BU BME Year in Review 2022 6a

ENGINEERING

Transformative technologies

A tradition of excellence.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University is among the largest of its kind in the US and is home to award-winning faculty, exceptional students, and numerous research centers and laboratories engaged in an array of interdisciplinary biomedical activities.

Founded in 1966, BU BME was among the first to offer a bachelor’s degree in the discipline. Today, we offer a full suite of undergraduate and graduate degrees, and are consistently ranked among the top BME departments in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

The Wong

BME Department 2021-2022

Faculty

The BME faculty numbered 40, making the department one of the largest in the country. Graduate Program

24 PhD degrees awarded 40 MS degrees awarded 19 MEng degrees awarded. Enrolled 241 students (169 PhD students; 4 MD/PhD; 42 MS; 26 MEng)

Undergraduate Program

126 Bachelor of Science degrees awarded Enrolled 588 students

Research

BME faculty was awarded $51,532,933 in extramural funds $1,561,604 per research active faculty member

The faculty submitted 135 research proposals for $169M. 38 research laboratories 8 research centers

“As biomedical engineers, it’s our calling in the world to improve human health. That’s what drives every single person here.”

John A. White, BME Department Chair

Primary Faculty

Our distinguished faculty is comprised of world renowned scientists and engineers who work across every scale of biology and in a wide spectrum of bioengineering subspecialties. Their research is driven by advancing fundamental understanding of biology and physiology in health and disease and then translating these principles to new technolgies that impact the human condition and the practice of medicine. They also participate in 8 interdisciplin ary research centers that are directed by BME faculty, and 38 research laboratories.

IRVING J. BIGIO

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics; Medicine PhD, Physics, University of Michigan

DAVID BOAS

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Director, Neurophotonics Center PhD, Physics, University of Pennsylvania

CHRISTOPHER S. CHEN

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Director, Biological Design Center MD, Harvard University; PhD, Medical Engineering, MIT

JI-XIN CHENG

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Chemistry; Physics; Moustakas Chair Prof. in Photonics & Optoelectronics PhD, Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China

BRIANNE CONNIZZO

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania

EDWARD DAMIANO

Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Applied Mechanics, RPI

CHARLES DELISI

Metcalf Professor of Science and Engineering; Dean Emeritus, College of Engineering PhD, Physics, New York University

ALLISON M. DENNIS

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

ANNA DEVOR

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

MARY DUNLOP

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology

MICHAEL ECONOMO

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University

SOLOMON EISENBERG

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs, College of Engineering ScD, Electrical Engineering, MIT

JAMES GALAGAN

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Microbiology, BUSM PhD, Computational Neuroscience, MIT

ALEXANDER GREEN

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University

MARK GRINSTAFF

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Chemistry; Director, Nanotechnology Innovation Center PhD, Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

XUE HAN

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

DIANE JOSEPH-MCCARTHY Professor of the Practice, Biomedical Engineering; Executive Director, Bioengineering Technology & Entrepreneurship Center PhD, Physical Chemistry, MIT

SIMON KASIF Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Computer Science, University of Maryland

AHMAD (MO) KHALIL

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Associate Director, Biological Design Center PhD, Mechanical Engineering, MIT

Award winners

winners

CATHERINE KLAPPERICH

Professor and Vice Chair, Biomedical Engineering; Director, Precision Diagnostics Center; PhD, Mechanical Engineering, U of California, Berkeley

LAURA LEWIS

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering; PhD, Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

KENNETH R. LUTCHEN

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Dean, College of Engineering PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Case Western

JEROME MERTZ

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Physics PhD, Physics, Université Paris VI and University of California, Santa Barbara

JOHN NGO

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, California Institute of Technology

HADI T. NIA

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Mechanical Engineering, MIT

TIMOTHY O’SHEA

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, MIT

ERICA PRATT

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University

DARREN ROBLYER

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Director of PhD Program Admissions PhD, Bioengineering, Rice University

KAMAL SEN

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Director of Master’s Program Admissions PhD, Physics, Brandeis University

ALLYSON SGRO

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Chemistry, University of Washington

filings

MICHAEL L. SMITH

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia

DIMITRIJE STAMENOVIĆ Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Mechanics, University of Minnesota

BÉLA SUKI Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biomechanics, Jozsef Attila University, Szeged (Hungary)

JOE TIEN

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Physics, Harvard University

LUCIA M. VAINA

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Neurology PhD, Mathematical Logic, Sorbonne; Doctorat d’Etat ès Sciences and in Médecine (MD PhD); Institut National Toulouse, France

SANDOR VAJDA

Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Director, Biomolecular Engineering Research Center PhD, Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Science

JOHN WHITE

Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

JOYCE WONG

Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Materials Science and Engineering, Program in Polymer Science and Technology, MIT

WILSON WONG

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Chemical Engineering, UCLA

MUHAMMAD ZAMAN

Professor, Biomedical Engineering PhD, Physical Chemistry University of Chicago

Visionary BME Faculty Shape the Future of Healthcare

BU BME faculty collaborate freely across multiple fields, and are encouraged to work on thorny problems that other researchers might shy away from tackling.

“It’s not just about making incremental progress.” says chair John White. “We choose faculty that want to work on really big, difficult problems that can shape healthcare 10-20 years in the future. They’re scientific risk takers, and we provide an environment where it’s safe to take those risks.”

Here are 3 BME faculty who are conducting research in wide-ranging yet deeply impactful areas: they’re designing new synthetic RNA that can detect viruses; building ways to diagnose neurological diseases with more specificity; and growing living heart tissue patches that could eventually save the lives of thousands of patients worldwide.

Lab-Made Heart Tissue

Professor Chris Chen is working to create new heart tissue in the lab, and is using a patient’s own skin or blood cells as a starting point. Through a complex bio logical process, Chen can reprogram those cells, turning them into pluripotent stem cells—a sort of universal cell that can become almost any kind of tissue in the body. From there, he anchors them onto a specialized substrate that cues them to become cardiomyocytes, the pulsating muscle cells that keep the heart beating. Because this newly-formed heart tissue originated from parts of the patient’s own body, there’s almost no chance that it would trigger an immune response.

Diagnosing Cognitive Health with fMRI

Early diagnosis of cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, is a challenge. A multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Associate Professor Anna Devor is working on ways to squeeze more detailed information out of an existing noninva sive brain imaging technique called fMRI. fMRI shows changes in cerebral blood flow, which are driven by neuronal activity causing dilation and constriction of brain arteries.

Detecting Viruses with RNA “Sensors”

New paper-based tests for detecting viruses quickly and efficiently are being developed by Assistant Professor Alex Green. The tests rely on folded molecules of RNA that they make in the lab. Green and his team freeze-dry the DNA template to make the RNA along with other key enzymes needed to read genetic code, then apply the molecules onto a paper strip. When a sample of sa liva or other liquid is applied, the mixture activates and goes to work searching for a virus. Unlike existing tests, these paper versions cost just a few dollars, and can be customized to search for any gene within a few days.

The team USArhythms incudes researchers across two continents and four academic institutions. By per forming parallel experiments in humans and mice and combining experimentation with computational mod eling, they are identifying unique fMRI patterns that correspond to activity in specific brain-wide neuronal circuits. This is a first step towards a definitive way of telling whether those circuits are working correctly.

Research

Boston University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering maintains a vibrant research program. The vitality has never been greater. According to the ASEE, we are ranked sixth in research expenditures among the top BME programs. In 2017, three BME-affiliated research centers expanded into a new, $140 million, nine-story building, the Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering.

centers

Research in BME spans all length scales and most organ systems of the human body:

• Biomechanics and Mechanobiology

Synthetic and Systems Bioengineering

Molecular-Cellular-Tissue Engineering

Neural Engineering

Four enabling technologies are a critical component of our department’s approach:

Biomaterials

Biomedical Imaging

Computation Modeling and Data Sciences

Nanotechnology and Sensing

Grant Funding

Our researchers annually attract millions of dollars in support from some of the nations’s most prestigious funding agencies, and students at all levels gain hands-on experience that translates to real-world expertise.

BME Grant Funding AY 2021-2022

Growth in grant funding over 5 years

research expenditures among top BME programs (ASEE)

Annual funding per research-active faculty

and continuing awards

BU BME’s research can be characterized by a combination of:

• Empirical and theoretical work with an attention to explicit mathematical models for the phenomena under study

• Intensive computer use for experimental and theoretical work

• A basic scientific flavor to the fundamental questions being asked

• An attention to the applications of improving health care, and a thorough understanding of the underlying physiological processes

• 3 NIH and 1 NSF Training Grants funding PhD students

BME Grant Funding by Agency

A diversity of research funding as broken down by grant agency. 7/1/21 - 6/30/22

Annual Total Grant

BME faculty were awarded almost $52 million in extramural funds. 7/1/21 - 6/30/22

Research Centers

BU BME has a broad range of research strengths, a wealth of resources and facilities, and also benefits from strong ties with the research-active BU School of Medicine, as well as many other top medical research centers in the Boston area.

BU has 8 interdisciplinary research centers that are directed by BME faculty:

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Bioengineering Technology and Entrepreneurship Center

Transforming education and innovation for bioengineering students through hands-on learning in partnership with industry, from gene editing to biosensors to digital medicine

Biological Design Center

To rigorously understand life’s design principles and re-engineer them to revolutionize our approach to addressing critical challenges in human health and the environment

Biomolecular Engineering Research Center

Developing and applying computational methods for the analysis and design of structures, functions,  interactions, regulation and evolution of biological macromolecules

Center on Forced Displacement

Fostering research and engagement with the global challenge of forced displacement, through multidisciplinary teams from across BU, around the country, and around the world

NSF Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials

Developing tissue-engineering principles to create scalable, low-cost technologies for growing clinically significant cardiac tissues from cell-level building blocks

Nanotechnology Innovation Center

Where nanomaterials intersect medicine and energy through collaborative interdisciplinary research

Neurophotonics Center

Advancing our understanding and treatment of brain disorders through advanced optical science and photonic systems

Precision Diagnostics Center

Discovery, design and development and clinical translation of technology for disease screening and monitoring, treatment management and health maintenance

The Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering includes neuroscience research, systems/synthetic biology research, a satellite vivarium, and a cognitive neuroimaging center.

BTEC BDC

BMERC

CFD

CELL-MET

BUnano NPC PDC

Research Highlights

A sampling of BME’s 133 new awards from AY 2021-2022 reflects the spectrum of BU BME’s research strengths, and the depth of our faculty accomplishments.

Anna Devor

Award $5,492,099 Sponsor: NINDS

LOCAL NEURONAL DRIVE AND NEUROMODULATORY CONTROL OF ACTIVITY IN THE PIAL NEUROVASCULAR CIRCUIT

Michael Economo

Award $1,423,833 Sponsor: NIMH

HIGH-THROUGHPUT MAPPING OF SYNAPTIC CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN TRANSCRIPTOMICALLY DEFINED CELL TYPES

Wilson Wong

Award $1,300,000 Sponsor: Allen Institute d/b/a The Paul G. Allen ENGINEERING BRANCHING NETWORKS THROUGH SYNTHETIC TURING MORPHOGEN CIRCUITS

Ahmad (Mo) Khalil

Award $867,648 Sponsor: NIAID PROGRAMMABLE BENCHTOP BIOREACTORS FOR SCALABLE ECO-EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS OF THE HUMAN MICROBIOME

Darren Roblyer

Award $821,340 Sponsor: DOD

EARLY BREAST CANCER TREATMENT RESPONSE MONITORING WITH REAL-TIME DIFFUSE OPTICAL IMAGING

Hadi Nia

Award $660,000 Sponsor: NIBIB

CLASSIFYING MALIGNANT PULMONARY NODULES USING BIOPHYSICS-ENHANCED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Jerome Mertz

Award $655,123 Sponsor: NINDS

ULTRAFAST HIGH-CONTRAST VOLTAGE IMAGING IN FREELY MOVING ANIMALS

Mary Dunlop

Award $638,578 Sponsor: NSF

TRANSITIONS: DEEP LEARNING MODELS FOR MICROBIAL IMAGE ANALYSIS AND TIME-SERIES PREDICTIONS

Mark Grinstaff

Award $553,824 Sponsor: NHLBI SULFATED POLY-AMIDO-SACCHARIDE (SULPAS) BIOMATERIALS AS ANTICOAGULANTS

Irving Bigio

Award $569,055 Sponsor: NIA

OPTIMIZATION AND VALIDATION OF QUANTITATIVE BIREFRINGENCE MICROSCOPY FOR ASSESSMENT OF MYELIN PATHOLOGIES ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS AND MOTOR DEFICITS IN YOUNG AND OLD AGING MONKEY BRAIN

John A. White

Award $520,372 Sponsor: NIGMS TRAINING PROGRAM IN QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY & PHYSIOLOGY (QBP)

Graduate Programs

The BME Department is known for its highly quantitative approach to biomedical science with a focus on applying engineering, computational, and analytical techniques to biological systems. Experiential learning opportunities, including opportunities to work with clinicians at the Boston University School of Medicine and other Boston-area hospitals, deepen students’ knowledge base, preparing them for careers in companies producing cutting edge products and technologies.

Master of Engineering - A customized, professional master’s degree program for students focused on careers in the private sector, the MEng offers a graduate curriculum of advanced technical courses in an area of specialization and a unique practical hands-on product development project.

Master of Science - A research-focused master’s degree program designed to provide superior training in order for students to pursue advanced biomedical engineering careers. In addition to technical coursework, there is a practicum requirement for an approved mentored project. Alternatively, students may perform an original Thesis.

PhD - Candidates obtain advanced education and research training while working with our world-renowned faculty. PhD students are guaranteed funding for the duration of their program, as long as they maintain satisfactory progress.

program ranking in

GRADUATE

During AY 2021-2022, BU BME funded 173 PhD candidates, with 23% funded by competitive external fellowships.

Graduate Degrees

MENG Graduates

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

Mercedes Suazo

MAY 22, 2022

Angela Maria Abrego Chavez

Thomas Clark Bohac

Rana Boustany

Sophia Grace Brocoum

Donivyn Cruz

Graham Edward Fullerton

Aideen Gill

Ellen Larson

Joel Stewart Miller

Kameron James Moore

Julia Pasco-Anderson

Ronak S. Shah

Acacia Thunder Tam

Elizabeth Grace Thaman

Claire Tourkin

Niketh Sam Vellanki

Hallie L. Wyles

Qian Xu

MS Graduates

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

Bilal Syed Ahmed

(Muhammad Zaman, MS Thesis Advisor)

“Development for a Blood Separation Method for Low- and Middle-Income Countries”

Danyal Fareed Bhutto (David Boas and Matthew Rosen, PhD Co-Advisors)

“From Optimal Experimental Design to Solving Inverse Problems for Various Imaging Modalities: Analyzing the Applicability and Robustness of Manifold Learning”

Caroline Margret Blassick (Mary Dunlop, PhD Advisor)

“Single-Cell Optogenetic Selection and Activation of Engineered Escherichia coli Transcription Factors for the Characterization and Prediction of Gene Regulatory Network Dynamics”

Emma Penelope Bortz (Xue Han, PhD Advisor)

“Strategies for Effective Ultrasound Neuromodulation”

Patrick Robert Doran (Anna Devor, PhD Advisor)

“Simultaneous Optical Imaging of Neuronal Activity and fMRI in Behaving Mice”

Carlos Augusto Gomez (Darren Roblyer, PhD Advisor)

“Combined Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy Towards Monitoring of Inspiratory Muscle Metabolism of Mechanically Ventilated Patients”

Daniel James Hart Jr (Mo Khalil, PhD Advisor)

“Automated Atmospheric Control of Microbial Growth with Atmostat eVOLVER”

Liam Jackson (Frank Guenther, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Exploring the Significance of Electrocorticography Data with Machine Learning”

Jack Rainier Kirsch (Mark Grinstaff, PhD Advisor)

“Multimodal Delivery of Relaxin-2 for the Treatment of Arthrofibrosis”

Alex Andrew Lammers (Christopher Chen, PhD Advisor)

“Elucidating Mechanisms for Rapid Vascularization by Mimicking Vascular Islands in Early Embryogenesis”

Erin Elizabeth Landry

Yiting Liu (Aurelie Edwards, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Python-Based Model of Proximal Tubule Function”

Adam Gordon Sanford (Mo Khalil, PhD Advisor)

“Scalable, Continuous Directed Evolution of Nanobody-Based GPCR Agonists”

Mark Paladin Suprenant

(Muhammad Zaman, PhD Advisor)

“Understanding the Link Among Diarrheal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance and Nutrition for the Improvement of Childhood Lives in Humanitarian Crisis”

Indorica Sutradhar

(Muhammad Zaman, PhD Advisor)

“Quantitative Model of the Development of Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Populations in Wastewater Settings”

Shane Howard Wright

Sue Shuyi Zhang

(Mark Grinstaff and Hadi Nia, PhD CoAdvisors)

“Probing the Physical Tumor Microenvironment”

JANUARY 25, 2022

Kavindu Amarasinghe (Bela Suki, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Assessment of Microfluidic Flow Chamber for Analyzing Shear Moduli of Various Agarose Gel Samples”

Pierre Boucher (Chandramouli Chandrasekaran, MS Thesis Advisor)

“Gain Signal Manifest in Prestimulus Neural Population Dynamics Underlies Decision-Making”

Zahava Miriam Hirsch (Muhammad Zaman, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Modeling Access to IHS Healthcare for Rosebud Sioux Tribe Living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation”

Brendan Leap (David Boas, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“bNIRDS Data Analysis”

Yue Liu (Michael Albro, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Culture Media Replenishment Is Not Required to Generate Functional Engineered Cartilage in vitro”

Monica Martinez (James Galagan, MS Thesis Advisor)

“Microbial Screening for Melatonin Responsive Enzymes”

Jacob Norman (John White, PhD Advisor)

“Investigating the Neuronal Basis of Engram Reactivation”

Rachel Lindsay Passaro (Hadi Nia, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Modelling Solid Stress in vitro with Cancer Spheroids”

Nicole Amber Rinaldi

Zian Wang (Ji-Xin Cheng, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Rapid Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AFST) by Spectroscopic Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) Imaging of D2O Metabolism”

Hanrong Ye (Mo Khalil and Joyce Wong, PhD CoAdvisors)

“Infection Control and Immune Modulation with Monocyte-Targeting Nanoparticles and MacrophageBased Cell Therapy -- a Dual-Pronged Intervention System for Tuberculosis (TB)”

Jing Zhang (Ji-Xin Cheng, PhD Advisor)

“Single-Cell Analysis: From Phenotype to Genotype”

MAY 22, 2022

Rohin Banerji (Hadi Nia, PhD Advisor)

“Design, Development, and Validation of a Novel Crystal Ribcage to Study the Mechanobiology of Functioning Lung in Health and Disease at High Spatiotemporal Resolution”

Marcus W. Blackburn (Mike Economo and Gabriel Ocker, MS Mentored Project Co-Advisors)

“Investigating Burst-Multiplexing in Visual Stimulus Encoding”

Xiaojie Chen (Anna Devor, MS Thesis Advisor)

“Using Neurophotonic Tools to Access the Effects of Repeated BloodBrain-Barrier Opening with Focused Ultrasound”

Ramtin Jadbabaei Behbahan (Mark Grinstaff, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Synthesis, Optimization, and Characterization of Paclitaxel, Pt(IV) Cisplatin Prodrug, and Verticillin-A Expansile Nanoparticles (eNP) for Treatment of Epigenetically Resistant Mesothelioma”

Vibhav Jha (Kamal Sen, MS Mentored Project Advisor)

“Decoding Spatial and Auditory Attention Using fNIRS and EEG Simultaneously: Protocol, Cap Design and Analysis”

Sophia Kuipa

Uros Kuzmanovic (James Galagan, PhD Advisor)

“Mining Metagenomes to Engineer Novel Hormone Biosensors”

Maximillian J Rozenblum

Alex Joseph Seibel (Joe Tien, PhD Advisor)

“Tissue-Engineered Human Lymphatic Models for the Study of Breast Cancer and Lymphatic Drainage”

Chenxin Sun (Michelle Sander and Panagis Samolis, MS Mentored Project Co-Advisors)

“Photothermal Imaging of Mouse Glioblastoma Tumor Tissues”

Winnie Wang (Jeroen Eyckmans, MS Thesis Advisor)

“Development of a Synthetically Modified Fibronectin Fragment as a Building Block for Recyclable Biomaterials”

Weerathunga Arachchige Hasini Rathsara Weerathunge (Cara Stepp, PhD Advisor)

“Sensorimotor and Kinematic Characterization and Modeling of Speech Motor Control in Individuals with Speech Disorders”

PHD Graduates

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

Samantha Marie Berry (Mark Grinstaff, PhD Advisor)

“Supramolecularly Assembled Antibody Drug Conjugate for the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer”

Israel Tilahun Desta (Sandor Vajda, PhD Advisor)

“Machine Learning and Template Based Modeling for Improving and Expanding the Functionality of Rigid Body Docking”

Yunpeng Feng (Arturo Vegas, PhD Advisor)

“Synthesis and Evaluation of Polymer Mosaics as Highly Tunable Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications”

Catherine Anne Gormley (Joyce Wong, PhD Advisor)

“Targeted Semi-Polymerized Shell Microbubbles for Detection of Early Post-Surgical Abdominal Adhesions”

Matti David Tyry Groll (Cara Stepp, PhD Advisor)

“The Quantitative Assessment of Laryngeal Physiology”

Haonan Lin (Ji-Xin Cheng, PhD Advisor)

“Stimulated Raman Spectroscopic Imaging: Data Science Driven Innovations and Applications”

Christos Michas (Christopher Chen and Alice White, PhD Co-Advisors)

“High-Precision Fabrication Enables On-Chip Modeling with Organ-Level Structural and Mechanical Complexity”

Justin Michael Rosenbohm (Catherine Klapperich, PhD Advisor)

“Qualitative and Semiquantitative Isothermal Detection of Nucleic Acids for Point-of-Care Testing Applications”

Smrithi Sunil (David Boas, PhD Advisor)

“Wide-Field Optical Imaging of Neurovascular Coupling During Stroke Recovery”

JANUARY 25, 2022

Cameron James Condylis (Jerry Chen, PhD Advisor)

“Cell Type-Specific Encoding and Routing of Sensory Information in Mouse Primary Somatosensory Cortex During Behavior”

Megan Elizabeth Egbert (Sandor Vajda, PhD Advisor)

“Detection and Analysis of Binding Sites and Protein-Ligand Interactions”

Joshua Christian Kays (Allison Dennis, PhD Advisor)

“Towards the Clinical Translation of Quantum Dots: Current Preclinical Barriers and Future Strategies”

Jeffrey Blye McMahan (John Ngo, PhD Advisor)

“Post-Translational Control Schemes in the Regulation of Synthetic Cellular Signaling via Engineered Notch Receptors”

Bahar Rahsepar (Steve Ramirez and John White, PhD CoAdvisors)

“Novel Strategies for the Modulation and Investigation of Memories in the Hippocampus”

Juliann Brina Tefft (Christopher Chen, PhD Advisor)

“The Impact of Perivascular Cells on Vascular Morphogenesis and Stability”

MAY 22, 2022

Hannah Lin Dotson (John Ngo, PhD Advisor)

“Chemogenetic Control of Gene Expression and Protein Function with Small Molecules”

Samuel Joseph Ghilardi (Allyson Sgro, PhD Advisor)

“Investigation and Control of Dermal Fibroblast Signaling During Injury Repair”

Gwendolyn Ann Hoffmann (Michael Smith and Joyce Wong, PhD CoAdvisors)

“Mechanically Active and Tunable Extracellular Matrix Fibers”

Seunghee Lee (Wilson Wong, PhD Advisor)

“Engineering Inhibitory Chimeric Antigen Receptor for Adoptive T Cell and NK Cell Therapy”

Justin Henry Letendre (Wilson Wong, PhD Advisor)

“Genetic Circuit Designs to Improve Synthetic Biological Signaling in Mammalian Cells”

Jad Noueihed Noueihed (John White, PhD Advisor)

“Unsupervised Tracking and Automated Analysis of Multi-Population Neural Activity Under Anesthesia”

Sanaya Ness Shroff (Xue Han, PhD Advisor)

“Optimization and Application of a High- Performance Genetically-Encoded Fluorescent Sensor for Membrane Voltage Imaging”

Shannon Nicole Tunney (John Ngo, PhD Advisor)

“Construction of Molecular Tools through Protein Excision and Splicing”

Dana Zemel (Xue Han, PhD Advisor)

“Pathological Neural Circuit States of the Dorsal Striatum in Parkinson’s Disease”

FACULTY AWARDS

Associate Professor Ahmad “Mo” Khalil was recognized with 3 major awards: the Schmidt Science Polymaths Award, the Future Fund Grant, and the WM Keck Foundation Medical Research Award. Based on his lab’s expertise in synthetic biology and solid track record of collaboration, the awards will empower Khalil to expand his lab’s science into new therapeutic innovations, uncovering the design principles of natural cellular circuits, and how they carry out specific biological functions.

PUBLISHED IN SCIENCE

Assistant Professor Laura Lewis is included in special issue of Science devoted to the essential physiological process of sleep. Her article discusses how sleep maintains the health of the brain through interconnected systems of neuronal activity and fluid flow. Lewis and her lab team focus on a common brain imaging technique—function al magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)—to innovate new technologies for monitoring brain activity during sleep, shedding new light on this essential brain function.

ALUMNI HONORS

Two recent BME grads, Meghan Griffin and Leen Arnaout, garnered a top award in the 2021 Biomedical Engineers Society (BMES) Design Competition. Their novel device, a bracelet that helps regulate breathing in premature infants, would treat Apnea of Prematurity, which affects more than 85% of these infants. The duo are working with BU’s Office of Technology Development to eventually bring the device to market.

FACULTY START-UP

After developing a breakthrough method of regenerating liver tissue, Prof. Chris Chen and colleagues have launched a startup, Satellite Bio The company says its novel technology, which it calls “tissue therapeu tics,” would allow scientists to program cells and aggregate them “into novel, implantable therapies, called ‘satellites,’ which can be introduced to patients to repair, restore, or even replace dysfunctional or diseased tissue or organs”.

2021-2022 Faculty Honors (Selected)

McKnight Award - Laura Lewis

Kilachand Awards - Anna Devor, Laura Lewis, David Boas, Mo Khalil

BMES Design Competition - Meghan Griffin, Leen Arnaout

Boston Patent Law Association - Xin Zhang

American College of NeuropsychopharmacologyOpening Speaker - David Boas

AAAS Fellow - Mark Grinstaff

NSF Transitions Award - Mary Dunlop

Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award (RCSA) - Alex Green

Allen Distinguished Investigators - Wilson Wong, Chris Chen

BU Innovator of the Year - Selim Unlu

AIMBE College of Fellows - James Galagan, Xue Han, Dimitrije Stamenovic

BU Warren Distinguished Professor - Mark Grinstaff Wings for Life Foundation Award - Timothy O’Shea

BU Ignition Awards - Mark Grinstaff, Selim Unlu, Bela Suki, Kamal Sen

Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award - Hadi Nia

Schmidt Science Polymath Award - Mo Khalil NIH Trailblazer Award - Hadi Nia

Controlled Release Society Fellowship - Joyce Wong

Undergraduate Program

in 1966, the Biomedical Engineering Department was among the first to offer a bach elor’s degree in the discipline. To achieve our educational mission, we cultivate our students’

and communication skills, nurture their creativity, promote their ability to think

and independently, and help them to understand scientific and engineering approaches.

of advanced

systems,

processing,

engineering and systems & synthetic biology.

The undergraduate program in biomedical engineering fuses engineering practicum and research with a life sciences ed ucation at a world-class, urban research institution.

Graduate/Professional SchoolEmployed

The College of Engineering conducts an exit survey of all graduating seniors in late April/early May and continues to compile data until the end of the following fall semester. The results of these interviews are shown in the chart at left for the graduating class of May 2021 and are collected approximately six months after graduation.

Transitional Jobs/Travel/Still Looking

Research experiences are available to undergraduates in many of the BME labs, as well as faculty-mentored opportu nities and fellowships through the College of Engineering and the University. In addition, each BME senior develops a Senior Design Project with an individual faculty member, scientific mentor or corporate advisor.

Selected Publications

BU BME faculty continue to publish impactful research in top journals (sampling).

Ji-Xin Cheng, John White et al - LIGHT: SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS

Non-genetic photoacoustic stimulation of single neurons by a tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter

Hadi Nia et al - NATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING Solid stress impairs lymphocyte infiltration into lymph-node metastases

Laura Lewis - SCIENCE  The interconnected causes and consequences of sleep in the brain

Laura Lewis - PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY How pushing the spatiotemporal resolution of fMRI can advance neuro science

Anna Devor - CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

A suite of neurophotonic tools to underpin the contribution of internal brain states in fMRI

Anderson Chen et al - NATURE METHODS

An adaptive optics module for deep tissue multiphoton imaging in vivo

Muhammad Zaman - PROJECT SYNDICATE  Learning from COVID to Fight Drug-Resistant Disease

Oded Ghitza - eNEURO

Acoustically Driven Cortical Delta Oscillations Underpin Prosodic Chunking

Tim O’Shea et al. - NATURE Divergent transcriptional regulation of astrocyte reactivity across disor ders

Ahmad (Mo) Khalil - SCIENCE

One cell, many fates A synthetic gene circuit enables programming of many stable states in mammalian cells

Mary Dunlop - SCIENCE

Anticipating Antibiotic  Resistance

Alex Green - NATURE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

Multi-arm RNA junctions encoding molecular logic unconstrained by input sequence for versatile cell-free diagnostics

Mark Grinstaff et al. - NATURE - ONCOGENE H3K9me3 represses G6PD expression to suppress the pentose phosphate pathway and ROS production to promote human mesothelioma growth

Ahmad (Mo) Khalil, et al. - CELL

Modular design of synthetic receptors for programmed gene regulation in cell therapies

Chris Chen et al. - SCIENCES ADVANCES

Engineering a living cardiac pump on a chip using high-precision fabrica tion

Joe Tien - CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOENGINEERING Adipose stroma accelerates the invasion and escape of human breast cancer cells from an engineered microtumor.

US News Ranking for Biomedical Engineering

BU BME is currently #12 nationally among the top schools for graduate biomedical / bioengineering degrees, and #9 for BME undergraduate programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.  Rankings are chosen by the department chairs of peer institutions.

Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is one of the largest departments in the nation, with 40 primary faculty, numerous interdisciplinary research centers, and exceptional talent at all levels. Research activity by primary BME faculty is almost $52M per year and well over $83M when affiliated faculty are included.

Research images from the labs

BME faculty - Professor Chris Chen, Associate Professor Anna Devor, and Assistant Professor Alex Green.