FALL 2016 NEWSLETTER
Message from the Department Head Industry Day Conferences BMES Chapter Updates AEMB Chapter Updates Women in Engineering Grants 2016 Image of Research Faculty Positions BEST
An optical profile image of an inertial microfluidic device for rapid fractionation of blood. The spiral microchannel with a central input and 3 perimeter outputs is formed in elastomer by soft lithography. The device takes advantage of the inertial effect of fluid around blood cells to drive them across flow streamlines into equilibrium positions, leading to fractionation of blood into red and white blood cells in minutes. N. Nivedita & Ian Papautsky. Image courtesy of the Papautsky Laboratory.
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Message from the Department Head
Dear Friends of UIC Bioengineering, In our Fall 2016 Newsletter, I’m proud to share with you the latest accomplishments of our outstanding faculty, staff, and students. As always, thank you for supporting our continued strive for excellence. Gifts targeted to the department help us achieve our strategic goals and could include opportunities to endow a named professorship, scholarship, laboratory, or special facility or program. As an example, undergraduate scholarship recipients can be found on page 10. See “Make a gift” at bioe.uic.edu. In addition to financial support, I know that the network of UIC BioE alumni and friends will continue to help our students find internship and employment opportunities. If you are interested in participating in our Bioengineering Industry Day, held twice each year, please find more information on page 3 of this newsletter. I am always happy to meet our alumni and friends and welcome your visit. And, please join our Facebook group; see the link on the cover. Happy Holidays,
Thomas J. Royston
Credits: • BMES conference photos: UIC BMES Chapter (uic-bmes.weebly.com) • Message from head photo: Bart Harris (bartharris.com) • Industry day ad: Tom Cicero (ecc.engr.uic.edu) • BEST project photos: Robert Schroeder (bestbioe.uic.edu) • Mathew T Mathew photo: Ronald Fernandez • BMES Brain Computer Interface project photos: Ronald Fernandez • Graphic Design: Ana Banduka
Congratulations to Bioengineering Professor Xincheng Yao who received the 2016 UIC College of Medicine Departmental Faculty of the Year Award. Photo from Award Ceremony. Left to right: William Walden, PhD, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion; Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA, Dean; Xincheng Yao, PhD; Thomas J. Royston, PhD, Head of Bioengineering.
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
BIOENGINEERING INDUSTRY DAY – Nov. 18 Open to all Bioengineering students
AGENDA:
Friday, November 18, 2016 UIC Innovation Center (Next to SSB)
1:30 – 2:00 Student Sign-In (Light refreshments) 2:00 – 3:30 Small group discussions 3:30 – 4:30 Networking (optional)
FOR STUDENTS
FOR EMPLOYERS
Get up close with Bioengineers!
This event is for information sharing and networking. Engage with UIC Bioengineering students in brief round-table discussions about your field within bioengineering. Share insights about career paths within your company, desirable skills, earning potential, and other useful information, as students prepare for a career in bioengineering.
Participate in several roundtable discussions and find out what it’s like to pursue a career in the many different areas of BioE. Our mentors will provide a vast array of industry knowledge and experience from companies across multiple industries. REGISTER HERE: go.uic.edu/BioeIndustryDayFall2016
Registration is required and will fill up SEATING IS LIMITED! COMPANIES ATTENDING Will be confirming more
Looking for employers in the following areas: • • • • • • • • • • •
Bioinformatics Biomaterials Biomechanics Rehabilitation Bioinstrumentation Implants Biomedical Imaging: CT, US, MRI, etc. Bionanotechnology Regenerative Medicine Neural Engineering Medical Devices
You can register as an employer here: www.go.uic.edu/BioeDayFall2016Employers For questions, please contact: Tom Royston, Bioengineering Department Head 312-996-2335 | troyston@uic.edu -OR Tom Cicero, Associate Director, Engineering Career Center 312-355-5059 | tcicero@uic.edu
UIC Bioengineering Department & Engineering Career Center For additional info visit ecc.uic.edu or email tcicero@uic.edu
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Conferences
BMES 2016 National Conference Minneapolis, MN The 2016 BMES national conference, held in Minneapolis, was the first bioengineering conference I have attended. Prior to attending the conference, I had not been aware of the multiple possibilities that can be accomplished with a bioengineering background. The conference is designed to bring together engineers, scientists, researchers, professors, and many others all throughout the nation. Those who conduct research and make advances in the field present their research and findings in order for others to learn about the latest advances in the field. Throughout the three days of the conference, I began to understand that the members of the bioengineering community are very passionate and extraordinary people. Every person at the conference was excited to be involved in the community whether they were there to present their research or learn more about the possibilities of bioengineering. The presentation topics and the panels ranged from discussing education and research to industry. As a student, the panels and workshops I attended presented information and advice focused around graduate and post graduate routes. Before I arrived I was unsure how much experience certain routes in the field required. I learned that hands-on experience is the key element in becoming a successful bioengineer. I also learned that most companies focus more on work and research experience than on GPA and whether or not a person has a master’s degree.
*Caleb Gardner presenting on behalf of the Brain Computer Interface group at the BMES National Conference
The national conference allows students to integrate their networking not only in academics, but also in future job positions. The floor at the conference consisted of information booths for dozens of graduate schools. This gave the students the opportunity to ask any questions regarding the graduate program and to talk one on one with admission officers. During these talks, I exchanged contact information and business cards with the admission officers. It was extremely convenient having most graduate schools present on the floor because I was able to easily compare one program to another in a short period of time.
From left: J. Austin Buen Garib, Angelina Diaz, Sai Bhosole, Feba Abraham, Tejas Madhavan, Jaqueline Rojas Robles, Caleb Gardner, Shana Snarrenberg, Mohi Ahmed, Yandi Farinango, Ameen Kishta, Christie Massie, Danny Brtis, Maria Bortolaso, Chrestien Ilaya
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
Conferences
Attending the national conference has been an extremely helpful tool in advancing my knowledge in the field. Interacting and discussing with experts in the field only enhanced my passion for bioengineering. The friendships I made with my fellow colleagues and the networking opportunities that I gained would not have been possible had I not attended the conference. It was an enjoyable experience, and I am excited to attend next year’s conference. Nidaa Ramahi, Vice President Student’s feedback: Kevin Kerr: I attended the BMES National Conference in Minneapolis to present my work on the Tongue Computer Interface. The conference was very productive, and I had several researchers and people from industry talk to me about my work and potential collaboration opportunities. Caleb Gardner: I presented the Brain Computer Interface work at the BMES National Conference. I believe the national conference was a one-of-a-kind experience for bioengineers. There was something for everybody: hundreds of student posters on a huge variety of subjects, panel discussions with important research being presented, graduate schools looking for prospective students, and biotech businesses offering internships. Aside from academics, there is also a chance to create lasting friendships with the people that went to the conference. I had an awesome time at the national conference, and I would highly recommend that students try to attend these meetings and take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Presentations at BMES Arghya K Bishal, Cortino Sukotjo (Christos G Takoudis, Advisor)
Matthew Davidson (Salman R Khetani, Advisor)
“Silicone Functionalized With Atomic Layer Deposition: A Novel Material For Antimicrobial Facial Prosthesis”
“Modeling the Early Stages of Fatty Liver Disease and Fibrosis in Microengineered Human Liver Cultures”
Brian Henry (Thomas J. Royston, Advisor) “The Audible Human Project: Study of
David Kukla, Whitney Stoppel, David Kaplan (Salman R Khetani, Advisor)
Acoustic Transmission with a Fractal Based Model of the Human Airways”
“Engineering a Long-term and Highly Functional 3D Human Liver Model Using Silk”
Matthew Davidson (Salman R Khetani, Advisor)
Zhinan Wang (Jun Cheng, Advisor)
“A Bioinspired Culture Medium Prolongs the Functional Lifetime of Human Liver Cells in Culture”
“The Role of Baz and aPKC in Drosophila Cyst Stem Cell Asymmetric Division”
Richard Hickey, Kevin, Kerr, Ricardo Aranda,
Sam Dreyer, Caleb Gardner, Alexander
Vincent Nguyen
Bashqawi
(Hananeh Esmailbeigi, Advisor)
(Hananeh Esmailbeigi, Advisor)
“Tongue-Computer Interface: Assistive Technology for Patients with Paralysis or Limited Hand Function”
“Affordable EEG and Processing Systems as Means of Assistive Technology”
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Conferences
International Colloquium on Lung and Airway Fibrosis, Dublin, Ireland (September 24-28, 2016)
SPIE BiOS 2017, San Francisco, CA (January 28 - February 2, 2017)
Vidyani Suryadevara (Thomas Royston, Viswanathan Natarajan, Advisors)
Yiming Lu, Benquan Wang (Xincheng Yao, Advisor)
“Elucidating the opposing regulatory role of phospholipase D in alveolar apoptosis and myofibroblast differentiation in pulmonary fibrosis”
“Comparative investigation of stimulus evoked rod outer segment movement and retinal electrophysiological activity”
7th Scientific Symposium on Clinical Needs, Research Promises and Technical Solutions in Ultrahigh Field Magnetic Resonance Berlin, Germany (June 20, 2016) Yifei Liu (Thomas Royston, Dieter Klatt, Edward Lewandowski, Advisors) “A Novel Inversion Algorithm Enhances Ultra High Field MR Elastography of the In Vivo Mouse Heart” Canadian Urological Association Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (June 25-28, 2016) David Zumba, Steven Kearny (Cristian Luciano, Simone Crivellaro, Dieter Klatt, Thomas Royston, Advisors) “Haptic simulation of prostate surgical planning based on magnetic resonance elastography”
Taeyoon Son, Benquan Wang, Yiming Lu, Yanjun Chen, Dingcai Cao (Xincheng Yao, Advisor) “Concurrent OCT imaging of stimulus evoked retinal neural activation and hemodynamic response” Devrim Toslak, Damber Thapa, Yanjun Chen, Muhammet Kazim Erol, R.V. Paul Chan (Xincheng Yao, Advisor) “Trans-palpebral illumination: an approach for wide-angle fundus photography without the need for pupil dilation”
AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition, Nashville, TN (November 6-11, 2016) Arghya K Bishal, Cortino Sukotjo (Christos Takoudis, Advisor) “Collagen Functionalized with ALD-TiO2: A Novel Biomaterial for Bone Grafting”
2016 ASAIO 62nd Annual Conference San Francisco, CA (June 15-18, 2016)
UIC Diabetes & Obesity Research Day, Chicago, IL (October 8, 2016)
Gardner Yost (Thomas Royston, Geetha Bhat, Antone Tatooles, Advisors)
Matthew Davidson (Salman Khetani, Advisor)
“The Impacts of Left Ventricular Assist Device Design and Operation on Pump Acoustics”
“Investigating Steatosis and Insulin
Stochastic Physics in Biology, Gordon Research Conference, Ventura, CA
SLAS 2017, Washington, DC (February 4-8, 2017)
(January 8-13, 2017) Anna Terebus (Jie Liang, Advisor) “Probability flux, velocity field, and noise-induced multistability in biochemical reaction networks and network motifs from time-evolving and steady-state probability landscapes computed using direct solution of discrete Chemical Master Equation”
Resistance in Microengineered Human Liver Cultures”
Brenton Ware (Salman R Khetani, Advisor) Martin Brennan (David Eddington, Advisor) “Microfluidic Human Liver Co-cultures for Drug Screening and Disease Modeling”
Design Competition of American Society of Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO), 62nd Annual Conference, San
Cybathlon Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland
Francisco, CA, USA (June 15-18, 2016)
James Steele, Sam Dreyer, Alexander Bashqawi (Hananeh Esmailbeigi, Advisor) “Battle of the minds: Entertainment as proof of concept using affordable EEG and processing systems”
Richard Hickey, Kevin, Kerr (Hananeh Esmailbeigi, Advisor) “Tongue-Computer Interface”
(October 6th 2016)
Sam Dreyer, Caleb Gardner, Alexander Bashqawi (Hananeh Esmailbeigi, Advisor) “Mobile, Complex BCI control via HUD and P300”
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
Conferences
Daniela Valdez-Jasso presents at CMBBE 2016 Daniela Valdez-Jasso was invited to participate in the 14th International Symposium on Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering (CMBBE) held in Tel Aviv, Israel. This is a high-level annual meeting that brings together some of the world’s best biomechanists and computer scientists to discuss the latest developments in this important area of research related to organ systems. In a focused session entitled ‘Modeling and Simulations of Vascular Diseases’, Valdez-Jasso gave an invited lecture about an experimental study carried out at UIC of the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension and associated mathematical modeling of this insidious disease.
Salman Kethani and lab presents at BMES 2016 Dr. Khetani’s Microfabricated Tissue Models (MTM) lab presented various projects at BMES this year. One area the MTM lab is focused on is engineering in vitro human models of disease for mechanistic as well as drug discovery applications. Dr. Khetani and Matt Davidson, a research specialist in the MTM lab, presented talks and posters on their work in modeling non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which currently affects >30 percent of the U.S. population. One way they have found they can make this disease model is by integrating cell types implicated in NAFLD progression into their existing healthy liver model. Surprisingly, when they added a cell type known to cause liver cirrhosis (scarring), the hepatic stellate cell (HSC), many of the characteristics of NAFLD developed in their liver cells. This included fat accumulation, inflammation, and altered drug metabolism. Importantly, researchers were able to ameliorate the symptoms of NAFLD by combining current drugs being developed for NAFLD. This provides a great tool for researchers to begin understanding the complex cell-cell interactions that occur during NAFLD progression as well as a screening platform to identify potentially efficacious therapies. For more information visit mtmlaboratory.com/
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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BMES Chapter Updates
BMES Current Projects The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) student chapter at UIC has three continuing projects from last year, and one new project introduced this semester. The first project is the ENABLE Prosthetic Project. The goal of this project is to design and build a customized prosthetic arm to be donated to a young person missing a limb. Student members utilize their 3D modeling skills to design the custom-fit arm by understanding the needs of the subject; they then 3D print the components and assemble the arm. The second project is the Brain Computer Interface, which aims to make assistive technology cost-effective and open source. EEG headsets are used to capture brain signals, which are then processed and used for controlling external equipment. The third project is the Tongue Computer Interface project. A mouthpiece is developed for controlling external devices using the tongue for subjects with paralysis or limited hand function. A provisional patent has been filed. Our newest project is the Economic Air Filter Mask, seeking to combat breathing complications in high smog cities in developing countries. The goal is to design a mask that effectively filters harmful particles while remaining financially accessible. A fifth project under development will involve using EMG signals to control prosthetic devices.
BMES Brain Computer Interface project - Mobile, Complex BCI Control via P300 and HUD. Presented at Cybathlon Symposium in Zurich, Switzerland.
BMES Brain Computer Interface project - Battle of the Minds: Entertainment as proof of concept using affordable EEG processing systems.
The BMES student chapter projects have been presented at several conferences, including the BMES National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the ASAIO 62nd Annual Conference in San Francisco, and the very first Cybathlon symposium in Zurich, Switzerland. The Cybathlon is an international competition showcasing cutting-edge advances in the fields of prosthetics, wheelchairs, exoskeletons, functional electrical stimulation, and Brain-Computer Interfaces. This meeting has heavily covered in the media. Samuel Dryer presented posters on “Battle of the Minds: Entertainment as proof of concept using affordable EEG processing systems” and “Mobile, Complex BCI Control via P300 and HUD.” These posters showcased the teams
hard work on making assistive technology cost-effective, open source, and portable. Upcoming events for the BMES student chapter can be found at bmes.uic.edu. - Mohi Ahmed and faculty advisor Hananeh Esmailbeigi
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
aemb.uic.edu
ALPHA ETA MU BETA
Bioengineering National Honor Society UIC Chapter Awarded Best Website 2016
Each year AEMB National gives awards in various categories to honor chapter accomplishments. We are proud to announce that this year AEMB UIC was awarded Best Website! Our chapter received the award during a ceremony held at the AEMB national convention which took place in conjunction with the BMES national conference in Minneapolis, MN at the beginning of October. Sara Mohamed elected AEMB National Student Vice President - This year marked the end of the two year term for student held elected positions on the AEMB National board. During the national convention elections were held to elect new student officers. Sara Mohamed, Secretary for AEMB UIC, was nominated for the AEMB National Student Vice President by her predecessor and elected to the position. She will serve a two year term in that position ending in fall 2018. Congratulations, Sara!
AEMB UIC Board Member Bios President - Lindsay Tryon
Lindsay is a senior studying Bioengineering with a concentration in Neural Engineering and a minor is Spanish. Lindsay is passionate about engineering design projects, which she is involved with through the volunteer organization Engineering World Health. Upon graduation in May she hopes to work for a medical device company and she is particularly interested in neuro rehabilitation. Lindsay joined the AEMB board because she hopes to increase member participation by increasing the number of events held each semester. She strives to create events that align with the AEMB mission of fostering professionalism, networking, and success in exceptional students in bioengineering. Vice President - Shreya Ghosh
Shreya is a third year PhD student in the department of bioengineering. She is pursuing her research in the field of quantum dot based sensors for the detection of biological molecules. Apart from that, her research interests also include biomaterials for bone tissue engineering. She hopes to get into Research and Development after graduation. She joined AEMB in Spring 2016 and she hopes to organize workshops and seminars involving the UIC BioE faculty in order to promote skill enhancement and networking opportunities to AEMB UIC members. Secretary - Sara Mohamed
Sara is studying Bioengineering with a concentration in Neural Engineering and a minor in Disability and Human Development Studies. She is currently doing stem cell research for retinal ischemia injury. She will be graduating spring 2017 and hopes to work in the medical device industry. Her ultimate goal is to work with neuroprosthetics. She joined the AEMB board hoping to inspire more students to work hard, give back to their community, and be a loud and proud Bioengineer.
Treasurer - Angy Timochina
Angela Timochina is a junior studying Bioengineering. In particular her research interests include, but are not limited to: stem cells, rehabilitative medicine, and 3D printing. In addition, she hopes to gain admission to medical school and to later specialize in general surgery. By following her ambitions, it led her to join and become the treasurer of AEMB. As a transfer student, Angela knows it can be challenging at times to find research, connect with professors, and get accustomed to a new environment. Her goal is to provide opportunities to connect AEMB members and Bioengineering students with their professors and cultivate an environment for growth and learning within the club. With this in mind, she encourages everyone to seek opportunity in clubs and network with like minded individuals. Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Women in Engineering
Women in Engineering Program (WIEP) New Scholarship Recipients in Fall 2016 William Unger Engineering Scholarship Lauren Craig Anupriya Mathews Syeda Ali
COE Dean’s Scholarship Phylicia Abraham Dionna Bidny Ameera Lodhi
UIC COE Excellence Scholarship Akshara Acharya Kristen Kacich
SWE Knowles Scholarship Christine Massie Grace Brown Alpa Kotak Angelica Smith
UIC Bioengineering Alumni Scholarship Kristen Kacich
Miss Chicago Chinatown uses platform to promote girls in STEM Sarah Wotaszak November 15, 2016 Bioengineering student Christine Vi is busy preparing for the end of the semester and post-graduation plans. Unlike her peers, however, she’s also preparing for her next big pageant as Miss Chicago Chinatown. Her fondness for beauty pageants and science both are the result of long-held interests and aspirations from childhood. “When I was little, I would always look at the Miss Chicago Chinatown on the float, and since then, I had always wanted to do beauty pageants,” said Vi, a senior. She didn’t consider participating until a friend she had met through her bioengineering courses mentioned the opportunity to her. Since winning her title, Vi has participated in events organized by the Chinese American Civic Council, such as a dinners and parades where Vi has inspired young girls. “It was great to talk with them so that I could push them to think about more than just beauty pageants. I use this as an outlet to promote girls in STEM,” she said. With a concentration in cell and tissue, Vi explores her interest in
Christine Vi, bioengineering student and Miss Chicago Chinatown.
robotic prosthetics. “I always loved engineering within biological systems, so I can still help people without going down the medical route,” Vi said. Vi joked that she balances her hectic full-time school schedule and fulfilling her duties as Miss Chicago Chinatown with no sleep. “I just make sure none of the schedules conflict, and school always comes first,” she said. Vi will maintain her title throughout the next year, and represent Chicago at Miss Chinatown in early 2017. As for her bioengineering career plans, she plans to work at a manufacturing company to explore the world of electronics and robotics in relation to health care. “I can use that experience later in life to maybe open my own practice or company,” Vi said.
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
Grants
Mathew T. Mathew receives new NIH Grant Corrosion Induced Hip Implant Failure: Synergistic Interactions of Patient, Material, Design, and Surgical Factors Adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs) in patients with total hip replacements (THRs) are on the rise and are now recognized as a major reason for THR failure. Corrosion products generated within modular junctions of the implants lead to ALTRs; thus, modular junction corrosion is one of the most urgent topics in joint arthroplasty. The long term goal of this work is to reduce corrosion damage and increase longevity of THRs by optimizing material quality and surface finish. It is the objective of this application to identify modes of corrosion that lead to ALTRs and how they depend on material microstructure, design, patient and surgical factors. The central hypothProfessor Mathew T. Mathew esis is that specific corrosion modes can be inhibited by a homogeneous implant alloy with moderate grain size and optimal synergism between global and local implant design factors. The rationale underlying the proposed research is that determining the material microstructure that minimizes corrosion and micromotion will result in improved modular junctions, reducing implant failure. The central hypothesis will be tested under three specific aims: 1) Identify the material, design, patient and surgical factors that most significantly reduce the magnitude of corrosion damage in modular junctions using a) retrieval analysis and b) multiscale finite element analysis (FEA); 2) Determine how alloy microstructure affects specific corrosion modes under a) cyclic load, and b) additional micromotion (fretting), and experimentally and computationally simulate the effect of ceramic head intervention on the corrosion and mechanical behavior of these alloys; and 3) Determine the impact of specific modes of corrosion and subsequent corrosion products on the occurrence, extent and type of ALTRs (macrophage or lymphocyte dominated). Under aim 1, corrosion damage extent on retrieved THRs will be quantified, and previously developed multiscale FEA will be used to determine the material, design and surgical factors that result in the least corrosion damage, given differences in the patient. Under aim 2, material samples prepared from the retrieved implants will be used in crevice- and fretting-corrosion testing to determine the effect of material microstructure on ion release. Experimental testing and FEA will be used to investigate the effect of surgical intervention with ceramic femoral heads on damaged stem tapers. Under aim 3, tissue samples and implant surfaces from patients with macrophage and lymphocyte dominated ALTRs will be analyzed and compared to well-functioning controls. The experimental approach is innovative because it uses actual implant material samples, applies more relevant loads and motions which can only be derived by multiscale FEA, and analyzes the biological impact of corrosion modes using tissue samples from the same retrieved implants. The proposed research is significant because it will collectively fill a knowledge gap on how corrosion in modular junctions leads to ALTRs. Ultimately, this knowledge has the potential to drive new manufacturing, quality control and preclinical testing methods for THRs which will increase implant life time and improve the well-being of THR patients.
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Undergraduates Work to find Diabetes Cure
Grants
In fall 2015, Surgery and Bioengineering Professor Jose Oberholzer, MD, was awarded a $540,000 NIH R25 grant titled “Training Interdisciplinary Scientists for Functional Cure of Diabetes,” enabling him to mentor the future generation of diverse, interdisciplinary scientists and engineers in the field of diabetes research and treatment. Summer 2016 marked the launch of an annual, ten-week paid summer internship program for undergraduates. Through a partnership with the UIC Honors College, the Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering, and the Department of Surgery, the training program joins students with faculty members to promote an enriching and educational research experience for both parties. Thirteen high-achieving students from various majors and disciplines participated in the program’s inaugural session. They received comprehensive lectures covering diabetes research Jose Oberholzer, MD, Professor of Surgery and topics, emerging biotechnology, clinical translational strategies, Bioengineering and career development, while also participating in journal clubs and interactive workshops centered around live animal models, biosafety, and general laboratory skills. Participants logged over 60 hours of surgery shadowing and engaged in patient-based clinical observation in the inpatient transplant unit at the University of Illinois Hospital. In addition, they familiarized themselves with the da Vinci® surgical robot through a series of skills simulators. During times scheduled for independent research, participants conducted individual-led, faculty-guided research. Their project topics included in-situ electron microscopy, targeted nanoparticle drug delivery, beta cell proliferation, microfluidic devices, microencapsulation, and islet cell transplantation.
From top left: Jack Williams, Dr. Yong Wang, Kenneth Booker, Dr. Haus, Nick Jacus, Joyce Zhou, Katherine Knowles, Vincent Parise, Gaurav Agnihotri, Michael Cheong, Stephanie Jaras, Katherine Xie, Sydney Hardeman, Hevin Poon, Kevin Kavalackal, Meagan Ouy, Sarah Yoon, Tiffany Cheng, Alex Ourth, Dr. Jose Oberholzer
Katherine Xie, a sophomore studying bioengineering, worked with James McGarrigle, MD, to assess the functionality of various human islet preparations. “One of the ways we can help those with Type I diabetes is through islet cell transplantation,” Xie said.
“The first step of such a process is islet isolation, in which we take the pancreas from a deceased donor and separate all the endocrine tissue [islets] from the exocrine tissue. The pancreas undergoes a series of mechanical and chemical methods to ‘digest’ into its separate endocrine and exocrine parts. Finally, the islets are purified, at which point we can assess their islet equivalence (IEQ), viability, and functionality. This step is especially important because it determines whether or not the islets we isolated will go for human transplant, or instead, for research.”
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
Xie is now continuing her research with the Chicago Diabetes Project in the Microfluidics Lab, overseen by Professor David Eddington, PhD, where she is working to develop a microfluidic device that can affordably and effectively encapsulate single cells to bypass the immune response during transplantation. She has been invited to return as a leader of the summer internship program for summer 2017, during which she plans to integrate trips to other Chicago-based medical and engineering institutions also involved in diabetes research.
Meagan Ouy, a junior in bioengineering, collaborated with bioengineering core faculty member Tolou Shokuhfar, PhD. Professor Shokuhfar’s lab has developed a novel approach to visualize dynamic samples at high resolutions in their natural state using transmission electron microscopy and graphene liquid cells. Over the summer, Ouy worked on closely examining insulin granule exocytosis to determine why some insulin granules fail to secrete insulin in select diabetic patients. “Seeing something like insulin granules move at the nanoscale is mind-blowing,” Ouy said. “Learning a concept in a classroom is one thing, but to be able to use cutting-edge technology to discover the unknown is something else entirely.” The program resonates with UIC’s commitment to provide an excellent interdisciplinary education for its students. “I cannot express how grateful I am to have participated in this program”, said Sydney Hardeman, a junior studying bioengineering. Her project focused on how a certain gene impacts pancreatic insulin secretion. “I learned so much and met many remarkable people; but most importantly, this program allowed me to explore areas of science and academia that I had never even considered.” In particular, the unique nature of Dr. Oberholzer’s diabetes research strengthens research collaboration between clinical expertise and engineering expertise. “It’s really rewarding to know that it’s possible to do research so closely related to curing patients of a disease they thought incurable,” Xie said. “I was able to learn more about medicine while using the knowledge and skills I’ve built through the bioengineering curriculum.”
- Katherine Xie - Tran Scholarship recipient
Fall 2016 Newsletter
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2016 Image of Research
The Image of Research is an annual interdisciplinary exhibit competition organized by the Graduate College and University Library to showcase the breadth and diversity of research at UIC. Each year, students enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program at UIC are invited to submit an image they created along with a brief précis of how the image relates to the student’s overall research. A multi-disciplinary jury reviews the submissions and awards prizes to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and three honorable mentions for still-image submissions, and 1st and 2nd place winners for moving-image submissions. Criteria for judging include: the originality of the image and the research it represents; the relationship between the image and the research; and overall aesthetic appeal of the image.
Finalist: Cardiac fibroblasts exalting their deity Michael Mkrtschjan / Brenda Russell, Advisor Within my research, I study the effects of microstructures on cell physiology. These “microrods” have been shown to attenuate cardiac fibrosis in mice that have undergone a myocardial infarction. Effectively, they change the way fibroblasts deposit collagen into the environment. In this image, I show cardiac fibroblasts interacting directly with a newly designed microrod made from hyaluronic acid, a common component of our extracellular matrix. The red hue is the cell’s actin cytoskeleton, green is a focal adhesion component called paxillin, and blue represents the nucleus of the cell. The pale cyan hue is attained from auto-fluorescence of the microrod. I named this image based on the particular attention that the fibroblasts pay to the microrod. Their concentrated focal adhesions to the rod provide strong anchorage, suggesting an affinity for the microstructure. In a way, it reminds me of the way the Israelites would carry along the Ark of the Covenant. Here, the cardiac fibroblasts exalt their deity—the crafted microrod—as they traverse the desert of the 35 mm culture dish.
Finalist: ARAMS Nickolas Anderson / Christos Takoudis, Advisor The focus of my current research project is to prototype a flexible, all-printed, real-time airframe monitoring system (ARAMS) which is done in collaboration with and sponsored by NextGen Aeronautics Inc. Currently, aircraft components are monitored via the number of logged flight hours and visual inspection, which can lead to premature removal of expensive components or in-flight failure. Our prototype sensor array (pictured here) attempts to address. It is designed to provide large-area, lowcost, quantitative analysis of the structural health of critical aircraft components subjected to intense strain and fatigue. This sensor array consists of the passive components of the R&D prototype, including 64 carbon-based strain gauges, their electrical leads, connections for 192 discrete transistors for multiplexing, and connections for the data acquisition system. These electrical components were screen printed onto the flexible polyimide substrate in the Nanotechnology Core Facility at UIC using conductive, resistive and dielectric inks. Future research will address replacing the discrete transistors with all-printed transistors. For more information please visit the Image of Research Exhibit competition website (grad.uic.edu/image-researchexhibit). The Image of Research is coordinated under the direction of Kevin Monahan of the UIC Graduate College.
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
Faculty Positions
Teaching Faculty Positions in Bioengineering & Bioinformatics The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) invites applications for multiple non-tenured teaching faculty positions, known as clinical track faculty positions at UIC. These positions offer a competitive salary and benefits, three-year contracts, and support for professional development, such as through participation in regional and national meetings of relevant professional societies, like ASEE, BMES, IEEE and EMBS. Candidates should have a doctoral degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, bioinformatics or a closely related field and a strong commitment to education, advising and mentoring. We are seeking dynamic individuals who, in addition to strong classroom teaching for a range of core bioengineering and bioinformatics topics, are able to take a leading role on one or more of a number of educational initiatives, including: (1) programs that interface with the UIC College of Medicine, such as “Innovation in Medicine” for medical students, and “Clinical Immersion” for bioengineering undergraduates; (2) programs that interface with the UIC Innovation Center, such as the senior undergraduate capstone sequence “Interdisciplinary Medical Product Development”; (3) establishment of a B.S. in bioinformatics to complement our existing M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs; (4) development of new study abroad programs and joint degree programs with foreign partner institutions; and (5) development of K-12, undergraduate and High School STEM teacher summer programs. Promotion to ranks of clinical associate professor and clinical full professor are based not only on strong performance in the activities described above, but also on documented scholarly recognition, such as authored publications in the peer-reviewed archival engineering education literature, leadership in relevant professional societies, and success in securing peer-reviewed educational-focused grants to financially support new initiatives. Screening of applications will begin immediately. Apply electronically with a complete vita, separate 1-page summary of your experience and vision for teaching, contact information for three evaluators who have agreed to write letters of reference, at: https://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=71796
Tenure Track Faculty Positions at All Levels in Bioengineering & Bioinformatics The Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago invites applications for multiple tenured and tenure-track faculty positions at all levels: assistant, associate and full. Full professor positions will be supported by endowment funds seeded by a philanthropic gift from Bioengineering alumnus, Richard Hill, and his wife, Loan Hill. We are seeking established and rising world leaders in multiple areas of bioengineering, including but not limited to neural & rehabilitation engineering, computational systems biology, bio-nanotechnology, bioimaging, biomechanics, and regenerative medicine. We seek rising and established world leaders who will engage in transformational bioengineering or bioinformatics research. Applicants should be outstanding technically in their basic science and engineering niche, yet have a strong collaborative interest in specific application areas. Individuals that can bridge areas of existing expertise in the department with each other and with expertise found elsewhere at UIC and in the Chicago region, such as areas fostered by the Chicago Biomedical Consortium and the following interdepartmental UIC Centers – Cancer Center, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Center for Cardiovascular Research – or who can leverage other unique regional facilities, such as Argonne National Lab, are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants are required to have an earned Ph.D. in bioengineering or a related field, and are expected to develop and maintain an active, externallyfunded research program as well as teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This will be an ongoing open and continuous search process. The desired start date for these positions is as early as August 16, 2017. Apply electronically with a complete vita, separate 1-page statements outlining teaching and research plans, and contact information for three evaluators who have agreed to write letters of reference, at: https://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=71794
UIC, located just west of downtown, is the largest public research university in the metropolitan Chicago area with a total annual budget exceeding $2 billion and research expenditure exceeding $300 million. The campus has 15 colleges and schools including one of the largest medical schools in the country, serving one of the nation’s most diverse student populations, with over 29,000 students, 2,000 faculty and 8,000 staff. The Department of Bioengineering, jointly operated by the College of Engineering (COE) and College of Medicine (COM) at UIC, has 25 full-time tenured/tenure-track faculty, 3 clinical track faculty and over 100 affiliate faculty, with 300 undergraduate, 75 MS and 100 PhD students. While Bioengineering has been a part of the University since 1965, in the last fifteen years 20 new faculty have been recruited to the department, including 3 in the clinical track. A graduate major in bioinformatics was established in 2003, with current enrollment of 25 PhD students. The department has a long tradition of working closely with health and life science researchers at UIC, as well as with investigators at four other major academic medical centers in the Chicago area, to pursue interdisciplinary education and research.
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Bioengineering Experience for Science Teachers (BEST) About the Program The College of Engineering and College of Education offer a research program for CPS high school teachers. The summer research experience provides an opportunity for pre-engineering and science teachers to spend time in bioengineering research labs and use the experience to create a curriculum for use in their own classrooms. The six-week program matches teachers to a laboratory under the guidance of one of eight research-active core bioengineering faculty mentors. These lab opportunities are in diverse areas that include 3D printing laboratory equipment, tissue engineering, biomedical imaging, brain activity monitoring, computer simulation of proteins, rehabilitation engineering, bioacoustics, biomaterials, and mechanics of the pulmonary system. In partnership with faculty who are recognized experts in curriculum design and teaching in secondary education, and in particular, teaching of secondary science in urban schools, participant-tailored curricular mentoring in weekly workshops will focus on principles of effective planning, instruction, and assessment to be directly connected to teachers’ classroom curriculum.
Outcomes One of the biggest strengths of this program is the professional learning community created between BEST fellows that, over time, can build a strong intra-district engineering professional learning community for Chicago Public School teachers. This program connected teachers across the district and gave them an opportunity to engage in peer-to-peer learning and reflection. In addition, teachers cited an increased knowledge of the Next Generation Science Standards and the engineering process. BEST Fellows created lesson plans inspired by their work in the labs. These teachers left the program confident in their ability to implement their curriculum to include engineering principles, and when challenges arise, they have a community of practice to return to as a source of support and problem solving. - Andria Shyjkabest PhD candidate, BEST Program coordinator
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“I was able to see how tedious the data analysis process is and how many different people with specialties come together to make it happen.”
“The highlight this week was going to the lab meetings and fully understanding everything that was discussed and proposed.”
“I really enjoy hearing from other fellows. They all have amazing ideas and always inspire me for what I can do better.”
“I was very excited to actually be in the lab. I was able to start a practice run of what I would do in my classroom.”
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Bioengineering Experience for Science Teachers (BEST) Steve Clayton is a physics and engineering teacher at Air Force Academy High School on Chicago’s south side. After graduating from Glenbard North High School in 2002, he joined the US Army as a cannon crew member in an artillery unit. He served for two years, which included tours in South Korea and Iraq. Once his time in service was complete, Steve attended Illinois State University where he received his bachelors degree in Physics Education. For the BEST program, he was assigned to the motion sensitive MRI lab where he observed and worked under Dieter Klatt. The lab is works on developing and improving new techniques in motion sensitive MRI that may prove to be useful for identifying and early diagnosing of Alzheimer’s disease. Steve looks forward to bringing his lab experience and newly developed curriculum into his high school classroom.
Kristian Coerper teaches anatomy & physiology, and three Project Lead the Way biomedical sciences courses: medical interventions, human body systems, and principles of biomedical sciences at Kenwood Academy on the South Side of Chicago. Ms. C, received a Masters of Arts in Teaching from the Urban Teacher Education Program at The University of Chicago, and received a bachelor in biology and psychology also from The University of Chicago. Ms. C believes education empowers individuals, allowing them to pursue their goals. In Ms. C’s curriculum, students will be challenged to learn how the nervous system works and how lesioning affects cognition. In addition, students will think critically, collaborate with their peers, and utilize engineering design principles to create a therapeutic strategy to promote motor recovery in stroke patients.
Katy Jung is a math and science teacher at North-Grand High School. Katy graduated from the five-year combined degree TEACH program at DePaul University. Since graduating, Katy has been teaching for the past two years and her teaching repertoire includes chemistry, algebra, and biology. Katy loves teaching both math and science because this unique opportunity allows her to give insight from each discipline. During the summer of 2016, Katy worked to create her BEST curriculum with a focus on bringing neuroscience and neuroimaging into the biology classroom.
Donna Larrieu has been a high school science teacher for 12 years. Donna has taught biology, chemistry, physics, earth space and environmental science. For the past six years, Donna has taught at William Rainey Harper High School. When Donna was five years old she realized she could start fires with her glasses! The rest is history. Donna received her bachelors degree in Biology from Carson Newman College and her MAT degree from Chicago State University in secondary education. Science literacy for all students is a focal point of Donna’s teaching.
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LaToya McBride is a teacher at Westinghouse College Prep. She loves her job, and says that, “teaching science is fun, because it’s always relevant and intriguing.” Ms. McBride graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a bachelors degree in Biology. After working at a school during her last years of college, she realized that teaching is what she enjoyed, and received a masters degree in Education from Quincy University. Beside teaching chemistry and anatomy/physiology, Ms. McBride works as the student council sponsor, coordinates the Westinghouse blood drives, and had the Ladies First Academy (LFA) community day class. Ms. McBride is working on a project where students will design a way to test axial properties of tissue in terms of force and displacement in normal cardiovascular tissue versus decellularized tissue.
John O’Brien teaches human body systems at Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School. He had a fascinating and inspirational experience in Dr. Salman Khetani’s Microfabricated Tissue Models Lab this past summer. With the help of two toddlers, he raised five varieties of heirloom tomatoes this summer. He also tries to be useful in the raising of aforesaid two toddlers with his spouse, Elizabeth, in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood.
Valentin Torres teaches advance placement (AP) biology and biotechnology courses at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School. His alma maters are Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago State University, and American College of Education where he has earned multiple degrees, such as in the field of biology, psychology, and masters of education in educational leadership (Type 75 degree). Valentin was accepted to a highly selective Chicago teaching fellows alternative certification program, and became a teacher after practicing as a Clinical Psychologist at Cook County Hospital where he interned treating chronic-pain patients. Valentin adores science, but his fervor is teaching young adults to help them find their passion in life. He understands that the quality of the teacher determines the quality of student education. Therefore, he believes in constantly improving his pedagogy. To do so, he has attended various pedagogical enhancement courses throughout his teaching career at various universities such as Northwestern University, Loyola University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and University of Illinois at Chicago through Chicago Teacher Transformation Initiative (CTTI) program. For the past five years, he has participated in the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs and the NASA research program with Northwestern University and University of Chicago. For the past four years, he has participated in various research projects in cooperation with University of Illinois at Chicago Bioengineering department through a highly selective teacher research program called Chicago Science Teacher Research (CSTR). One area of his focus is investigating aquaporin-4 produced by astrocytes and cerebrovasculature. Another focus is the development on computational model of functional hyperemia based on astrocytic and neuronal connection. His last research was on 3D modeling of functional hyperemia and 3D brain imaging.
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Fall 2016 Newsletter