan Ojaghi","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Francisco E. Robles (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Wilbur Lam (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. David Myers (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Marcus Cicerone (Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Shu Jia (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeep-Ultraviolet Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Biological Samples\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltraviolet (UV) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for quantitative analysis of biochemicals, however its application to molecular imaging and microscopy has been limited. The use of deep-ultraviolet (e.g., 220-450 nm) light for microscopy offers many potential advantages over traditional methods, including higher spatial resolution due to the light\u0026rsquo;s shorter wavelength; and, when combined with spectroscopy, quantitative information with access to many endogenous molecules that play an important role in cell and tissue function and structure. In this work, we first demonstrate the unique capabilities of deep-UV microscopy and spectroscopy in characterization of biomolecules within live cells by extracting their optical attenuation and dispersion spectra. We then extend our measurements to several important biochemicals and established a database for optical properties of these biomolecules in the deep-UV region. By leveraging the biochemical specificity of UV spectroscopy for molecular imaging, we developed a novel label-free assay based on multi-spectral deep-UV microscopy by which we explored different clinical applications such as hematology analysis as well as cellular phenotyping through imaging of blood and bone marrow smears as well as cultured cells. The results of this work can pave the way for development of label-free diagnostic systems for use in clinical and point-of-care settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Proposal Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Deep-Ultraviolet Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Biological Samples\u0026quot; - Ashkan Ojaghi\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Deep-Ultraviolet Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Biological Samples\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-11-02 21:45:02","changed_gmt":"2020-11-02 21:45:02","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-11-10T12:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2020-11-10T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-11-10T14:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-11-10 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-11-10 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-11-10 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"640754":{"#nid":"640754","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Jacob Misch","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Dr. Stephen Sprigle, Advisor (ME, ID, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDr. Aldo Ferri (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDr. Frank Hammond (BME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRamakant Rambhatla, MBA (Invacare Corp.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDr. Sharon Sonenblum (ME, Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMechanical Performance Characterization of Manual Wheelchairs Using Robotic Wheelchair Operator with Intermittent Torque-Based Propulsion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current manual wheelchair design process lacks consistent and objective connection to performance-based metrics. The goal of this research was to empirically assess over-ground manual wheelchair performances and identify important design trade-offs through the use of a robotic apparatus with a novel cyclic propulsion control method. This research had four specific aims: 1) to design, implement, and validate torque-based propulsion to emulate the intermittent human propulsion cycle with an existing robotic wheelchair tester, 2) to investigate the influence of incremental mass additions to the wheelchair frame on over-ground propulsion characteristics, 3) to demonstrably improve the performance of a representative high-strength lightweight wheelchair by leveraging existing component-level test results, and 4) to characterize the mechanical performances of representative folding and rigid ultra-lightweight wheelchair frames. The outcomes of this research include an objective, repeatable, and validated test method to assess over-ground performances of manual wheelchairs in realistic contexts of use, as well as insight on the mechanics of the system that were previously under-studied or confounded by variabilities within human subject testing. Controlled propulsion tests are used to identify differences between wheelchair configurations. The outcome variable of propulsion cost represents the energetic requirements of propelling each chair a given distance and has direct relevance to manufacturers, clinicians, and wheelchair users alike. Ultimately, these outcomes will inform clinicians and manufacturers about how configuration choices influence propulsive efforts, which can be used in turn to improve their classification techniques and existing design processes. This knowledge will additionally empower wheelchair users to make informed choices during the wheelchair selection process based on objective mechanical performance metrics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Mechanical Performance Characterization of Manual Wheelchairs Using Robotic Wheelchair Operator with Intermittent Torque-Based Propulsion \u0026quot;- Jacob Misch\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Mechanical Performance Characterization of Manual Wheelchairs Using Robotic Wheelchair Operator with Intermittent Torque-Based Propulsion \u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-10-29 16:03:39","changed_gmt":"2020-10-29 16:03:39","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-11-12T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2020-11-12T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-11-12T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-11-12 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-11-12 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-11-12 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"640323":{"#nid":"640323","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Zhou Yuan","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Cheng Zhu (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Susan Thomas (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Michelle Krogsgaard (New York University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Mandy Ford (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Gabe Kwong (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegulation of T-cell antigen recognition by melanoma tumor microenvironment and TCR-CD3 ectodomain interaction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite the critical role of CD8+ T cells in tumor clearance, their functions are impaired by immunosuppressive cells\/cytokines, through inhibitory receptors, and metabolic restrictions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Targeting these suppressive pathways were shown to promote tumor clearance, yet unknown mechanisms may still exist curtailing the T cell responses. The T cell activation and anti-tumor response are initiated by the T cells receptor (TCR) recognizing antigen peptide presented by major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules on antigen presenting cells (APC). Recent studies have demonstrated that comparing to in solution (or three-dimensional, 3D) kinetic measurements that uses purified TCR molecules, analysis of pMHC interacting with TCRs expressed on native T cells (or two-dimensional, 2D) provides a better prediction of T cell function and is able to capture perturbations of antigen recognition by T cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. In this study, we examined whether T cell antigen recognition is altered by the TME, and thus contributes to the T cell dysfunction. By testing the OT-I T cells from the murine B16F10 melanoma TME with their cognate antigen pMHC OVA:H2Kb, we showed that the TCR-pMHC 2D affinity is reduced in TME. The presence of tumor modulated TCR mechanosensing of antigen pMHC, converting a typical TCR-pMHC catch bond into slip bonds. The T cells from TME gave a reduced spreading on pMHC coated surface, with a decreased TCR-pMHC tension signal generated by spontaneous T cell pulling on pMHC at force over 4.7pN. The TME altered dynamic response of T cell CD3\u0026zeta; phosphorylation, and reduced level of calcium flux following in vitro stimulations. Using T cell in vitro activation, in vivo proliferation and ex vivo cytokine production as readouts, we showed that removing the TME restores T cell function that was impaired by this antigen inexperienced mechanism. Further analysis showed that nitration of TCR, which can be caused by presence of MDSCs in TME and induces T cell tolerance induced dysfunction, reduced TCR-pMHC 2D affinity. Presence of immunosuppressive Treg and cytokine TGF-\u0026beta; in TME is known to impair CD8+ T cell activation and function. We showed that in vivo TGF-\u0026beta; inhibition and CD4 depletion in tumor bearing animal partially restored the TME altered TCR-pMHC interaction. To summarize, we found that the impaired TCR-pMHC mechanosensing correlated with a reduced T cell function in TME, while this tumor antigen inexperienced suppression was functionally reversible. We also identified several immunosuppressive factors as the potential mechanisms of TME impairment on T cell antigen recognition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETCR \u0026alpha; chain and \u0026beta; chain bind noncovalently to dimeric subunits CD3\u0026delta;\u0026epsilon;, CD3\u0026gamma;\u0026epsilon;, and CD3\u0026zeta;\u0026zeta; to form TCR complex. Upon TCR\u0026alpha;\u0026beta; engaging the antigen pMHC, this binding signal is transmitted through TCR-CD3 interaction, phosphorylates the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) on CD3 cytoplamic tails, which triggers the T cell activation. The interactions among TCR, CD3\u0026delta;\u0026epsilon; and CD3\u0026gamma;\u0026epsilon; ectodomains are weak in 2D affinities, with short-moderate duration of averaged lifetimes, however disrupting these interactions affects TCR complex stability, signaling and significantly reduces T cell function. In this study, we examed how this weak TCR-CD3 extracellular interaction severely impacts T cell function and whether this impact is through regulating T cell antigen recongition. We found that purified TCR proteins bind to a mixture of CD3\u0026delta;\u0026epsilon; and CD3\u0026gamma;\u0026epsilon; ectodomain proteins at an increased likelihood and increased average lifetime, comparing to TCR-CD3\u0026delta;\u0026epsilon; or TCR-CD3\u0026gamma;\u0026epsilon; interaction. This proved the existence of cooperativity among TCR-CD3 extracellular domain interactions. The antibody\/Fab targeting TCR and CD3 ectodomains can block TCR-CD3 extracellular interaction and reduce T cell functional response. We showed that the TCR-CD3 interaction blocking Fab treatments decreased TCR-pMHC 2D affinity and altered TCR-pMHC interaction force response profile. Together, these results indicate that TCR-CD3 extracellular interactions is enhanced by the cooperativity among the ectodomain interactions, and regulates T cell function through altering TCR mechanosensing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this study, we identified impaired T cell antigen recognition as one mechanism of T cell dysfunction in TME. We also identified the cooperativity enhanced TCR-CD3 extracellular interaction as a regulating factor of T cell function by affecting T cell antigen recognition. The results greatly extend our understanding on how the T cell antigen recognition is regulated in physiological and pathological conditions, providing the molecular basis for developing pharmacological approaches to restore\/promote or suppress T cell response by regulating T cell antigen recognition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp; \u0026quot;Regulation of T-cell antigen recognition by melanoma tumor microenvironment and TCR-CD3 ectodomain interaction\u0026quot;- Zhou Yuan\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Regulation of T-cell antigen recognition by melanoma tumor microenvironment and TCR-CD3 ectodomain interaction\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-10-19 13:54:47","changed_gmt":"2020-10-19 13:54:47","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-10-29T10:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2020-10-29T12:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-10-29T12:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-10-29 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-10-29 16:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-10-29 16:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"640110":{"#nid":"640110","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Anish Mukherjee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Dr. J. Brandon Dixon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Levi Wood (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Hanjoong Jo (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Stanislav Emelianov (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Michael J. Davis (University of Missouri)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOptimum Mechanomodulation of Lymphatic Vessel Contractility Using Oscillatory Pressure Waveforms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe lymphatic system is a network of vessels and nodes transporting and clearing interstitial fluid, orchestrating the immune response, and facilitating lipid transport. An important component of the lymphatic system are the collecting lymphatic vessels which pump lymph through the body by virtue of their intrinsic contractility. The collecting lymphatic vessels are known to be sensitive to their mechanical microenvironment which dictates their contractility. However, relatively little is known about how collecting lymphatic vessel contractility is modulated by their oscillatory mechanical microenvironment and how this mechanosensitivity is affected by lymphatic injury. It is important to know the limits of the mechanomodulation of lymphatic vessels in both physiological and pathological circumstances, since an aberrant microenvironment is frequently associated with lymphatic dysfunction, such as in the case of lymphedema. The present work investigates the role of the oscillatory microenvironment in lymphatics for modulating collecting lymphatic contractility. The mechanomodulation of isolated collecting lymphatic vessels by oscillatory shear stress was investigated and optimal parameters of stimulation were identified for maximizing lymphatic function. The modulation of lymphatic vessels was also investigated in vivo in response to oscillatory pressure gradients mimicking pressure waveforms during massage. Massage-like waveforms modulated collecting lymphatic vessel contractility, and this modulation was altered by lymphatic injury. Thus the oscillatory microenvironment is shown to be an important regulator of lymphatic contractility and the present work provides clues on how the mechanosensitivity of lymphatics can be harnessed to better understand therapeutic approaches to lymphedema.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation- \u0026quot;Optimum Mechanomodulation of Lymphatic Vessel Contractility Using Oscillatory Pressure Waveforms\u0026quot; -\u0026nbsp;Anish Mukherjee\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Optimum Mechanomodulation of Lymphatic Vessel Contractility Using Oscillatory Pressure Waveforms\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-10-12 16:33:25","changed_gmt":"2020-10-12 16:33:25","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-10-23T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2020-10-23T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-10-23T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-10-23 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-10-23 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-10-23 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"639513":{"#nid":"639513","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Laura Weinstock","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Levi Wood\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Alicia Lyle (CDC)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Melissa Kemp (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Manu Platt (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Srikant Rangaraju (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Krishnendu Roy (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETemporal Regulation of Pro-Inflammatory Macrophage and Microglia Activation Dynamics Using Model Predictive Control\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EToday, chronic inflammatory diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions, cancer, and heart disease, account for more than 50% of deaths globally. There is thus an urgent need for novel strategies to treat such diseases. Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s disease (AD) is an example of one such disease that presents both a significant challenge and urgent unmet need because there are no clinically approved treatments to stop or slow disease progression. Years of dysfunctional immune activity during the early stages of AD can create damaging cycles of inflammatory dysregulation and pathology accumulation. However, suppression of neural immune activity has not proven to be an effective strategy for AD treatment, perhaps in part because healthy immune function is increasingly recognized to involve a temporally dynamic process. Thus, a new method is needed to exert \u003Cem\u003Etemporal \u003C\/em\u003Econtrol over dysregulated immune activity in AD and other currently intractable diseases. A computational model that captures dynamic immune activity could be used to predict and control the immune response under pathological conditions to recover the immune functionality of healthy tissues. In this thesis, I hypothesized that the application of engineering control theory tools could both quantitatively model immune system responses in disease environments and predict the temporal input trajectory, e.g. treatment regimen, needed to maintain a desired reference level of activity. Indeed, system models were identified that predicted stimuli sequences needed to sustain inflammatory activity and increase pathology clearance, which are lost in chronic disease. I demonstrated the controllability of macrophage pro-inflammatory activity and microglial uptake of the hallmark protein of AD, A\u0026beta;, \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E. The results of these \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E studies informed a temporal immunomodulation treatment strategy that I administered \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Ein a mouse model of AD. Preliminary \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo \u003C\/em\u003Eresults showed a recovery of homeostatic immune activity and reduced AD pathology. Future work will apply the model frameworks \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo,\u003C\/em\u003E further establishing dynamic, model-predicted immune modulation as a novel treatment strategy for AD and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Temporal Regulation of Pro-Inflammatory Macrophage and Microglia Activation Dynamics Using Model Predictive Control\u0026quot; - Laura Weinstock\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Temporal Regulation of Pro-Inflammatory Macrophage and Microglia Activation Dynamics Using Model Predictive Control\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-09-24 15:35:50","changed_gmt":"2020-09-24 15:35:50","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-10-06T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2020-10-06T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-10-06T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-10-06 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-10-06 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-10-06 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"638745":{"#nid":"638745","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE Faculty Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe BioEngineering Program faculty meet regularly during the semester to address program policies, events and future research and academic directions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE Faculty Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022BioE Faculty Meeting\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-09-03 13:26:44","changed_gmt":"2020-09-03 13:26:44","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-10-01T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2020-10-01T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-10-01T13:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-10-01 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-10-01 17:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-10-01 17:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"638744":{"#nid":"638744","#data":{"type":"event","title":"BioE PhD Defense Presentation- Timothy Sowers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvisor:\u003C\/strong\u003E Stanislav Emelianov\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Levent Degertekin (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. David Ku (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Brooks Lindsey (Georgia Institute of Technology)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Muralidhar Padala (Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvancing Photoacoustic Imaging as a Tool for Disease Diagnosis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Photoacoustics is an imaging modality that uses short pulses of laser light to probe tissue for physical properties that have diagnostic value.\u0026nbsp; Applications have been developed widely, including for improved diagnostic of primary and metastatic tumors, atherosclerosis, and arthritis.\u0026nbsp; In this dissertation, photoacoustic imaging as a diagnostic tool is advanced in two ways.\u0026nbsp; Methods for improving light penetration and determining light distribution are improved.\u0026nbsp; A set of simulations of light propagation is used to optimize the geometry of photoacoustic imaging setups for light penetration.\u0026nbsp; Optimal geometries are suggested for researchers depending on the tissue type, wavelength, and imaging species of their application.\u0026nbsp; It was found that several times more light will be delivered in mice than humans, which has implications for the clinical translation of imaging techniques developed in mice across the field of photoacoustics.\u0026nbsp; Next, a new technique is introduced that could be used to compensate for the decrease in fluence deep in tissue.\u0026nbsp; A set of simulations are used to show the viability of the technique, and to show its effectiveness in a simulated phantom.\u0026nbsp; The safety of intravascular photoacoustics is also investigated.\u0026nbsp; Intravascular photoacoustics is a catheter-based imaging modality meant to improve identification of atherosclerotic plaques.\u0026nbsp; A set of \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E experiments indicated that the light dosage damage threshold may be low enough to limit the imaging protocols that can be used safely.\u0026nbsp; Next, experiments were conducted \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E to test for damage to the wall of the carotid artery in swine at multiple clinically relevant dosages.\u0026nbsp; Damage was found at the highest dosages.\u0026nbsp; However, no vessel wall damage was found at dosages that have been used successfully to image plaque in recent \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E studies.\u0026nbsp; This indicates that intravascular photoacoustic imaging can be used to identify lipid plaque without damaging the artery wall, although future studies to corroborate this result are needed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBioE PhD Defense Presentation-\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;Advancing Photoacoustic Imaging as a Tool for Disease Diagnosis\u0026quot;- Timothy Sowers\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u0022Advancing Photoacoustic Imaging as a Tool for Disease Diagnosis\u0022"}],"uid":"27917","created_gmt":"2020-09-03 13:23:43","changed_gmt":"2020-09-03 13:23:43","author":"Laura Paige","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2020-09-16T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2020-09-16T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2020-09-16T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2020-09-16 18:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2020-09-16 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2020-09-16 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"10377","name":"Career\/Professional development"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Paige\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}