BME MONDAY ROUNDTABLE

April 11, 2022

HEAD MESSAGE

Dear Weldon School,

New Graduate team staff: We would like to offer a warm welcome to Elizabeth Rowan who will be joining the BME Graduate team on Monday, April 11^th in the role of Graduate Assistant.  Elizabeth has a bachelor’s degree from IU Kokomo in education. She will be helping grad programs in admissions, event planning and data upkeep for starts and will help the team start to create a Grad Handbook as the new curriculum is developed. She comes to Purdue with wealth of experience in training and recruiting which will be a great asset to our team and will allow her to hit the ground rounding.

Lots happening this week: This week we have several activities and events including a DEI Journal club from 11:00am-12:00 pm April 13 (Pastries included) that looks at differential retention impacts racial/ethnic disparities (see attachment).  On Thursday, April 14- we have IBSC student symposium that starts with a talk from Dr. Paul Robinson (BMS/BME) (recently appointed AAAS fellow) and the day will highlight how interactions between Vet Med, Basic Medical Sciences, and BME provide interdisciplinary strength for discovery and translational research.

PROTECT PURDUE

• Masks protocols changed as of March 14! Check for updates
  https://protect.purdue.edu/required-covid-19-protocols/
• Vaccines are strongly encouraged (though not required)
  https://protect.purdue.edu/vaccine-information/
• Updated guidance for research SOPs, etc. and Protect Purdue are coming quickly.  Please make sure you are staying current with Purdue guidelines.

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES

Week of April 11

Mon., April 11 – BMEGSA’s Big10 Midwest Speaker Exchange, Sara Harper, PhD Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 11:00 a.m. in MJIS 2001, “Fusion of Wearable Muscle and Motion Measurements to Estimate Stride-by-Stride Triceps Surae Work During Outdoor Locomotion on Slopes.” The Big10 Midwest Speaker Exchange is a coordinated effort between Big10 Universities in which PhD candidates are invited to give a 1-hour seminar at a participating University. This year Purdue is collaborating with University of Wisconsin-Madison. Purdue’s student, Joseph Muskat (BME) presented his research at UW-Madison on 3/21.  Coffee and tea will be available. 

Mon., April 11 – BME PhD Defense Announcement for Ziqian Zeng (N. Alves and S. Harbin, co-advisors), 9:00 a.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95875501047?pwd=VkVZMXlMSkJWOHpWWWFZUDFYbG9jdz09  Title: of presentation: Developing in-vitro Synthetic Blood Clot Models for Testing Thrombolytic Drugs.

Wed., April 13 – BME Master’s Defense, Charlie Martin (M. Dadarlat Makin, advisor), 8:00 a.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99937870411 Title of presentation: Electrophysiological and behavioral testing reveal aberrant visual processing in Syngap1+/- mice.

Wed., April 13 – BME Distinguished Seminar Series, Dr. Agata Exner, Henry Payne Willsson Professor and Vice Chair for Basic Research at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 9:30 a.m., MJIS 1001 and via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95150439811?pwd=a3hOK0o0bmpkS3poTVBCbVhDNU9FZz09 Title of presentation: "Applications of Echogenic Nanobubbles for Personalized Cancer Medicine - From Diagnosis to Precision Therapy"

Wed., April 13 - Weldon School Diversity Equity and Inclusion Journal Club co-hosted with BMEGSA, 11am-12pm in MJIS 2001 discussing PLoS ONE article "Differential retention contributes to racial/ethnic disparity in U.S. academia”: (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0259710).

Wed., April 13 – BME PhD Defense, Kelsey Hopkins (L. Solorio, advisor), 3:30 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99684673539?pwd=aXgwR0g5cFJXWEJXVTZka0JUWFJUdz09 Title of presentation: Noninvasive Characterization and Development of In Situ Forming Implants for Use as a Local Pancreatic Cancer Therapy.

Wed., April 13 – Centers for Diabetes Translational Research Seminar, 2:00 p.m. virtual: https://redcap.link/DRCVirtualSeminar-JosiemerMattei  Dr. Josiemer Mattei, Donald and Sue Pritzker Associate Professor of Nutrition, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. Title of presentation: "Food, culture, and health in Hispanics/Latinx: From evidence to action"

Thurs., April 14 - The Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (IBSC) Program, sponsored by BME and the PVM, is holding a symposium on April 14, 2022 in Martin Jischke Hall. The symposium is entitled "From Bench to Bedside: Translational and pre-clinical models for human and animal health." Details below.

Thurs., April 14 – Northwestern University’s Center for Deep Learning is sponsoring Plamen Petrov, CTO at Hydrogen Health, in a presentation entitled “Digital & Virtual Health Care. Current state and emerging trends. Opportunities to apply data science & Artificial Intelligence.” 7 p.m. EST. Join Online: 979 8194 6956, Code CDL 2022.

Fri., April 15 – Deadline for all faculty teaching in Fall 2022 to submit Course Info Forms to Cindy Holderbaum (cholderb@purdue.edu).

Fri., April 15 – Deadline to register for “2022 Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy” to be held May 11-12. See attachment for details.

Upcoming important deadlines and info.

Mon., April 18 – BME PhD Defense Announcement for Rachel A. Morrison (S. Harbin and J. Rickus, co-advisors), 10:00 a.m., MJIS 2001 and via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/94970591432?pwd=WmJMbjI1eDYyb08rTmora0N5K29SZz09 Title of presentation:  Oligomeric collagen encapsulation design and mechanism of protection for beta-cell replacement therapy.

Tues., April 19 – Friday, April 27 – Purdue EPICS Design Reviews. Please register to be a reviewer for the Purdue EPICS Design Reviews. Reviewers may attend in-person or online. The students need your professional feedback and input. Link for registration: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N47K6OTs1Zb2hE  Please contact Carl Russell III at russ160@purdue.edu with questions.

Wed., April 20 – BME Bytes Seminar, 1:30 pm, Location TBD. Presenter: Apekshya Chhetri. Open to all undergraduate and graduate researchers. Lunch will be provided.

Thurs., April 21 – IBSC-BME Preliminary Exam Announcement for Antonio Susnjar (J. Rispoli and T. Talavage, advisors), 10:00 a.m., MJIS 2001 or via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99417184999 Title of presentation: Clinical Applications of Innovative Magnetic Resonance Techniques

Thurs., April 21 – Purdue Series on Corporate Citizenship and Ethics, Dr. John Whyte, Chief Medical Officer, WebMD presenting “The FDA and Artificial Intelligence in Health Care,” 7:00 p.m., Stewart Center – Loeb Playhouse. Sponsored by Krannert School of Management, College of Education and College of Pharmacy.

Fri., April 22 –  BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Rashed Almousa (D. Xie and K. Park, co-advisors), 1:00 p.m., via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/92818782481?pwd=YnZVNVl6SmpyYW0xeUVKRU5oRjE4dz09  Title of presentation: Hydrogel-coated Polyvinylchloride Surface for Enhanced Antifouling and Biofilm Resistance.

Fri., April 22 – BME PhD Defense Announcement for Agudemu Borjigin (H. Bharadwaj, advisor), 1:00 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/93613037748?pwd=OGpCSjdEV2NqTVJKdjF4T1h1dldhdz09 Meeting ID: 936 1303 7748; Passcode: 777827. Title of presentation: The Role of Temporal Fine Structure in Everyday Hearing.

Tues., April 26 – BRAG Session, 12:00 p.m., MJIS 2001, Dr. Young Kim, Associate Head for Research and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, “The good, the bad, and the ugly of clinical research as a biomedical engineering.”

Wed., April 27 – Engineering Solutions in Pediatric Healthcare, 1:00-4:30 p.m., MJIS 2001 and via Zoom. Join us on April 27 to discuss the intersection of engineering and medicine in pediatric healthcare. Hear from faculty and clinicians from Purdue'sWeldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University School of Medicine, Riley Children's Hospital and industry experts from Cook Medical.

Wed., April 27 – BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Angel G. Enriquez (H. Lee, advisor), 3:00 p.m., MRGN 129. Title of presentation: Magnetic actuators for smart functionality in biomedical devices.

Thurs., April 28-Fri., Apr. 29:   Vanderbilt University will be hosting the annual Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, a conference focused on biomedical sciences graduate students. Attendees have a unique opportunity to connect with the Vanderbilt community, obtain a long-term mentoring relationship with a Vanderbilt faculty member, and gain training in scientific communication. The event will also feature a keynote address from Vanderbilt postdoc alumna, Dr. Shaneda Anderson. This year the conference will be virtual. Details below.

Thurs., May 5:  Coffee Chat with Faculty:  11:00 am -12:00 pm, Location LYLE (Room TBM). Faculty host: Alexandria Volkening. Potential discussion topics: website development, public science and outreach, social media, academic job materials (with an interdisciplinary perspective)

Tues., May 31:  Deadline for submission of abstracts for BMES 2022 Annual Meeting, to be held October 12-15 in San Antonio, TX. For more information:  https://www.bmes.org/abstract-information This year’s meeting theme is “Embracing Inclusion to Advance Innovation in Healthcare and Education”

Fri., June 3:  Application deadline for Trailblazers in Engineering program. See below for details.

SPRING 2022 BME Faculty Meetings

All faculty meetings will begin at 11:30 a.m. in MJIS 2001

Fri., April 22

SPRING 2022 BME Primary Committee Meetings

Fri., April 15, 10:00-5:00, MJIS 2001 (LONG meeting!)

Committee Updates

Academic Programs Update

REMINDER:  The school would like to recognize the role that our undergraduate TAs have played this past academic year (Fall 21/Spring 22).  Therefore, we’re inviting you to nominate those that you have worked with and feel are deserving of recognition.

If you feel like yours were in that category, would you please take a few minutes to recommend one, or more, of them using the brief Qualtrics survey below?  We’d like to receive all submissions in the next two weeks; or by Monday, 4/18.

Link for award survey:

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8hUo9AJDSOm1boi

DEI Committee Update

Weldon School Diversity Equity and Inclusion Journal Club co-hosted with BMEGSA

April 13, 11am-12pm in MJIS 2001 discussing PLoS ONE article "Differential retention contributes to racial/ethnic disparity in U.S. academia: (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0259710).

Remaining BME Graduate Peer Mentoring meeting days are: 11-1pm on  May 13^th

Virtual panel on Disability Justice

April 13 at 7pm there will be a virtual panel on disability justice, which Critical Disability Studies is cosponsoring along with several other campus organizations. The speakers will be disability scholars and activists Alice Wong, Mia Mingus, and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. An accessible poster is attached. Register at this link: https://tinyurl.com/DisabilityJustice22

Trailblazers in Engineering (TBE) are workshops to prepare future trailblazing faculty in engineering with a focus on preparing outstanding scholars who are also committed to increasing the success of underrepresented communities of engineers. Fellows will network with leading faculty in engineering, thought leaders, program managers at key federal funding agencies, Purdue Engineering heads, and of course, each other. Participants will also meet current Trailblazers and benefit from their inspiring keynote talks. TBE 2022 will be held in person on Purdue's beautiful West Lafayette, IN campus July 26 - 28, 2022. 

More information and application details for the Black Trailblazers in Engineering (BTE) and Latinx Trailblazers in Engineering (LATinE) program is available at: https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Trailblazers

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  June 3, 2022

Resources, attachments, further information

BME PhD Defense Announcement for Ziqian Zeng (N. Alves and S. Harbin, co-advisors), Mon., April 11, 9:00 a.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95875501047?pwd=VkVZMXlMSkJWOHpWWWFZUDFYbG9jdz09  (Meeting ID: 958 7550 1047, Passcode: 636182). Title: of presentation: Developing in-vitro Synthetic Blood Clot Models for Testing Thrombolytic Drugs.

Committee:

Dr. Nathan J Alves (Advisor, Co-Chair)

Dr. Sherry L. Harbin (Co-Chair)

Dr. Julie C. Liu (Member)

Dr. Vitaliy L. Rayz (Member)

Abstract: Thrombosis is the pathological blood clot formation that blocks blood circulation, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. Thrombolytic drugs that offer rapid clot dissolution are promising treatments, yet current drugs are associated with limited efficacy and high bleeding risks. While numerous animal thrombosis models have been developed for drug screening, the translation of therapeutic agents into and through clinical trials remains limited. This is primarily due to animal models’ poor reproducibility and distinctive physiology to that of humans. In vitro flow models that utilize both human blood components and physiologically relevant flow conditions can provide for a more representative testing environment to screen drugs. Developing better in vitro models may not eliminate the need for preclinical animal testing but can help exclude inefficient agents earlier in the drug development pipeline to expedite the drug evaluation process. Existing in vitro thrombolysis flow models are not ideal as they either adopt over-simplified clot substrates or utilize small-length-scale geometries that insufficiently mimic native hemodynamics. Thus, we propose to develop a highly reproducible, physiological scale, flowing clot lysis model to screen thrombolytic drugs. This model combines an in vivo-like fluorescence incorporated synthetic clot (FISC) and a human-relevant flow system. This system is a tubing-based structure comprising a peristaltic pump, a dampener, and a fluorometer to offer real-time monitoring of thrombolysis under steady or pulsatile flow. The synthetic clot model can mimic various thrombosis conditions and offer representative drug testing and dosing results across numerous thrombolytic agents.

BMEGSA’s Big10 Midwest Speaker Exchange, Sara Harper, PhD Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mon., April 11, 11:00 a.m. in MJIS 2001, “Fusion of Wearable Muscle and Motion Measurements to Estimate Stride-by-Stride Triceps Surae Work During Outdoor Locomotion on Slopes”

Wearable tendon tensiometry has been recently introduced to characterize muscle-tendon loading during outdoor locomotion. Coupling it with wearable motion capture could enable mobile analysis of muscle-tendon kinematics and kinetics. This study aimed to establish a such a system and investigate stride-by-stride work production in triceps surae muscles during outdoor locomotion on slopes. Eleven healthy adults were outfitted with Achilles tendon tensiometers and lower-body inertial measurement units. Participants walked at self-selected speeds along an outdoor 800 m course including slopes from -10° to +10°.Muscle force and length change data were obtained from calibrated tensiometry and joint angle data, respectively. Net muscle-tendon work per stride was calculated by integrating the product of force and length change. Separately for inclines and declines, linear regression was performed to fit net work vs. slope of each stride for both muscles. At all slopes, net work for both muscles was positive. Soleus net work increased with increasing slope. Gastrocnemius net work changed less, increasing slightly across declines and decreasing slightly across inclines. This work demonstrates the feasibility of combining wearable tensiometry and motion capture to assess muscle-tendon dynamics during outdoor locomotion. Such technology could enable quantitative field-based assessments in sports, ergonomics, and rehabilitation.

Sponsored by: Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association. The Big10 Midwest Speaker Exchange is a coordinated effort between Big10 Universities in which PhD candidates are invited to give a 1-hour seminar at a participating University. This year Purdue is collaborating with University of Wisconsin-Madison. Purdue’s student, Joseph Muskat (BME) presented his research at UW-Madison on 3/21. Coffee and tea will be available.

BME Master’s Defense, Charlie Martin (M. Dadarlat Makin, advisor), Wed., April 13, 8:00 a.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99937870411 Title of presentation: Electrophysiological and behavioral testing reveal aberrant visual processing in Syngap1+/- mice.

Advisory Committee: Maria Dadarlat Makin, Chair; Estuardo Robles; Tamara L. Kinzer-Ursem

Abstract: Syngap1+/- mice, a mouse model for intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, develop early maturation of synapses due to a reduction in SynGAP1.  This early maturation falls before the critical period of binocular matching at P14-P16 when orientation selectivity in the visual cortex (V1) begins developing.  To understand the effects of reduced SynGAP1 expression in V1 development, acute monocular and binocular shank recordings were performed in V1 with corresponding analyses to determine if any alterations had occurred in retinotopy, orientation selectivity, and binocularity.  A behavioral protocol was developed to link neural responses behavioral responses testing the visual discrimination threshold of angled stimuli.  A widening of the receptive fields in Syngap1+/- mice was identified along with reduced firing rates for orientation tuned neurons in V1.  The behavioral task identified an increase in the visual discrimination angle of Syngap1+/- mice.  These results indicate a reduction in SynGAP1 expression has a perceivable effect on V1 development and function.

BME Distinguished Seminar Series, Dr. Agata Exner, Henry Payne Willsson Professor and Vice Chair for Basic Research at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Wed., April 13, 9:30 a.m., MJIS 1001 and via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95150439811?pwd=a3hOK0o0bmpkS3poTVBCbVhDNU9FZz09 Title of presentation: "Applications of Echogenic Nanobubbles for Personalized Cancer Medicine - From Diagnosis to Precision Therapy"

Abstract: Gas-core nanoparticles (also known as nanobubbles) have gained momentum as a robust contrast agent for ultrasound molecular imaging. By changing the ultrasound exposure parameters, the nanobubbles can be used to treat cancer. The small size, extended stability and high concentration of nanobubbles enable new applications that can provide superior tumor detection, identify biomarkers on the vasculature and tumors cells, and improve the efficiency of drug delivery. The patterns of tissue enhancement under nonlinear ultrasound imaging of nanobubbles are distinct from conventional microbubbles (MB), especially in tissues exhibiting vascular hyperpermeability. The NB kinetics in each of these tissues, quantified via time-intensity curve analysis, typically show a marked delay in the washout rate and significantly increased area under the curve compared to MB. This effect is further enhanced by molecular targeting to cellular biomarkers, such as the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). In these cases, targeted NB show a significant increase in accumulation in tumors over time compared to untargeted NB. This presentation will discuss our work exploring the unique properties of nanobubbles in contrast-enhanced imaging for the early detection of cancer, the development of companion diagnostics for determining tumor susceptibility to nanomedicine-based pharmacologic interventions in oncology and other targeted theranostic strategies.

Bio: Dr. Agata Exner, Ph.D. is the Henry Payne Willson Professor and Vice Chair for Basic Research in the Department of Radiology, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio and Adjunct Professor of Physics at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Exner is also the Director of the Division of Radiology Research, co-Director of the Case Center for Imaging Research and Associate Director of the Case Medical Scientist Training Program. Her research focuses on developing nanobubble contrast agents for ultrasound molecular imaging and ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery for cancer detection and therapy and engineering drug-eluting polymer implants for intratumoral chemotherapy. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Distinguished Investigator of the Academy of Radiology Research, chartered member of the Gene and Drug Delivery Systems study section, Ultrasound Section Editor of Molecular Imaging and Biology Journal and Associate Editor of the Annals of Biomedical Engineering. She received her PhD from CWRU in 2003.

~BME Faculty Host: Dr. Luis Solorio ~

BME PhD Defense, Kelsey Hopkins (L. Solorio, advisor), Wed., April 13, 3:30 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99684673539?pwd=aXgwR0g5cFJXWEJXVTZka0JUWFJUdz09 Title of presentation: Noninvasive Characterization and Development of In Situ Forming Implants for Use as a Local Pancreatic Cancer Therapy.

Committee Members: Dr. Luis Solorio (chair), Dr. Joseph Rispoli, Dr. Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, and Dr. Brittany Allen-Petersen

Location: Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99684673539?pwd=aXgwR0g5cFJXWEJXVTZka0JUWFJUdz09

Meeting ID: 996 8467 3539
Passcode: BME

Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an especially deadly disease having the lowest 5-year survival rate of any major cancer at just 11%. As in many cancers, systemically-delivered chemotherapy forms the backbone of clinical treatment. However, limitations of systemic delivery exacerbated by the unique desmoplastic and avascular microenvironment surrounding the pancreatic tumor cells result in the failed efficacy of current treatments. The high stromal content in the microenvironment, which is especially overabundant in hyaluronic acid, is thought to physically impede drug perfusion into the tissue. Thus, there is clearly a critical need to develop novel treatments for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma that can overcome these drug delivery barriers. Long-acting injectable implants offer an attractive drug delivery method that can provide sustained drug release directly at the local targeted site, rather than transient, systemic release. Here we use in situ forming implants (ISFIs), which are a low-viscosity solution outside of the body but transition into a solid drug-eluting depot after injection into an aqueous environment. Our objective is to develop and characterize an ISFI that can provide sustained release of bioactive hyaluronidase for use as an intratumoral injection to degrade hyaluronic acid in pancreatic tumors. This work was accomplished in four aims. First, a method was developed using diffusion-weighted MRI for noninvasive characterization of the implants. Second, because hyaluronidase is a protein drug, we studied factors affecting protein release from ISFIs, focusing on external factors of the injection site. Third, we showed that basic salt additives can be used to neutralize the acidic environment created by the implants which may improve protein stability. Finally, we formulated an implant to provide sustained release of hyaluronidase and demonstrated retention of its bioactivity both in vitro and ex vivo.

Northwestern University’s Center for Deep Learning is sponsoring Plamen Petrov, CTO at Hydrogen Health, in a presentation entitled “Digital & Virtual Health Care. Current state and emerging trends. Opportunities to apply data science & Artificial Intelligence.” Thurs., April 14,  7 p.m. EST. Join Online: 979 8194 6956, Code CDL 2022.

Abstract: The global telehealth market size was $144 billion in 2020. The telehealth market is projected to grow to $636 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 32.1% in the forecast period, 2021-2028. Data science and Artificial Intelligence have proven to be critical components of virtual health solutions allowing clinicians to make real-time, data driven medical decisions at the point of care and to scale the telehealth services to millions of patients, achieving improved health outcomes and superior patient experience.  In this talk, will discuss the current state and emerging trends of the virtual health industry with a focus on the applicability of machine learning and data science to this rapidly growing field.

Bio: Plamen Petrov is Chief Technology Officer at Hydrogen Health. Hydrogen Health is an AI-powered digital health company established by Anthem Inc, Blackstone Growth and K Health. Hydrogen Health’s mission is to partner with employers to close the primary care gap through access to comprehensive whole-health care. Hydrogen’s virtual primary care solution brings K Health’s suite of digital healthcare services to employers to address prevention and chronic condition management while also providing world-class support for acute care needs. With 5 million direct-to-consumer users and 2 million insured members, the unique technology is powered by millions of medical records and data sets, in partnership with the Mayo Clinic Platform, Maccabi Healthcare Services, and Anthem. Learn more about Hydrogen Health at https://hydrogenhealth.com/. Prior to Hydrogen Health, Plamen was VP of Data Science and Chief Data Officer at Anthem Inc. Plamen has extensive experience in industry and academia having worked in different roles at companies such as Anthem, KPMG, IBM, Deloitte LLP, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, United Airlines, Sun Microsystems, Motorola, and Cincinnati Bell. Plamen is a recognized expert applying Artificial Intelligence technologies and data science methods to various business domains and in particular on probabilistic reasoning and inference, Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning. Plamen holds a Master of Engineering Management degree and Ph.D. in Computer Science. Plamen serves on the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago where he conducts research, advises students, and teaches graduate courses.

Center for Deep Learning: The Center for Deep Learning provides technical capacity and expertise to companies seeking to establish or improve access to AI. Its leaders are Northwestern University world-class researchers, academic directors, and alumni with long established and current experience in industry.  

The Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (IBSC) Symposium, "From Bench to Bedside: Translational and pre-clinical models for human and animal health." Sponsored by the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine. Thurs., April 14, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Martin Jischke Hall.

This symposium will highlight research conducted by IBSC PhD students through talks and posters. Keynote Speaker, Distinguished Professor in Cytometry, Dr. J. Paul Robinson, will discuss his research and its applications to both food safety and human health. The schedule for the day is below. We really hope you are able to join us to help in celebrating this PhD student-based collaboration between PVM and BME.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the IBSC program, please e-mail Russell Main (rmain@purdue.edu).

• Detailed schedule:  
• 9am-10am: Keynote speaker, Dr. J. Paul Robinson (1001 MJIS)
• 10am-11:30am: IBSC PhD student poster session (MJIS 2001)
• 12pm-1pm: IBSC student lunch with Dr. Robinson (MJIS 2001)
• 1pm-2pm: IBSC student speaker seminar (MJIS 2001)

The Keynote and IBSC student seminars will also be available via Zoom. Zoom address to follow next week.

BME PhD Defense Announcement for Rachel A. Morrison (S. Harbin and J. Rickus, co-advisors), Mon., April 18, 10:00 a.m., MJIS 2001 and via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/94970591432?pwd=WmJMbjI1eDYyb08rTmora0N5K29SZz09 Meeting ID: 949 7059 1432; Passcode: 780258.  Title of presentation:  Oligomeric collagen encapsulation design and mechanism of protection for beta-cell replacement therapy.

Advisory Committee: Sherry L. Harbin, Co-Chair; Jenna L. Rickus, Co-Chair; Kinam Park; Raghavendra G. Mirmira; Robert V. Considine

Abstract: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D), a chronic disease affecting over 1.5 million Americans, is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing β-cells within pancreatic islets. Islet/β-cell replacement therapies, where replenishable β-cell sources are implanted within protective microenvironments, have the potential to provide a long-term solution for individuals with T1D by restoring glucose-sensitive, insulin release and overall glycemic control. However, most conventional encapsulation materials elicit an immune reaction, known as a foreign body response (FBR), which compromises β-cell health and function. In this dissertation, we designed and evaluated various formulations of a polymerizable collagen, namely type I oligomeric collagen (Oligomer), as encapsulation materials for minimally invasive, subcutaneous delivery of replacement β-cells. Preclinical validation in chemically-induced diabetic mice demonstrated rapid (within 24 hours) reversal of diabetes for beyond 90 days with no signs of rejection or FBR after subcutaneous delivery of both allogeneic and xenogeneic (rat) islets. To further define this uncommon mechanism of protection, the tissue response to Oligomer, in comparison to commercial synthetic and collagen-based materials, was evaluated following subcutaneous implantation within rats, a well-established biocompatibility model. Histological and transcriptomics analyses were used to define the immune response at both cellular and molecular levels. Interestingly, Oligomer showed minimal and transient activation of innate immune cells similar to the sham surgical control, with no evidence of foreign body giant cell formation, inflammatory-mediated bioresorption, or fibrosis. Overall, this work evaluates preclinical efficacy and demonstrates mechanistic understanding of immune tolerance for Oligomer materials for β-cell replacement therapy and other regenerative medicine applications.

IBSC-BME Preliminary Exam Announcement for Antonio Susnjar (J. Rispoli and T. Talavage, advisors), 10:00 a.m., Thurs., April 21, MJIS 2001 or via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99417184999 Title of presentation: Clinical Applications of Innovative Magnetic Resonance Techniques

Advisory committee: Joseph V. Rispoli, co-chair; Thomas M. Talavage, co-chair; Ulrike Dydak; Uzay Emir

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has undergone an enormous advancement in diagnostic accuracy through improved comprehensive evaluation of early soft tissue transformation while avoiding the exposure to potentially dangerous ionizing radiation. With decreased cost and enhanced availability, the use of MRI is becoming ever more persuasive throughout clinical practice. Complementary to the MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers unique information about the micromolecular composition of the human body by capturing the chemical signature of metabolites and neurotransmitters via frequency changes and displaying this information in a spectrum. The applications of MRS to investigate the metabolic window on a wide range of biochemical processes are incredibly diverse. For example, we have utilized MRS to investigate the composition and function of the human brain in post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, addiction, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy assessment. In addition to MRS biological specificity, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is yet another advanced MRI methodology used to map and characterize the three-dimensional diffusion of water as a function of spatial location. Analogous to the MRS, DTI applications are diverse and not limited to in vivo studies. To address the significant challenges of strict drug user adherence regimens for numerous treatments, we have evaluated the drug release profile from a newly developed in situ forming implants (ISFIs) for sustained and constant drug delivery. Taken together, advanced MRI methods that probe the morphology, microstructure, function, and chemical changes are clinically applicable in various diseases and conditions. 

BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Rashed Almousa (D. Xie and K. Park, co-advisors), Fri., April 22, 1:00 p.m., via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/92818782481?pwd=YnZVNVl6SmpyYW0xeUVKRU5oRjE4dz09 Meeting ID: 928 1878 2481; Passcode: 849982. Title of presentation: Hydrogel-coated Polyvinylchloride Surface for Enhanced Antifouling and Biofilm Resistance.

Abstract:  Once a medical device is implanted, a series of interactions occur between the surface of the device and the body fluids where proteins start to be adsorbed on the surface which initiates cell and bacterial adhesion, and this can eventually lead to thrombus formation and bacterial contamination.  Both of the two complications can significantly reduce the quality and the efficiency of the implanted device and may ultimately reduce the reliability of the implant. The polyvinylchloride (PVC) surface as a common medical material is hydrophobic and highly prone to such complications, urging researchers to develop an enhanced surface coating. Unlike other approaches of inadequate surface coating or limited antifouling polymer density and thickness, we propose to form a hydrogel that is covalently bonded on the PVC surface to significantly reduce protein adsorption, cell adhesion, and biofilm formation by a dense layer of antifouling polymers via surface-initiated polymerization. Hydrogels are prepared based on polymers having the capacity of swelling large amounts of water, which can then effectively repel proteins, cells, and bacteria. The covalently attached hydrogel will be fabricated via a conventional free-radical polymerization initiated through a biocompatible initiator or chain-transfer agent. Conventional free-radical polymerization is efficient, simple, cost-effective, and more friendly to the environment when compared to advanced polymerization methods. We believe that the successful achievement of the project will greatly impact the field of blood, cardiovascular and urological research, and the quality of health care for those requiring PVC-based medical devices and supplies in blood transfusion, cardiovascular and urological applications.

BME PhD Defense Announcement for Agudemu Borjigin (H. Bharadwaj, advisor), Fri., April 22, 1:00 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/93613037748?pwd=OGpCSjdEV2NqTVJKdjF4T1h1dldhdz09 Meeting ID: 936 1303 7748; Passcode: 777827. Title of presentation: The Role of Temporal Fine Structure in Everyday Hearing.

Advisory committee:  Dr. Hari M. Bharadwaj, advisor; Dr. Michael G. Heinz, Dr. Edward L. Bartlett, Dr. Daniel B. Polley

Abstract:  This thesis aims to investigate how one fundamental component of the inner-ear (cochlear) response to all sounds, the temporal fine structure (TFS), is used by the auditory system in everyday hearing. Although it is well known that neurons in the cochlea encode the TFS through exquisite phase locking, how this initial/peripheral temporal code contributes to everyday hearing and how its degradation contributes to perceptual deficits are foundational questions in auditory neuroscience and clinical audiology that remain unresolved despite extensive prior research. This is largely because the conventional approach to studying the role of TFS involves performing perceptual experiments with acoustic manipulations of stimuli (such as sub-band vocoding), rather than direct physiological or behavioral measurements of TFS coding, and hence is intrinsically limited. The present thesis addresses these gaps in three parts: 1) developing assays that can quantify TFS coding at the individual level 2) comparing individual differences in TFS coding to differences in speech-in-noise perception across a range of real-world listening conditions, and 3) developing deep neural network (DNN) models of speech separation/enhancement to complement the individual-difference approach. By comparing behavioral and electroencephalogram (EEG)-based measures, Part 1 of this work identified a robust test battery that measures TFS processing in individual humans. Using this battery, Part 2 subdivided a large sample of listeners (N=200) into groups with “good” and “poor” TFS sensitivity. A comparison of speech-in-noise scores under a range of listening conditions between the groups revealed that good TFS coding reduces the negative impact of reverberation on speech intelligibility, and leads to reduced reaction times suggesting lessened listening effort. These results raise the possibility that cochlear implant (CI) sound coding strategies could be improved by attempting to provide usable TFS information, and that these individualized TFS assays can also help predict listening outcomes in reverberant, real-world listening environments. Finally, the DNN models (Part 3) introduced significant improvements in speech quality and intelligibility, as evidenced by all acoustic evaluation metrics and test results from CI listeners (N=6). These models can be incorporated as “front-end” noise-reduction algorithms in hearing assistive devices, as well as complement other approaches by serving as a research tool to help generate and rapidly sub-select the most viable hypotheses about the role of TFS coding in complex listening scenarios.

BRAG Session, Tues., April 26, 12:00 p.m., MJIS 2001, Dr. Young Kim, Associate Head for Research and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, “The good, the bad, and the ugly of clinical research as a biomedical engineering.” Dr Kim writes that he will share multiple failures and a couple of happy stories. Spread the word - bring another postdoc! 

Raising A Resilient Scientist Workshop Series

(Message from Sharon Milgram, Director, NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education): Over the last year I have interacted with many trainees across the U.S. as part of the NIH Becoming a Resilient Scientist series. After carefully considering input from students, postdocs, faculty and program administrators who participated in the program, I have decided to offer a series, RAISING A RESILIENT SCIENTIST, for faculty and administrators who mentor students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. The goal of the Raising a Resilient Scientist series is to promote the mental health and well-being of the academic research community by supporting faculty and administrators to develop self-management, relationship-management, and mentoring skills. A variety of topics will be covered with a specific focus on communication and shared problem-solving to help trainees deal with the inevitable setbacks experienced in high knowledge environments.  There will be five units in the series; each unit will consist of a 75-minute lecture, which can be watched in real-time or asynchronously, followed by a 1-hour facilitated discussion with peers. There will be two opportunities for participation in the small groups following each webinar. There is no charge for participation, but advanced registration is required. For more information, and to register, please visit our webpage.  I do not anticipate offering this series again in the future; participation in the entire series is recommended but is not required. Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions. Current scheduled workshop dates are April 26 and May 24.

Engineering Solutions in Pediatric Healthcare, Wed., April 27, 1:00-4:30 p.m., MJIS 2001 and via Zoom. Join us on April 27 to discuss the intersection of engineering and medicine in pediatric healthcare. Hear from faculty and clinicians from Purdue'sWeldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University School of Medicine, Riley Children's Hospital and industry experts from Cook Medical.

Topics include:

• History of biomedical engineering and pediatrics research at Purdue
• What research is going on now to treat pediatric disease
• Discuss how we can increase collaborative opportunities and overcome challenges in the development and translation of pediatric medical devices

Registration is encouraged by April 18.

For more information and to register for the event, visit: purdue.link/2022-pediatric-symposium

BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Angel G. Enriquez (H. Lee, advisor), Wed., April 27, 3:00 p.m., MRGN 129. Title of presentation: Magnetic actuators for smart functionality in biomedical devices.

Advisory Committee: Hyowon Lee, Chair; Chi Hwan Lee; Luis Solorio; Daniel H. Sahlein

Abstract: Magnetism provides numerous advantages to actuating systems, specifically for biomedical applications. The untethered transfer of energy and scalability of magnetic actuators enables functionality to an otherwise passive system. For example, the wireless magnetic actuation can turn static 2D and 3D cell cultures into a more physiologically-relevant dynamic environment while limiting contamination. Moreover, indwelling catheters and implantable sensors are typically stationary devices that are notorious for their short lifespan when implanting into the body due to immune responses. Magnetic microactuators may be used for wireless actuation for in situ removal of biological materials accumulated on chronically implanted devices. In this dissertation, I will demonstrate examples of novel biomedical microdevices enabled by magnetic actuation for added functional benefits. First, I will describe a soft polymer magnetic actuator that can facilitate the study of a physiologically relevant cell culturing system. By cyclically stretching an extracellular matrix protein in a 3D cell culture, this system can elucidate the process by which breast cancer cells respond to a dynamic environment in the lungs. The fibrillar fibronectin suspended across the body of the magnetic actuator provides a matrix representative of early metastasis for 3D cell culture that has not yet been recapitulated in vitro until now. Our findings suggest that this dynamic environment leads to significant matrix degradation in breast cancer cell lines with metastatic potential. Our results demonstrate a clear suppressive cellular response due to cyclic stretching that has implications for a mechanical role in the dormancy and reactivation of disseminated breast cancer cells to macrometastases. As a second application, I will demonstrate the use of magnetic microactuators to remove biofouling on an implantable biosensor in order to prolong its functionality. The results of our work suggest that the motion of the actuator on the sensor surface can maintain biosensor signal integrity and prevents the downstream effects of the foreign body response. In the future, I plan to evaluate the performance of the self-clearing biosensor in vivo to demonstrate chronic and reliable sensor functionality.

Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, April 28-29:  On April 28-29^th, Vanderbilt University will be hosting the annual Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, a conference focused on biomedical sciences graduate students. Attendees have a unique opportunity to connect with the Vanderbilt community, obtain a long-term mentoring relationship with a Vanderbilt faculty member, and gain training in scientific communication. The event will also feature a keynote address from Vanderbilt postdoc alumna, Dr. Shaneda Anderson. This year the conference will be virtual. The complete two day schedule can be found here. While the symposium is open to all, we particularly encourage individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in academia to apply, including but not limited to those who identify as Black, African-American, Latino, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander, those who have a disability, first generation college-goers, those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, and those underrepresented on the basis of gender identity or expression or sexual orientation. I am hoping that we will have representation from every Big 10 school (University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison). Do you know of any students who would be interested in applying? If so, please respond to antentor.o.hinton.jr@Vanderbilt.Edu with their name and email and a member of our team will reach out.

Thank you for your consideration,

Antentor Othrell Hinton, Jr., Ph.D.

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Twitter: @phdgprotein86

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biogeek26/

Lab Twitter: @AtHinton 

EE Just Faculty Scholar (UNCF award)

Assistant Professor 

Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences

The Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center

Poster Submission Application and Details

Award Application and Details

Trailblazers in Engineering (TBE) are workshops to prepare future trailblazing faculty in engineering with a focus on preparing outstanding scholars who are also committed to increasing the success of underrepresented communities of engineers. Trailblazers in Engineering Fellows are selected not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements but also for their potential impact in expanding representation and diversity in engineering.

The workshop will provide Fellows the ability to network with leading faculty in engineering, thought leaders, program managers at key federal funding agencies, Purdue Engineering heads, and of course, each other. Participants will also meet current Trailblazers and benefit from their inspiring keynote talks.

TBE 2022 will be held in person on Purdue's beautiful West Lafayette, IN campus July 26 - 28, 2022. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  June 3, 2022

Reasons to Attend 

1. Network with leading trailblazing faculty in engineering, thought leaders, program managers at key federal funding agencies, Purdue Engineering heads, and scientists who will present keynote speeches and talks throughout the program.
2. Gain insight into what academic success will look like post-pandemic.
3. Participate in panel discussions.
• Why choose an academic career?
• How to apply & interview?
• How to negotiate salary and start-up packages?
• How to get early career research funding?
4. Meet program managers from the National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, National Institutes of Health and others; receive advice on your proposals; and participate in a poster session to pitch your research and teaching plans and get feedback from would-be employers.
5. Attend the "Success Strategies for New Faculty Members" workshop presented by internationally recognized experts in faculty development, Drs. Richard Felder and Rebecca Brent.
6. For non-Purdue Fellows, we are reimbursing up to $800.00 per Economy flight and transportation (cab fare, shuttle, mileage, and/or parking to/from Purdue). In addition, we will provide two days of per diem for travel days of July 25 & 28.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  June 3, 2022

Applicants are invited to apply through two programs, Black Trailblazers in Engineering (BTE) and Latinx Trailblazers in Engineering (LATinE). Please visit these pages for details.

Attachments

Hitchhiker

IBSC

DEI Journal Club