Spring 2012 Seminar Series

Biomedical Engineering Spring 2012 Seminar

Heritage Hall 104 1:25 PM - 2:15 PM

Sp 2012 BME Seminar Abstracts:

Antonios G. Mikos, PhD, 13-Jan-12
Advancing Biomaterial Strategies for Bone Tissue Engineering
Biomaterial strategies for bone tissue regeneration range from the production of novel biodegradable, cytocompatible tissue engineering scaffolds that can be tailored with appropriate mechanical and biological signals to regenerate bone tissue in specific sites in the body to applying existing biomaterials approved for use in certain clinical applications in approaches to encourage bone tissue regeneration. For example, our laboratory has developed a variety of biodegradable polymers for the controlled delivery of biologically active agents and/or progenitor stem cell populations to promote regeneration of tissues such as bone. Further, our laboratory has explored the application of bioreactor culture of progenitor cell populations to produce extracellular matrix constructs containing biologically active signals to direct cellular differentiation and tissue formation. This talk will present recent examples of biomaterials from our laboratory to illustrate designer approaches for tissue engineering scaffolds, as well as examples of emerging applications of clinically available biomaterials as components of strategies to promote bone tissue regeneration.

Costin D. Untariou, PhD, 20-Jan-12
Human Finite Element Modeling and its Applications in Computational Impact Biomechanics
Road safety is a global problem involving more than 1.17 million fatalities and over 10 million injured persons annually. To better understand the human injury mechanisms and to design vehicle countermeasures to mitigate the associated injury risks, automotive safety researchers require detailed and accurate mathematical models of human body. The capability of finite element (FE) method to calculate the deformation of human tissues and the extreme values of stress and strain fields associated with the injury risk, makes human FE models attractive for crash simulations. In the first part of this talk, the methodology used to develop a lower limb subject specific FE model will be discussed. Nonlinear behavior of human tissues correlated with subject variability in mechanical properties present significant challenges during the choice of an appropriate material model for each human tissue. Applications of approximation-based optimization methods that use advanced search algorithms (e.g. genetic algorithm etc.) combined with Design of Experiments techniques are given for the parameter identification of complex human tissue material models. Finally, these techniques and pattern recognition techniques are expanded beyond model development to applications in which countermeasure design parameters or unknown initial conditions are determined for impact situations. Examples in accident reconstructions and in development of an adaptive restraint system, which can recognize the characteristics of occupant and then select the most appropriate restraint laws, are presented and discussed.

Dorsey Cox, IDSA, 27-Jan-12
Applied Innovation
You want it.     You need it.     You demand it!
If sharing music and gaming is the language and commerce of youth, then innovation is the language and commerce of professional business. Novel ideas lead to new markets and consumers naturally want new things. When products or ideas revolutionize our social behavior we need it. When a product improves the quality of our lives we DEMAND it. Our economy provides unlimited opportunities to innovate individually, corporately, internationally and locally. Whether the field of endeavor is related to Bio-Medical, health and safety or purely for entertainment, the market drives us to conceive and produce our most innovative solutions. Students will shape the future of our economy. Check your personal motivation and strive to make the difference. Our society celebrates innovation for the lasting value it provides humanity.

Joel Dobbs, PharmD, MPH, 03-Feb-12
Entrepreneurship and Why it is Important to the Future of Healthcare
The American healthcare system has been undergoing dramatic changes over the past couple of decades and these changes appear likely to continue for the foreseeable future.  This new healthcare environment is creating unique opportunities for entrepreneurs.  Using the pharmaceutical industry as a case study this seminar will examine the changes happening in this industry and the opportunities these changes present for innovative entrepreneurial ventures.

Terry Bray, PhD, 10-Feb-12
Technology Transfer at UAB
UAB is full of creative faculty, students and staff who routinely generate innovative ideas.  Whether a “Eureka!” moment, a new software program, or unexpected discovery in the laboratory, these innovative ideas often result in the creation of Intellectual Property (IP).  Intellectual Property is a non-tangible form of property that results from original creative thought.  As an educational institution, one of UAB’s primary missions is the creation and dissemination of new knowledge.  However, sometimes this new knowledge can best be disseminated and more broadly improve the human condition when turned into a new product or service through a commercial entity, a process known as Technology Transfer.  In such cases, the UAB Research Foundation manages the protection of the IP (usually via a patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret) and all the efforts needed to advance an idea into a commercial opportunity.
The seminar will describe the fundamentals of IP, the role and obligations of UAB faculty, students, and staff in the creation of IP, and the role that the UAB Research Foundation plays in Technology Transfer.  Additionally, the experiences of a working with the UAB Research Foundation from an inventor’s perspective will be presented.

Nancy Tofil, MD, 17-Feb-12
Collaboration between BME and Medical Simulation
An overview of the current state of medical simulation devices available and the vast array of future necessary developments will be discussed.  Two examples of collaborative projects with the Pediatric Simulation Center and senior BME students during senior design course will be covered.  Finally, how the skills learned by a BME student can be a great background for a career in medicine will be reviewed.

 Warren Haggard, PhD, 24-Feb-12
Local Delivery Approaches For Reducing Bacterial Contamination in Extremity Wounds
Dr. Haggard’s research interests are focused on bone graft substitutes, functional tissue repair and local drug delivery for complex extremity trauma with emphasis on musculoskeletal applications and he has over 50 publications. Dr. Haggard’s current investigations are bone defect restoration and new bone growth, local antibiotic treatment of bone infections, intelligent drug delivery systems, and functional musculoskeletal soft tissue repair. Dr. Haggard has extensive applied research and development experiences and as a medical device industrial engineer and he developed or helped develop over 25 clinically successful products. He has translated two technologies from his university laboratory to local medical device companies. Dr. Haggard is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the Vice-Chairperson of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Tissue Engineered Product Division and a former ASTM Board of Directors member, former member of the Society of Biomaterials Board of Directors as the elected Member-At-Large and a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Orthopaedic Forum and Biomedical Engineering Committees. Dr. Haggard has five full-time and three part-time graduate students and teaches the undergraduate BME Senior Project Capstone class. 

Nate Lawson, 02-Mar-12
Wear Of Nano-Filled Dental Composites In A Newly-Developed In Vitro Testing Device
Wear of a dental composite restoration can lead to loss of tooth function and the need to replace the restoration.  In order to evaluate the wear performance of new and existing dental composites, we developed a novel system for measuring in vitro wear.  We used this system to analyze the mechanisms of wear of nano-filled composite materials.  Materials and Method: Three nano-composites were fabricated at filler loads of 25%, 50% and 65%.  The materials were then tested in the modified wear testing device and analyzed with a non-contact profilometer and SEM.  Results: The volumetric wear data indicated that increasing filler content beyond 25% decreased the wear resistance of the composites.  SEM evaluation of the worn specimens indicated that the 25% filled materials failed by fatigue and the 50% and 65% filled materials failed by abrasive wear.  Conclusion and Broader Impacts: Based on the results of this study and previous studies on this topic, manufacturers are recommended to use a filler concentration between 30%-50% when using nano-filled particles.  Additionally, methods should be examined to improve the bond between filler particles and the polymer matrix.

Krishna Venugopalan, PhD, 09-Mar-12
The Path to an Artificial Pancreas
Ramakrishna Venugopalan (PhD, MBA) is the Director for the Artificial Pancreas Program at Animas, a J&J company. Krishna has published extensively (manuscripts, book-chapters, and patents), mentored doctoral students, transferred technology, designed and/or developed of over a dozen Class II/III medical devices; in a career that has spanned academia and industry. He is an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Applied Biomaterials and also an Expert member that represents AAMI/US at ISO Committees related to implanted and external infusion pumps. He is an MIT-Sloan Fellow who enjoys crafting and managing unique alliances to deliver innovative and holistic healthcare solutions.

Ginger Campbell, MD, 30-Mar-12
Neuroscience and Engineering:  A Model for Interdisciplinary Research
As the founder and host of the popular Brain Science Podcast, Dr. Ginger Campbell has had the opportunity to talk with many leading researchers in neuroscience. In this talk she will share some of their discoveries with an emphasis on why neuroscience requires an interdisciplinary approach. This is creating opportunities for students and professionals from a wide range of fields, including engineering. Dr. Campbell will also explain why she thinks even non-scientists need a basic understanding of how our brains make us human.

Michael Hudson, BS, 13-Apr-12
Fundamental Principles Of Pharmaceutical Manufacutring
Mr. Hudson has been developing controlled-release pharmaceuticals for over 26 years.  His background includes parenteral formulations of microspheres, implants, and liposomes with a special focus on biodegradable lactide/glycolide systems.  He has a variety of process expertise including emulsion-based microencapsulation processes, spray drying, coating, and hot melt extrusion.  Mr. Hudson also has considerable experience in parenteral manufacturing facility design and regulatory requirements and participated in the design and specification of Evonik’s aseptic, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Birmingham, Ala.  Mr. Hudson is currently leading the Process Development and Engineering functions at Evonik Degussa, Birmingham Laboratories where he has responsibility for process scale up, design and implementation of equipment suitable for cGMP manufacturing, and validation.  He has held various management positions in formulation development, clinical trial manufacturing, and process development at Southern Research Institute, Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, and SurModics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  Mr. Hudson earned his BS in Chemistry from Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama.

Rob Rouleau, BSBME, 20-Apr-12
Designing Equipment For Space And Research Laboratories
Developing hardware systems to perform laboratory functions in the microgravity environment of space can administer some unique design constraints.  As hardware developers for the UAB / CBSE, engineers are tasked to design and develop experiment systems that mimic existing ground based equipment in this demanding environment.  The CBSE Engineering group has been performing this function for more than 20 years across multiple space transportation platforms.  While designing for space is unique, concepts learned in the process can also be applied to the enhancement of ground-based laboratory systems.  This presentation will share some of the space and ground-based projects the CBSE has delivered and design methods used to reach these project goals.

Alan Eberhardt, PhD and Dale Feldman, PhD, 27-Apr-12
BME 499 Capstone Design Presentations
1.  Seizure Simulation Device
Iman Tamimi, Vinuta Mayakonda, Jelaina Scott, and Hannah Burt

2.  Portable Shoulder Rehabilitation Device
Timothy Driskell, Michael Elhajj, Jitesh Patel, Jarrod Young

3.  Bumbo Seat Wheelchair Training Attachment
Raymond Chow, Sean Pool, Harrison To

4.  Automated IV System for Blood Pressure Control
Jafon Fearson, Sharnetria Wright, Sridevi Mahidhara, Demarrick Evans

5.  Motorized Walker for Amputee Gait-Training
Rana Atieh, Andrew Fox, Charlotte Mae Kent-Waites

6.  Interactive Sensory Panels for Tranquil Waters
Amber Burns and Seon Young Lee

7.  Balance Trainer for Adults with Cerebral Palsy
Ankit Kaushik, Victor Phillips, Andrew Yearty, Daniel Kennedy