Bioengineering Undergraduate McKenzie Sicke Announced as Finalist for the George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (December 6, 2019) … The US-Ireland Alliance recently announced the 21st Class of George J. Mitchell Scholars, and among the finalists was McKenzie Sicke, a bioengineering undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh. The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program is a national, competitive scholarship that awards one year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland to up to 12 students annually. A native of upstate New York, Sicke joined the Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt in 2016  and has spent her time studying bioengineering and reaching beyond the classroom to discover how this work can be applied to the real-world. Upon graduation, she hopes to continue her studies and was attracted to Ireland’s medical device design community. She said, “I am driven by the desire to create empathetic healthcare solutions that have a big impact.” Sicke currently works in the lab of Bryan Brown, associate professor of bioengineering, where she studies angiogenic response to polypropylene mesh implants in rabbit models. “Being able to take my project from start to finish over the past year and a half has been an invaluable experience,” she said. “With the help of my research mentor Aimon Iftikhar, I developed protocols and took them through each phase of testing. I’ve learned a lot working with her, and contributing to her thesis work has made me more confident of my place in a lab setting.” She also spent the past summer participating in Pitt’s SERIUS study abroad program at the National University of Singapore where she worked in the SINAPSE Lab on a neurotechnology project focused on nanoparticle-aided stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke. In addition to pursuing her degree and research projects, Sicke has worked as a teaching assistant and peer advisor for freshman engineering students and volunteers as a 3D printing mentor in the bioengineering department’s student-run makerspace. She is also the current publicity chair for the undergraduate chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society. “This is indeed a magnificent accomplishment. Students like Kenzie are a source of delight to the Department of Bioengineering,” said Arash Mahboobin, assistant professor of bioengineering and director of the undergraduate program. “I always feel fortunate and privileged to have the opportunity to get to know these young individuals and, perhaps, have some influence on their development and progression as professionals and people. I will certainly watch Kenzie’s career develop with great interest and high expectations.” The Mitchell Scholars Program is named in honor of George J. Mitchell, the former United States senator who served as chairman of the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. Under his leadership the Good Friday Agreement, a historic accord ending decades of conflict, was agreed to by the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom and the political parties of Northern Ireland. About the US-Ireland Alliance The US-Ireland Alliance is a proactive, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to consolidating existing relations between the United States and the island of Ireland and building that relationship for the future. The organization connects current and emerging Irish and American leaders in various spheres—including education, politics, business and the arts—for the mutual benefit of both countries. ###

A New Offensive against Alzheimer’s Disease

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (December 02, 2019) … An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh received a $3,720,828 award from the National Institutes of Health to create advanced MRI technology which will allow them to investigate the connection between small vessel disease (SVD), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clearance and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. The group will use a powerful, ultra-high-field 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imager (7T MRI), which was recently approved by the FDA for clinical applications, in conjunction with the next generation Tic Tac Toe radiofrequency (RF) antenna technology developed in Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt. Tamer Ibrahim, professor of bioengineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, will serve as principal investigator on the grant along with MPIs Howard Aizenstein, Charles F. Reynolds III and Ellen G. Detlefsen Endowed Chair in Geriatric Psychiatry, and Ann Cohen, assistant professor of psychiatry. “Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States so we want to develop advanced imaging techniques that can help researchers better understand the underlying mechanisms relating small vessel disease and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Ibrahim. “We hope that this research will lead to the identification of new prevention and treatment targets for this widespread and debilitating disease.” The project will support the development of the next generation Tic Tac Toe 7T MRI device, a collection of antennas that aim to image the human head and neck at unprecedented temporal and spatial resolutions. Ibrahim runs the Radiofrequency (RF) Research Facility and the 7T Bioengineering Research Program which include experimental and human studies with a whole-body 7T MRI - one of the strongest human MRI devices in the world and a powerful imaging tool that allows researchers to gain a far better understanding of brain structure and function. Amyloid plaque accumulation in the brain has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease so in addition to investigating SVD, this project will also examine the related CSF pulsatility associated with clearance of amyloid from the brain. “CSF travels through the ventricles in the brain where it helps clear amyloid before it is eventually absorbed into the bloodstream and carried away to be filtered by the kidney and liver,” said Ibrahim. “In a study of individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found lower levels of amyloid in a sample of CSF collected from the spine, and thus, they have theorized that the fluid isn’t sufficiently clearing amyloid in this population.” Using the stronger magnetic fields in a 7T MRI along with state-of-the-art antenna and MRI technology will allow for imaging at a greater resolution, which could reveal more detailed information about pathways linking SVD and CSF flow pathophysiology to Alzheimer’s disease. “The brain is the body’s most complex organ, and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to understand how it functions and what can be done to improve the lives of individuals with neurological disorders,” said Ibrahim. This study also includes collaborations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the University of Minnesota, Quality Electrodynamics Inc., and Montreal Neurological Institute. ###

Bioengineering Undergrad Sebastian Correa Clinches First Place at SHPE Poster Competition

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (November 18, 2019) … Sebastian Correa, a junior bioengineering student at the University of Pittsburgh, attended the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Convention in Phoenix and received the first place award at the Engineering Science Symposium poster competition. Correa works in the lab of Doug Weber, associate professor of bioengineering in the Swanson School of Engineering and director of the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs. He presented a poster on using a high-density electromyography (HDEMG) electrode sleeve array to analyze surface EMG from individuals who have sustained spinal cord injury. “We use the HDEMG sleeve to record EMG signals from a patient’s forearm while they do several hand movements and then process and classify these movements,” Correa explained. “The purpose of the project is to optimize the methods of processing and classifying the data to enable individuals who have sustained a spinal cord injury the ability to accurately control assistive devices through the use of EMG signals found on affected limbs.” Jordyn Ting, a bioengineering graduate student in the RNEL Labs, has helped mentor Correa during his undergraduate research. Her work involves studying spared muscle and motor unit activity in individuals with tetraplegia with the goal of restoring intuitive control of hand function through non-invasive methods. “Sebastian’s work has helped to identify some of the key analysis steps necessary in analyzing muscle activity from individuals with spinal cord injuries,” said Ting. “We will continue to build upon this foundation in future work on the project.” Correa received a $1,000 award for his achievement among a competitive group of both graduate and undergraduate students. The presentations covered a variety of topics from a broad range of STEM fields with a focus on “engineering grand challenges.” “Sebastian was competing against PhD students from around the country, but still managed to bring home the top prize,” said Weber. “He and Jordyn worked very hard on this research, and it’s wonderful to see their efforts rewarded.” ###

Are You Comfortable?

Bioengineering, Diversity

PITTSBURGH (October 31, 2019) … Steven Abramowitch, associate professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, received the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2019 Diversity Lecture Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to improving gender and racial diversity in biomedical engineering. His lecture, presented during the annual meeting on October 17 at the BMES annual conference, asked the audience to consider, “Are you comfortable?” For Abramowitch, his comfort was with the path that altered his research and career, as well as his advocacy for diversity programs in engineering. Abramowitch attended graduate school at Pitt and performed ligament research in the Musculoskeletal Research Center under the direction of Savio L-Y. Woo, Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering. A natural continuation would have been a career in sports medicine, but as he learned more about women’s health and the complications associated pelvic floor disorders, he was drawn to research in that area. “Pelvic floor disorders - such as pelvic organ prolapse - result from a weakening of the muscles and tissues that help support the pelvic organs and cause them to push against the vagina, creating a ‘bulge’ that can extend outside of the body,” said Abramowitch. “These disorders can make everyday tasks more difficult and significantly affect a woman’s quality of life.” Though Abramowitch was encouraged by some of his peers to pursue a “cooler” career in sports medicine, where there was ample funding, he decided not to take the easy route. With support from the then-department chair and Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering, Harvey Borovetz, he got out of his comfort zone and began working with Pamela Moalli, professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Pitt and pelvic reconstructive surgeon at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. Together they now co-direct the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Female Pelvic Health. “Nearly one-quarter of women suffer from pelvic floor disorders, with most stemming from injuries during childbirth, and yet we don’t hear about these injuries that women sustain everyday,” continued Abramowitch. “These are not just quality of life issues - they are a quality of family issue.” In addition to his career in women’s health, Abramowitch has contributed to the Swanson School of Engineering’s diversity initiatives with programs such as PITT STRIVE, the Global Engineering Preparedness Scholarship (GEPS), Engineering Design for Social Change: South Africa, and CampBioE. Through these programs, he has helped to create a culture of diversity and inclusion and has worked to better prepare engineering students for a global marketplace. “Once again, some of my peers tried to dissuade me from participating in these programs, suggesting that it would be good for the school, but not for my career or even that I should not get caught up in race relations in Pittsburgh,” said Abramowitch. “But with continued support from Dr. Borovetz, my current department chair Sanjeev Shroff, and our Associate Dean for Diversity Affairs Sylvanus Wosu, I was able to take on these roles and help students get out of their own comfort zone.” Since 2008, Abramowitch has served as director of CampBioE, an immersive summer camp for middle and high school students that implemented a campaign in 2014 to focus on being an affordable resource for underrepresented minorities (URM) and students from underserved school districts. The program trains undergraduate students as senior counselors that provide “near-peer” mentorship for the campers and has, in turn, created a diverse community that makes STEM education more fun and less intimidating. Ashanti Anderson, a 2019 high school participant, said, “CampBioE has given me the experience of working with students of different ethnicities and cultures and allowed me to learn how to connect with them.” A sense of community is an important aspect of Abramowitch’s diversity efforts in the Swanson School. In 2015, he established an annual PITT STRIVE retreat that brings together faculty mentors and PhD mentees to improve professional and personal bonds, encourage effective communication, and help identify challenges that both parties face. “We are trying to create community between faculty and students,” he said. “We encourage them to discuss the difficult things and try to make them uncomfortable so that they can have these important conversations and break these boundaries. We want the faculty and students to be committed to each other’s success.” Abramowitch’s confidence in not taking the well-paved and comfortable path has helped shape his career and make a significant impact in the Swanson School. “Being uncomfortable, I realized, is not such a bad thing,” said Abramowitch. “Connecting with individuals who have a different background or worldview can help broaden your perspective and, for me, has ultimately provided a more fulfilling career.” Since starting PITT STRIVE, the Swanson School has surpassed historic levels of URM enrollment in the PhD program; through the study abroad programs, Abramowitch has helped undergraduate students see the impact of engineering through the lens of another culture; and with CampBioE, he has educated more than 1000 middle and high school students, with more than 40 percent participation from URMs and low-income students since the diversity campaign in 2014. Abramowitch’s impact has not only been acknowledged by BMES - he is also the only two-time recipient of the Swanson School’s Diversity Award, in 2011 and 2014. “What sets Dr. Abramowitch apart is that his work in this area is not defined by a singular activity or initiative,” said Dr. Borovetz. “Instead, Dr. Abramowitch’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is integrated into who he is as a person.” ###

A “Shocking” New Way to Treat Infections

Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum, Diversity

PITTSBURGH (Oct. 21, 2019) — Titanium has many properties that make it a great choice for use in implants. Its low density, high stiffness, high biomechanical strength-to-weight ratio, and corrosion resistance have led to its use in several types of implants, from dental to joints. However, a persistent problem plagues metal-based implants: the surface is also a perfect home for microbes to accumulate, causing chronic infections and inflammation in the surrounding tissue. Consequently, five to 10 percent of dental implants fail and must be removed within 10-15 years to prevent infection in the blood and other organs. New research from the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering introduces a revolutionary treatment for these infections. The group, led by Tagbo Niepa, PhD, is utilizing electrochemical therapy (ECT) to enhance the ability of antibiotics to eradicate the microbes. “We live in a crisis with antibiotics: most of them are failing. Because of the drug- resistance that most microbes develop, antimicrobials stop working, especially with recurring infections,” says Dr. Niepa, author on the paper and assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the Swanson School, with secondary appointments in civil and environmental engineering and bioengineering. “With this technique, the current doesn’t discriminate as it damages the microbe cell membrane. It’s more likely that antibiotics will be more effective if the cells are simultaneously challenged by the permeabilizing effects of the currents. This would allow even drug-resistant cells to become susceptible to treatment and be eradicated.” The novel method passes a weak electrical current through the metal-based implant, damaging the attached microbe’s cell membrane but not harming the surrounding healthy tissue. This damage increases permeability, making the microbe more susceptible to antibiotics. Since most antibiotics specifically work on cells that are going to replicate, they do not work on dormant microbes, which is how infections can recur. The ECT causes electrochemical stress in all the cells to sensitize them, making them more susceptible to antibiotics. The researchers hope this technology will change how infections are treated. Researchers focused their research on Candida albicans (C. albicans), one of the most common and harmful fungal infections associated with dental implants. But while dental implants are one exciting application for this new technology, Niepa says it has other potential applications, such as in wound dressings. The paper, “Electrochemical Strategy for Eradicating Fluconazole-Tolerant Candida albicans using Implantable Titanium,” (DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b09977) was published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. It was coauthored by Eloise Eyo Parry-Nweye, Nna-Emeka Onukwugha, Sricharani Rao Balmuri, Jackie L. Shane, Dongyeop Kim, Hyun Koo and Tagbo Niepa.
Maggie Pavlick

Manufacturing in Microgravity

Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum, MEMS

PITTSBURGH (October 9, 2019) … Magnesium and magnesium alloys have the potential to become a revolutionary material for a variety of industries because of their lightweight structure and ability to quickly biodegrade in water or inside the human body. Researchers, however, are still struggling to process this very reactive metal to eliminate defects that accelerate corrosion. Prashant N. Kumta, the Edward R. Weidlein Chair Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, believes that a microgravity environment may positively affect the solidification mechanisms of these alloys. He received grant funding from theInternational Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory to examine microgravity’s influence on his lab’s novel patented magnesium alloys. The team is partnering with Techschot, Inc., the commercial hardware facility partner that operates the high-temperature SUBSA furnace aboard the ISS National Lab. Once in the microgravity environment of the space station, the alloy composition will be melted in the SUBSA furnace, and then solidified for further analysis. This is the first selected project in the new Biomedical Research Alliance - a multi-year collaboration between the ISS U.S. National Laboratory and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine to push the limits of biomedical research and development aboard the orbiting laboratory. “The alloy’s improved mechanical properties, ability to store charge, and lightweight structure will make it an attractive material for aerospace, energy storage, and automotive applications,” said Kumta. He believes that this research will play a major role in the economical manufacturing of magnesium alloys, particularly in additive manufacturing and customized 3D printing of magnesium structures. “Magnesium and magnesium alloys are extremely light, with a density similar to natural bone,” explained Kumta. “They are two-fold lighter than titanium alloys and five-fold lighter than stainless steel and cobalt-chrome alloys – all of which are materials typically used in today’s implants and frameworks. Thus, the development of these materials could open new International Space Station applications as a lightweight structural framework material.” Because of their weight and earth abundance, the alloys may also prove to be beneficial for climate change and energy storage. “Fixtures or accessories in the aerospace industry - such as seats and lighting - that are made from magnesium alloys will be lighter which will consequently reduce fuel consumption,” said Kumta. “These benefits will help reduce costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions – an advantage that can be applied to the automotive industry which accounts for a large amount of emissions in the United States. The material could also be used as a rechargeable battery similar to lithium-ion batteries.” The magnesium alloys developed by Kumta’s team may also serve as a cheaper and improved bioresorbable material for implanted medical devices. This type of material, which can be broken down and absorbed by the body, has a variety of applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, such as implanted scaffolds that help guide the growth of new tissue. “Despite expensive post-processing steps to minimize defects, magnesium alloys processed on earth react in a physiological fluid environment and form large amounts of hydrogen gas, resulting in gas pockets that must be aspirated by a syringe,” said Kumta. “We believe that processing the material in microgravity will considerably minimize or perhaps even eliminate melting and casting defects. As a result, the alloys will likely exhibit improved corrosion resistance, resulting in soluble hydrogen and salt products with better bioresorption response when implanted as scaffolds. Further, expensive post-processing will likely be eliminated, thereby reducing costs by almost 50 percent.” Kumta, who holds secondary appointments in chemical and petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science, the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and oral biology, will work with a team of researchers from his laboratory in the Swanson School of Engineering, including Bioengineering Research Assistant Professors Abhijit Roy, Moni Kanchan Datta, and Oleg Velikokhatnyi. The research team hopes that this work will lead to the processing of better quality magnesium alloys, which will be free of many of the defects that form in terrestrially processed alloys, ultimately enabling improved functionality on Earth with significantly reduced processing steps and costs. “This work offers a tremendous opportunity for advancing the science and technology of microgravity metal casting, widening the translational potential of the versatile magnesium-based systems for biomedical, energy, and aerospace applications,” said Kumta. “Magnesium has not yet been studied in space so this project gives us the chance to explore a new frontier in scalable manufacturing of high quality magnesium and magnesium alloys in space.” ###

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Neural Tissue Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering Lab

Bioengineering, Open Positions

The Neural Tissue Electrode Interface and Neural Tissue Engineering Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh has two postdoctoral research fellow positions open immediately. Seeking highly motivated and well trained individuals to conduct neural technology research funded by two NIH BRAIN initiative grants. Neural technologies designed for recording and modulate neural activity have shown enormous potentials in advancing brain science, treating diseases or restoring lost neurological function. Successful candidates will work on improving neural interface technologies with special focuses on understanding the safety of neural stimulation and implant induced brain injury, as well as developing biomimetic and therapeutic strategies to improve the implant-neural tissue integration. The successful candidate should possess a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, materials science, chemistry or a related field. He/she should have a strong research background in neurobiology or neurophysiology. Experiences with some of the following areas are desired, including neuronal and glial cell cultures, molecular and biochemical assays, neural tissue histology, biomaterial and biosensor fabrication, in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology. He/she will be working with interdisciplinary teams of neural engineers, material scientists, chemists, neurosurgeons and neurobiologists, and have the opportunities to collaborate with top neuroscientists and neural engineers nation-wide. The initial appointment will be for one year with the strong possibility for an extension. The start date is flexible, with a preference for candidates ready to begin as soon as possible. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Your application should include: Cover letter Curriculum Vitae Contact information for three references. E-mail your materials to xic11@pitt.edu. For further information or questions about this position you may contact: Dr. Tracy Cui (xic11@pitt.edu). The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled. The Department of Bioengineering is strongly committed to a diverse academic environment and places high priority on attracting female and underrepresented minority candidates.  We strongly encourage candidates from these groups to apply for the position. The University affirms and actively promotes the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected class.

Setting Their Cytes on the Prize

All SSoE News, Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (October 1, 2019) … CyteSolutions, a bioengineering- and opthamology-led research group, was awarded $100,000 at the 2019 Pitt Innovation Challenge on September 25, 2019 for their novel contact lens that is coated with an immune modifying molecule for the treatment of dry eye disease. This research is led by Alexis Nolfi, a bioengineering graduate student in the Swanson School of Engineering, who works in the lab of Bryan Brown, PhD, associate professor of bioengineering and member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The CyteSolutions team also includes Mangesh Kulkarni, MD, PhD, assistant professor of bioengineering, and Vishal Jhanji, MD, professor of ophthalmology. There are no effective treatments for dry eye, and the condition will only become more prevalent as the population continues to age. Current solutions are limited and may involve the frequent application of eye drops, which face product loss and may lead to compliance issues by the patient because of their cumbersome application. To address these drawbacks, CyteSolutions is developing a platform for ease of application and long-term relief of dry eye. Using natural biopolymers, an immune modifying drug is embedded into a coating that can be applied to silicone-hydrogel-based contact lenses. “When you visit your eye doctor, what is the first thing they hand you before they place an eye drop in your eye? A tissue,” said Nolfi, “because they know most of what they place will immediately fall out onto your cheeks, and what little remains will be quickly dissipated and blinked away.” “Eye drops are not an ideal drug delivery mechanism,” she continued. “Since our polymeric coating can only be broken down by enzymes found naturally on the eye, our lens will begin a slow, sustained release of the drug once it comes in contact with the patient's ocular surface. This equates to optimal doses delivered in a sustained way to exactly where it needs to be, with very little waste.” In addition to its unique drug delivery, the lens will also target macrophages - a class of cells recently identified as drivers of inflammation in dry eye that current treatments do not target. Brown said, “The unique strength of the CyteSolutions Lens is that we can actually target some of the underlying causes of dry eye - that is, innate inflammation, as opposed to just treating the symptoms or discomfort that come with dry eye.” He believes that targeting this underlying mechanism may lead to a cure or at least a long-term solution to this condition. “CyteSolutions has the potential to impact a significant number of people who suffer from dry eye and offers a much needed solution that patients currently have yet to find,” said Nolfi. The team plans to use PInCh funding to move the lens into preclinical animal studies with the hope that generation of key in-vivo data will help secure continued funding after PInCh and make the product more attractive to potential partners or licensees. Two Coulter-funded projects were also recognized in the 2019 Pitt Innovation Challenge: OneValve ($100,000) - this Coulter-funded project plans to develop a self-regenerating heart valve that uses the patient's natural healing process to replace diseased heart valves, decreasing the risk of blood clots and improving durability over current therapy. Push-to-Spin ($25,000) - this Coulter-funded project will develop a novel device to make surgical fat grafting procedures more efficient. ###

Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering Introduces New and Promoted Faculty

Bioengineering, Civil & Environmental, Electrical & Computer, Industrial, MEMS, Office of Development & Alumni Affairs

PITTSBURGH (September 27, 2019) ... With expertise from biomaterials and autonomous sensing to cyber-physical systems, neural networks and renewable energy, 14 new faculty joined the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering this fall. "Here in the Swanson School, we have established our transformative purpose to create new knowledge for the betterment of the human condition. I’m excited that these outstanding new faculty will contribute toward that interdisciplinary pursuit," noted James R. Martin II, U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering.  "Our new faculty bring incredible skill-sets that will help us address 21st-century challenges. In particular, the United Nations has outlined 17 sustainable development goals as a call to action for global socioeconomic and environmental sustainability by 2030. And we’re using those goals to track our own progress and inform our transformative purpose. I look forward to these new faculty joining in that important endeavor.” The new faculty include: Department of Bioengineering Elisa Castagnola, Research Assistant ProfessorDr. Castagnola received her PhD in robotics, neurosciences and nanotechnologies at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and continued her postdoctoral research on neurotechnologies at IIT in the departments of Robotics Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and the Center for Translational Neurophysiology for Speech and Communication. Prior to Pitt, she was a senior postdoctoral researcher in bioengineering at the Center for Neurotechnology (NSF-ERC) and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University.For the last 10 years, Dr. Castagnola’s work focused on combining research in material science and new microfabrication techniques for the development of innovative neurotechnology, advancing state-of-the-art implantable neural devices and bringing them to a clinical setting. She is now conducting research with Dr. Tracy Cui, Professor of Bioengineering, in the Swanson School’s Neural Tissue Engineering (NTE) Lab. She is currently working on the development and in-vivo validation of innovative neural probes with superior capability in neurochemical and neurophysiological recordings. Her main interests are in material science, electrochemistry, neurochemistry and microfabrication. Mangesh Kulkarni, Research Assistant ProfessorDr. Kulkarni received his bachelor degrees in medicine and surgery from Grant Medical College, University of Mumbai, his MTech in biomedical engineering and science from the Indian Institute of Technology, and a PhD in biomedical engineering and science from the National University of Ireland, Galway.While pursuing his PhD he served as a graduate research fellow at the University of Ireland’s Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials where he developed spatiotemporally controlled gene delivery system for compromised wound healing.  He then joined The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, MR Division, Institute of Cell Engineering as a postdoctoral fellow where he was involved in development of MRI based non-invasive system to track the pancreatic islets transplants, and later was a postdoctoral scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Department of Biomedical Sciences and Regenerative Medicine Institute where he worked to unravel molecular signatures in corneal regeneration. At Pitt Dr. Kulkarni works with Dr. Bryan Brown associate professor of bioengineering and core faculty member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Kulkarni’s research interests focus on the development of biomaterials-based delivery systems; molecular diagnostics and therapeutics (particularly involving non-coding RNA); and cell-free therapeutic strategies such as stem cells secretome therapy. Ioannis Zervantonakis, Assistant ProfessorDr. Zervantonakis  received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, master of science in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Munich, and PhD in the lab of Dr. Roger Kamm at MIT, where he engineered an array of microfluidic devices to study the tumor microenvironment. For his postdoctoral studies, he joined the lab of Dr. Joan Brugge at Harvard Medical School and developed systems biology approaches to study drug resistance and tumor-fibroblast interactions. He is a recipient of a 2014 Department of Defense Breast Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowship and a 2017 NIH/NCI Pathway to Independence K99/R00 award.In his Tumor Microenvironment Engineering Laboratory, Dr. Zervantonakis employs a quantitative approach that integrates microfluidics, systems biology modeling, and in vivo experiments to investigate the role of the tumor microenvironment on breast and ovarian cancer growth, metastasis and drug resistance. His research interests include cell and drug transport phenomena in cancer, mathematical modeling of cell-cell interactions, microfluidics, and systems biology of cell-cell interactions.Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Amir H. Alavi, Assistant ProfessorPrior to joining the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Alavi was an assistant professor of civil engineering at the University of Missouri. Dr. Alavi’s research interests include structural health monitoring, smart civil infrastructure systems, deployment of advanced sensors, energy harvesting, and engineering information systems. At Pitt, his Intelligent Structural Monitoring and Response Testing (iSMaRT) Lab focuses on advancing the knowledge and technology required to create self-sustained and multifunctional sensing and monitoring systems that are enhanced by engineering system informatics. His research activities involve implementation of these smart systems in the fields of civil infrastructure, construction, aerospace, and biomedical engineering. Dr. Alavi has worked on research projects supported by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Missouri DOT, and Michigan DOT. He has authored five books and more than 170 publications in archival journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and has received several award certificates for his journal articles. Recently, he was selected among the Google Scholar 200 Most Cited Authors in Civil Engineering, as well as Web of Science ESI's World Top 1% Scientific Minds. He has served as the editor/guest editor of several journals such as Sensors, Case Studies in Construction Material, Automation in Construction, Geoscience Frontiers, Smart Cities, ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, and Advances in Mechanical Engineering. He received his PhD in civil engineering from Michigan State University.Aleksandar Stevanovic, Associate ProfessorDr. Stevanovic previously served as an associate professor of civil, environmental and geomatics engineering at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU)., where he was also the director of the Laboratory of Adaptive Traffic Operations and Management (LATOM) and the Program Leader in Infrastructure Systems within the FAU Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE). At Pitt, he teaches courses in transportation and traffic engineering, transportation planning, and operations research and conducts research in a variety of subjects including traffic signal control systems, intelligent transportation systems, multimodal and sustainable operations, transportation simulation modeling, etc. Although Dr. Stefanovic’s main research interests emphasize arterial operations and traffic signal control, he is best known for his contributions in Adaptive Traffic Control Systems (ATCS). He is the sole author of the NCHRP 403 Synthesis Study – Adaptive Traffic Control Systems: Domestic and Foreign State of Practice and has been invited to present and teach about ATCSs, both nationally and internationally. He has published more than 150 journal and conference papers and presented at more than 80 international, national, and state seminars and professional meetings. He has been principal investigator on 31 research projects for a total of ~ $3.9 million in funding and has authored more than 30 technical reports for various transportation agencies including TRB/NAS, NSF, UDOT, UTA, FLDOT, NJDOT, and others. He is a member of TRB AHB25 Committee for Traffic Signal Systems and he is also a member of ITE, TRB, and ASCE. He serves as a paper reviewer for 30 scientific journals and conference proceedings, has advised more than 35 graduate students and five post-doctoral associates, and has served on PhD committees of several international university graduate programs. He has been awarded a position of Fulbright Specialist, in the area of urban network traffic control, for 2018-2021. He earned his bachelor’s in traffic and transportation engineering at the University of Belgrade (Serbia) followed by a master’s and PhD in civil engineering at the University of Utah. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mai Abdelhakim, Assistant ProfessorDr. Abdelhakim received her PhD in electrical engineering from Michigan State University (MSU) and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electronics and communications engineering from Cairo University. Her current research focuses on securing cyber-physical systems by leveraging machine learning, networks design, stochastic modeling and information theory. Following her PhD, she was a postdoctoral research associate at MSU where she worked on developing reliable communication networks and distributed decision making in sensor networks and high-speed communication systems. She later was a research scientist at OSRAM research center working on Internet of Things applications, security mechanisms, wireless optical communications and indoor positioning systems. Prior to her appointment at the Swanson School, she was a faculty member in Pitt’s School of Computing and Information. Her research interests include cyber-physical systems, cybersecurity, machine learning, wireless communications, networks design, stochastic systems analysis and information theory.Mohamed Bayoumy, Assistant ProfessorDr. Bayoumy received his bachelor's degree in electronics and electrical communications engineering and a master's in engineering physics from the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University. He then joined the Swanson School’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as a graduate research and teaching fellow, and received his doctoral degree in 2019. His research features the development of optical fiber-based sensors for monitoring harsh environments. He is a recipient of the Swanson School of Engineering Dean’s Fellowship and multiple research and teaching awards. Since 2016 he has been appointed to the Postgraduate Research Program at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) administered through Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).Theodore Huppert, Research Associate ProfessorDr Huppert received his bachelor's in biochemistry and genetics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and PhD in biophysics at Harvard University and the A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging of the Massachusetts General Hospital on the topic of statistical analysis models for multimodal brain imaging and models of the cerebral neural-vascular unit. Prior to joining the Swanson School, he served in the School of Medicine Department of Radiology and worked as one of the core MRI physicists in the MRI Research Center.Dr Huppert’s lab develops data analysis methods for brain imaging including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional MRI with a focus on multimodal analysis and data fusion approaches. His lab also supports the NIRS brain imaging program at Pitt, which currently has over two dozen funded projects and more than a dozen different labs on campus working on projects ranging from infant development to gait impairments in the elderly. His lab also authored several open source data analysis packages for NIRS, with more than 1,400 users worldwide, and is a founding member of the Society for NIRS.   In Hee Lee, Assistant ProfessorDr. Lee received his PhD degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Michigan and served there as a postdoc and research scientist. His research interests include low-power energy-efficient circuit design to develop millimeter-scale energy-autonomous sensing/computing systems for biomedical, ecological, and industrial applications.In addition to publications and presentations, Dr. Lee holds six patents on technologies including analog to digital conversion, switched capacitor circuits, resistance detection and ultra-low-power temperature current sourcing. Amr Mahmoud, Visiting Assistant ProfessorDr. Mahmoud received his bachelor’s in electronics and electrical communications engineering and master’s in engineering physics from Cairo University, and a PhD in computer engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include, but are not limited to, machine learning, especially deep learning for image processing; memristor-based neuromorphic computing systems; and video prediction using generative adversarial recurrent neural networks. He has published five conference papers, one book chapter, and one journal paper in prestigious conferences and journals, including IEEE EMBC, ACM-DATE, IEEE IJCNN, and IEEE TNANO.Nathan Youngblood, Assistant ProfessorDr. Youngblood received his bachelor’s in physics from Bethel University and master’s and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota, where his research focused on integrating 2D materials with silicon photonics for high-speed optoelectronic applications. Following, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford developing phase-change photonic devices for integrated optical memory and computation. His research interests include bi-stable optical materials, 2D material optoelectronics, and photonic architectures for machine learning. At his Photonics Lab, his research combines unique optoelectronic materials with nanophotonics to create new platforms for high-efficiency machine learning and high-precision biosensing. Principal to this is a fundamental understanding of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale and use of advanced nanofabrication techniques to address major challenges facing these disciplines.Department of Industrial Engineering Hyo Kyung Lee, Assistant ProfessorDr. Lee received her bachelor’s in information and industrial engineering from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, master’s in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, and. PhD in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research investigates healthcare analytics, data-driven decision support, and operational planning and management in the context of clinical data and practice. She has experience collaborating with medical professionals in UW Health, Mayo Clinic, Baptist Memorial Health System, SSM Health, and Dean Medical Group. She is the recipient of the Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship from the College of Engineering at UW Madison.Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Nikhil Bajaj, Assistant ProfessorDr. Bajaj earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, and has held research assistant positions on several projects in the areas of nonlinear dynamics, control systems, sensing and machine learning, computational design, and heat transfer. He has held a summer research position with Alcatel-Lucent Bell Laboratories and has also served as a consulting mechatronics engineer with two startup technology companies, in the areas of force sensing in gaming devices and the control of multi-actuator haptics. His research interests include nonlinear dynamical and control systems, and the analysis and design of mechatronic systems, especially in the context of cyber-physical systems—in particular making them secure and resilient.Tony Kerzmann, Associate ProfessorDr. Kerzmann received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Duquesne University followed by a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Following his PhD, he was an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Robert Morris University where his research focused on developing alternative vehicle fueling station optimization simulations. He advised student groups that won regional and international awards; the most recent team won the Utility of Tomorrow competition, outperforming 55 international teams. Additionally, he developed and taught thirteen different courses, many in the areas of energy, sustainability, thermodynamics, and heat transfer. He served as the mechanical coordinator for the Engineering Department for six years and was the Director of Outreach for the Research and Outreach Center in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. Additionally, several faculty received promotions and named professorships and fellowships:Faculty PromotionsBioengineeringBryan Brown, Associate ProfessorTamer Ibrahim, ProfessorSpandan Maiti, Associate ProfessorWarren Ruder, Associate ProfessorChemical & PetroleumGiannis Mpourmpakis, Associate ProfessorJohn Keith, Associate ProfessorCivil & EnvironmentalJulie Vandenbossche, ProfessorElectrical and ComputerWei Gao, ProfessorMechanical & Materials ScienceMarkus Chmielus, Associate ProfessorAlbert To, Professor Professorships and FellowsWilliam Kepler Whiteford ProfessorsAlbert To (MEMS)Anne Robertson (MEMS)Lance Davidson (BioE)J. Karl Johnson (ChemE)   Julie Vandenbossche (CEE)William Kepler Whiteford FellowsWarren Ruder (BioE)Chris Wilmer (ChemE)Bicentennial Board of Visitors Faculty FellowSusan Fullerton (ChemE)CNG Faculty FellowGuofeng Wang (MEMS)Wellington C. Carl Faculty FellowVikas Khanna (CEE) ###

Renerva® Receives Funding to Expand Its Peripheral Nerve Repair Technologies

Bioengineering

Reposted from PRNewswire. Renerva, LLC is a medical device company whose technology is based on research from the University of Pittsburgh (Bryan Brown) and Cornell University (Jonathan Cheetham). PITTSBURGH, Sept. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Renerva, LLC, a medical device company developing innovative technologies for peripheral nerve repair, announced today that they have received two additional grants totaling $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), rapidly accelerating development of their medical device products. The NIH support will enable the company to expand the applications of its first product, Renerva Peripheral Nerve Matrix (PNM) – an injectable gel derived from porcine tissue that promotes and supports repair and regeneration in injured peripheral nerves. The NSF funding will support the development of Renerva's second product, a novel graft for peripheral nerve gap applications (a $2 billion market today). Renerva's second product will offer surgeons the potential of an off-the-shelf graft with performance equivalent to or better than that of the gold standard nerve autograft. Renerva's graft will spare patients the discomfort, loss of function, and potential complications associated with nerve autografts, while facilitating the return of motor and/or sensory function in patients affected by complex and debilitating nerve injuries. Alexander Spiess, MD, Renerva's Medical Advisory Board Member and Division Chief of Hand Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's (UPMC), Department of Plastic Surgery, said: "This novel graft has the potential to become the new standard of care for patients requiring nerve bridges for long gap nerve injuries, nerve transfers, and muscle reinnervations. It has also the potential to open the door to new solutions in nerve surgical care". Jonathan Cheetham, PhD, VetMB, Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences at Cornell University and Chair of Renerva's Scientific Advisory Board, said: "The NIH award will allow to test Renerva PNM in yet another application. Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a condition that results in vocal fold paralysis in up to 10% of patients receiving thyroid surgery. By implementing PNM in the repair of this type of injury, we will help demonstrate the broader scope of capabilities and applications of Renerva's first product." Through this testing, and with the support of the NIH award, Renerva's technologies will expand their potential treatment applicability to ear, nose, and throat disorders. "In addition to our dilutive capital, Renerva has now received $3 million in active, non-dilutive funding from three U.S. federal agencies (i.e., DoD, NSF, and NIH). This support reflects the comprehensive peer-reviewed vetting for our technology and team by the main government agencies supporting medical technology development, the rigor of the underlying science, and the significant unmet need for our growing product portfolio," said Lorenzo Soletti, PhD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Renerva. "As Renerva transitions into a clinical stage company with our PNM product moving into first-in-human clinical trials next year, this support will help expand our core technology into other nerve injury applications and position us for Series A financing".About Renerva®, LLC. Renerva is a medical device company developing solutions for peripheral nerve injuries and damage. Renerva's initial therapeutic focus is on the 500,000 Americans suffering from acute nerve injuries every year, with other indications including the treatment of chronic compressive nerve injuries and other conditions affecting the peripheral nerves. Privately held, Renerva is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. To learn more or stay in touch, please visit www.renerva.com.

Tenure/Tenure-Stream Faculty Position in Synthetic or Systems Biology

Bioengineering, Open Positions

The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering invites applications from accomplished individuals with a PhD or equivalent degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, or closely related disciplines for an open-rank, tenured/tenure-stream faculty position. We wish to recruit an individual with strong research accomplishments in Synthetic or Systems Biology, with preference given to research focus areas related to mammalian cellular engineering, immune engineering, or neural regeneration. It is expected that this individual will complement our current strengths in biomechanics, bioimaging, molecular, cellular, and systems engineering, medical product engineering, neural engineering, and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In addition, candidates must be committed to contributing to high quality education of a diverse student body at both the undergraduate  and graduate levels. Located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh is a top-five institution in terms of NIH funding, and provides a rich environment for interdisciplinary research, strengthened through its affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The Department of Bioengineering, consistently ranked among the top programs in the country, has outstanding research and educational programs, offering undergraduate (~270 students, sophomore-to-senior years) and graduate (~150 PhD or MD/PhD and ~50 MS students) degrees. The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (mirm.pitt.edu), Computational and Systems Biology (https://www.csb.pitt.edu/), the Vascular Medicine Institute (vmi.pitt.edu), the Brain Institute (braininstitute.pitt.edu), Starzl Transplantation Institute (http://www.stiresearch.health.pitt.edu/), and the Drug Discovery Institute (upddi.pitt.edu) offer many collaborative research opportunities. The Center for Medical Innovation (https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/CMI/), the Coulter Translational Partnership II Program (engineering.pitt.edu/coulter) and the Center for Commercial Applications of Healthcare Data (healthdataalliance.com/university-of-pittsburgh) provide biomedical innovation and translation opportunities. Interested individuals should send the following as a single, self-contained PDF attachment via email to bioeapp@pitt.edu (include “AY20 PITT BioE SynBio-SysBio” in the subject line): (1) cover letter, (2) complete CV (including funding record, if applicable), (3) research statement, (4) teaching statement, (5) three representative publications, and (6) names and complete contact information of at least four references. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by January 31, 2020. However, applications will be reviewed as they are received. Early submission is highly encouraged. The Department of Bioengineering is fully committed to a diverse academic environment and places high priority on attracting female and underrepresented minority candidates. We strongly encourage candidates from these groups to apply for the position. The University affirms and actively promotes the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected class.

Bioengineering Appoints Harvard Medical School Cancer Researcher Ioannis Zervantonakis as Assistant Professor

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (September 13, 2019) … Ioannis Zervantonakis joined the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering on September 1, 2019 as assistant professor of bioengineering and a member of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Zervantonakis comes from a postdoctoral position at Harvard Medical School where he developed systems biology approaches to study drug resistance and tumor-fibroblast interactions in the lab of Joan Brugge, Director of the Ludwig Center and Louise Foote Pfeiffer Professor of Cell Biology. For his doctoral studies, Zervantonakis worked in the lab of Roger Kamm, Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor of Biological and Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where his research focused on the design of microfluidic devices to study cancer metastasis. He currently runs the Tumor Microenvironment Engineering Laboratory where they employ a quantitative approach that integrates microfluidics, systems biology modeling, and in vivo experiments to investigate the role of the tumor microenvironment on breast and ovarian cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. He explained, “Understanding cell behavior in native tumor microenvironments and developing new strategies to deliver therapeutics directly to tumor cells are critical in improving and extending patients’ lives.” The tumor microenvironment is the collection of cells, molecules, and blood vessels that surround tumor cells. Tumor growth, metastasis, and response to therapy is governed by a complex interaction network between tumor cells and those components. “Our group aims to develop novel bioengineered tumor microenvironment platforms that will allow us to model, measure, and control the interactions between cancer cells and their environment at the single cell level,” said Zervantonakis. The goal of their research is to discover biomarkers that guide new drug development and improve prognosis, develop new strategies to optimize existing treatment protocols, and engineer microfabricated tools that enable screening and personalization of cancer therapies. “We are thrilled to welcome Yannis as a bioengineering faculty member,” said Sanjeev Shroff, Distinguished Professor and the Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. “His focus on linking tumor microenvironment to cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance and his expertise in microfluidics and systems biology nicely complement the research efforts within the Department of Bioengineering and the efforts of the thriving cancer-related research community at the university as a whole.” ### About Ioannis Zervantonakis Ioannis (Yannis) received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, and his masters degree in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Munich in 2006. From 2006-2007 he was a graduate research assistant at the  Ultrasound Elasticity laboratory (Prof. Elisa Konofagou) in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York. Yannis completed his doctoral studies at MIT in the mechanobiology laboratory (Prof. Roger Kamm) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in December 2012. Since January 2013 he has been a postdoctoral fellow in cancer biology at Harvard Medical School in the lab of Prof. Joan Brugge and has been awarded the DoD Breast Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowship (June 2014) and the NIH Pathway to Independence K99/R00 Award (September 2017).

Sene Polamalu is named the Bioengineering 2019 Wesley C. Pickard Fellow

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (August 30, 2019) … Sene Polamalu, a bioengineering graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, was named the 2019 Wesley C. Pickard Fellow by the Department of Bioengineering. Recipients of this award are selected by the department chair and chosen based on academic merit. Polamalu began his studies in applied mathematics at Millersville University of Pennsylvania where he received his bachelor’s degree in two years. He then joined the mechanical engineering graduate program at the Swanson School of Engineering for one semester before receiving a STRIVE Fellowship and switching to the bioengineering program. Polamalu is working on multiple biomechanical research projects in the Orthopedic Robotics Laboratory under the supervision of Richard E. Debski, William Kepler Whiteford Faculty Fellow and Professor of Bioengineering and Orthopaedic Surgery, and Volker Musahl, Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief of Sports Medicine. “My primary research is focused on the association of tibiofemoral bony morphology and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries,” said Polamalu. “This research aims to improve ACL injury prevention and treatment by determining patient-specific bone shape parameters that increase the risk for ACL injury.” The ACL is a major ligament that stabilizes the knee, and injury to this ligament is most commonly experienced during sports that involve sudden stops or changes in one direction. Recovery from an ACL trauma can leave athletes out of practice for several months. “I have always been passionate about sports-related injuries,” said Polamalu. “My research in biomechanics at Pitt has further fueled my interest in orthopaedic injury prevention and treatment. I am grateful for the support I have received from this award.” Polamalu is starting his third year as a graduate student researcher in the Swanson School, and the Wesley C. Pickard Fellowship will provide funding for his research during the upcoming academic year. “I’m incredibly proud of what Sene has accomplished during his time in the Orthopaedic Robotics Laboratory, and this fellowship is a well-deserved recognition of his work,” said Debski. “His project has the potential to  determine which individuals are at more risk for ACL injury based on the bony morphology of their knee. Individualized treatments can then be developed to improve surgical success and reduce secondary injuries.” About Wesley Pickard: Mr. Pickard is an alumnus of the Swanson School of Engineering and earned his bachelor's degree in mining engineering at Pitt in 1961.  He retired from Synergy Inc, a DC based consulting firm as the CFO. Over a period of 33 years, Pickard helped the company grow from five staff members to more than 200 with revenues of approximately $25 million when it was sold in 2005. His support of Pitt includes the establishment of this fellowship, and he was recently inducted into the Cathedral of Learning Society at Pitt—a giving society that honors some of our most generous alumni. In 2010 Mr. Pickard was named the University of Pittsburgh Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Distinguished Alumnus. He also received the Pitt Volunteer of Excellence Award in 2012 and was named a “Significant Sig” in 2017 by Sigma Chi Fraternity.  In 2018 he was selected as the overall honoree representing the entire Swanson School at the 54th annual Distinguished Alumni Banquet. ###

Pitt Bioengineer Aims to Change Stroke Patients’ Perception to Improve Gait Rehabilitation

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (August 23, 2019) … For stroke survivors whose ability to walk has been impaired by neurological damage, rehabilitation using robotics has proven to be an effective therapy to improve their gait. However, one of the major issues with this type of rehabilitation is that following training with a robotic device, motor improvements are not maintained in the patient’s daily life. Gelsy Torres-Oviedo, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, was awarded a $805,670 CAREER Award by the National Science Foundation to apply a novel approach to improve locomotor learning in stroke patients. She is the fifth Swanson School CAREER Award recipient in 2019, tying the school’s record from 2017. “Our bodies adjust their movement to adapt to changes in the environment, but the very first thing that we need to do is sense that environment,” explained Torres-Oviedo, who directs the Sensorimotor Learning Laboratory at Pitt. “We then use this sensory information as input to our motor system, which drives our movement.” The challenge with measuring sensation in people is that it is an internal variable; therefore, Torres-Oviedo’s group will use mathematical tools and perception experiments to estimate what individuals feel. “We think that some stroke survivors have difficulty perceiving their asymmetric movement, and these proposed studies will help us characterize this deficit and indicate if split-belt walking - in which the legs move at different speeds - can correct it,” she said. In the first part of this study, the lab will track how patients with brain lesions perceive asymmetries in their gait. They will then measure how their perception is adjusted once their movements are adapted in the split-belt environment. In the second part of this study, the lab will use these data and a unique method to manipulate how people perceive their movement and create the illusion of error-free performance during split-belt walking. They will use a human-in-the-loop (HITL) method, which is a closed-loop approach in which the behavioral output is feedback to tune the input to the motor system - in this case, the speed difference. This strategy creates an individualized outcome for each subject, which is a more effective method for training purposes. “The idea is that if we understand how each patient adjusts their perceived movements, we can create the illusion of error-free performance where they think that they’re walking normally even though their movements are changing,” said Torres-Oviedo. “If they never perceive that they are doing something different, the hope is that changes in their movements can be carried over to the patient’s daily life.” This research aims to enhance the generalization of movements from devices like treadmills and exoskeletons to daily activities. “If Professor Torres-Oviedo and her group are successful in their work, it could have a profound effect on gait rehabilitation for stroke survivors,” said Sanjeev G. Shroff, Distinguished Professor and the Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. Torres-Oviedo will also use this project as a way to increase the participation of students from underrepresented minorities (URM) in science and engineering. She will recruit, mentor, and prepare URM students from K-12 and college to pursue advanced education, with the ultimate goal of broadening the professional opportunities for this population. ###

NTE Lab’s Asiyeh Golabchi Receives Poster Award at Pitt’s Data and Dine Symposium

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (August 16, 2019) … A poster presented by Asiyeh Golabchi, a bioengineering postdoctoral research associate at the University of Pittsburgh, was selected as one of the best poster presentations at the 2019 Postdoctoral Data & Dine Symposium. Hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association, the Data & Dine Symposium is an opportunity for postdoctoral associates and scholars at Pitt to present their research to colleagues, faculty, and administrators. The event recognizes 10 participants with a $750 travel award for the best poster presentations. Golabchi received an award for her work titled “Neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 improves quality of the chronic neural recording in mouse visual cortex.” Golabchi works in the Neural Tissue Engineering (NTE) Lab directed by Xinyan Tracy Cui, professor of bioengineering in Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. Golabchi’s research focuses on developing a molecular-level understanding of neurobiological interactions to neural implants. Golbachi explained that these devices, which are used to record and stimulate the brain, have been an invaluable tool for neuroscience research and clinical applications, but their functional longevity has proven to be a hurdle for researchers. “Neural implants have been used to help people who have lost abilities due to trauma or disease regain those abilities and improve their quality of life,” said Golabchi. “However, many medical, biological, and technical considerations have to be taken into account when using these devices. “Current neural implants are limited by the body’s natural conditions to safely operate and avoid toxicity and degradation,” she continued. “The requirements for a functional and stable long-term neural interface are still relatively unknown.” Golabchi’s research develops biomaterial strategies and novel technologies to control neuroinflammatory responses, both acute and chronic, to implantable devices. “Asiyeh is most deserving of this award from Pitt’s Postdoctoral Association. Her work with neural implant technology demonstrated the potential to improve neural recording stability and longevity through biomimetic coating,” said Cui. “Such coating may be optimized for commercial translation and benefit many implantable devices in both research and clinical settings.” Golabchi received her PhD in neuroscience and brain technologies from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, in collaboration with the University of Genoa, under the supervision of Dr. Axel Blau. During Golabchi’s doctoral research, she used microfabrication methods to develop a flexible polymer-based microelectrode array for interfacing with neurons at a high spatiotemporal resolution for both in vivo and in vitro applications. ###

International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory and University of Pittsburgh’s McGowan Institute Form Biomedical Research Alliance

Bioengineering

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), August 12, 2019 – The International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory is embarking upon a multi-year research alliance with the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (MIRM) at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) to push the limits of biomedical research and development aboard the orbiting laboratory. This alliance — a core element of the ISS National Laboratory Industrial Biomedicine Program — was unveiled at the 8th annual ISS Research and Development Conference held in Atlanta earlier this month. This new partnership will serve as a benchmark for how the ISS National Laboratory develops similar programs in the future involving research and development activities aboard the space station. The ISS National Laboratory and MIRM will collaborate with partners from industry, other academic research centers, and government agencies to drive the progress of regenerative medicine research onboard the ISS.  As part of this alliance, Pitt will develop Earth-based facilities on campus to advance research and meet with potential partners, while working in coordination with the ISS National Laboratory on flight opportunities to the orbiting laboratory. The program will focus on microgravity life sciences research and development, with a line of sight toward products and services for clinical application on Earth. For instance, exploiting the unique behavior of stem cells in microgravity could improve cell-based therapies for a variety of diseases and impairments, such as traumatic brain injury and type I diabetes. Similarly, microgravity could allow 3D printers to create complex tissue structures that are difficult to achieve in the presence of full gravity. “As the premier partner for the Industrial Biomedicine Alliance with the ISS National Laboratory, we look forward to using the space station as a testbed for regenerative medicine advances and product development in low Earth orbit,” said MIRM Director William R. Wagner, Ph.D. “The McGowan Institute has built on its deep history advancing the development of artificial organs to establish a position of internationally recognized leadership in regenerative medicine,”said Rob A. Rutenbar, Ph.D., senior vice chancellor for research at Pitt. “The ISS National Laboratory will benefit from that deep expertise, as well as our commitment to rapid clinical translation.” The products of the Industrial Biomedicine Program and this research partnership will help build the fundamental business case for the industrialization of crewed platforms in low Earth orbit. In future alliances, the ISS National Laboratory will work with companies and research partners who seek to better understand and find solutions to common problems on Earth through space-based experimentation on the ISS National Laboratory. “The ISS National Laboratory is proud to announce this alliance with Pitt and MIRM in order to develop biomedical products in space that could benefit human health on Earth,” said ISS National Laboratory Chief Strategy Officer Richard Leach, Ph.D. “Part of the role of the ISS National Laboratory is to create and implement innovative strategies to enhance the research capacity of the orbiting laboratory, and we believe alliances like this will pave the way for future collaborations to advance the discoveries of space-based science.” To learn more about innovative research taking place aboard the ISS National Laboratory, visit www.ISSNationalLab.org. Media Contacts:Patrick O’Neill(321) 480-1054PONeill@issnationallab.org Erin Hare (MIRM)412-738-1097HareE@upmc.edu Amerigo Allegretto (Pitt)412-624-6128aallegretto@pitt.edu # # # About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the ISS as the nation’s newest national laboratory to optimize its use for improving quality of life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by non-NASA U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The ISS National Laboratory manages access to the permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. About the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine:  The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC established the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2001. The McGowan Institute serves as a single base of operations for the university’s leading engineers, scientists and clinical faculty working in the areas of tissue engineering, cellular therapies, and medical devices. The Institute’s mission includes the development of innovative clinical protocols, as well as the pursuit of rapid commercial transfer of its technologies related to regenerative medicine. There are more than 250 McGowan-affiliated faculty who have collectively filed over 1,600 patents worldwide, licensed or optioned 185 patents with outside partners and produced more than 30 spinout companies. For more information, visit www.mirm.pitt.edu. About the University of Pittsburgh: A nonsectarian, coeducational, state-related, public research university founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a member of the prestigious by-invitation-only Association of American Universities and internationally renowned as a leading center of learning and research in the arts, sciences, humanities, professions, and health sciences. Comprising a Pittsburgh campus, which is home to 16 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, and four Western Pennsylvania regional campuses, Pitt offers nearly 500 distinct degree programs and confers more than 8,500 degrees annually. Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998 and is ranked among the top 10 American research universities nationally in terms of total federal science and engineering research and development obligations. For more information, visit www.pitt.edu.

Associate Dean for Research David Vorp Receives Research Leader Fellowship from APLU

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (August 5, 2019) … The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Council on Research (CoR) has named the University of Pittsburgh’s David Vorp as one of eight fellows in its third Research Leader Fellowship Program cohort selected nationwide. Dr. Vorp is Associate Dean for Research for Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, the John A. Swanson Professor of Bioengineering, and Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Surgery, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.According to APLU, the CoR Research Leadership Program is designed to provide training and skill development necessary in the breadth and depth of the academic research enterprise. The APLU notes that because many universities have segmented research support organizations, rising research leaders often oversee relatively confined areas such as research administration, research development, research compliance, research communication, economic development, or sponsored programs. The APLU CoR Fellowship is designed to allow rising research leaders to gain expertise outside of their respective portfolios and to foster connections with CoR’s extensive network of senior research officers through site visits and participation in CoR meetings. The fellowship is 18 months in duration.“This is a tremendous opportunity for me that I will ensure also greatly benefits Pitt and the Swanson School,” Dr. Vorp said. “In the past few years we have expanded and diversified our research portfolio, increased our public-private research partnerships through the creation of our Making Research Work initiative, and more. But there is so much more that we can do, and I’m excited to see up-close the best practices and novel programs developed by other research universities and learn from the best minds in the business.”During his fellowship, Dr. Vorp intends to focus on working more closely with Pitt’s Office of Community and Governmental Relations; integrating research data and analytics into proactive planning and research portfolio management; and developing more sustainable revenue models for the Swanson School’s several research centers and institutes. He also plans to investigate how the Swanson School can play a greater role in regional economic development as well as develop stronger multidisciplinary and sponsored research programs. ### About Dr. VorpDavid Vorp is the John A. Swanson Professor of Bioengineering, with secondary appointments in the Departments of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Surgery, and the Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, he is the Associate Dean for Research, Swanson School of Engineering and serves as a Director of the Center for Vascular Remodeling and Regeneration, a Co-Director of the Center for Medical Innovation, as well as the Director of the Vascular Bioengineering Laboratory. He previously served as Interim Director of Pitt’s Petersen Institute for Nano-Science and -Engineering. he research in Dr. Vorp’s lab focuses on the biomechanics, “mechanopathobiology,” regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering of tubular tissues and organs, predominantly the vasculature. He is currently studying the biomechanical progression of aortic aneurysms by modeling the mechanical forces that act on the degenerating vessel wall. He is developing a treatment strategy for abdominal aortic aneurysms by delivering adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to the periadventitial side of the aneurysm to inhibit the matrix degradation commonly seen in the disease progression and promote its regeneration. He is also using varied regenerative medicine-based approaches to develop a small diameter tissue engineered vascular graft to treat cardiovascular diseases. His research has been supported by $9 million in funding as principal investigator (PI), and an additional $4 million as collaborating investigator, from foundation and federal agencies, including the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Whitaker Foundation, Pittsburgh Foundation, and other sources.  He has several patents in the field of vascular bioengineering and was a co-founder of the start-up Neograft Technologies, Inc., a company that developed technology from Dr. Vorp’s laboratory relating to biodegradable support for arterial vein grafts.In 2011 Dr. Vorp was recognized with the Van C. Mow Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), was twice awarded a Pitt Innovator Award, and received the Carnegie Life Sciences Award in 2013.  He served on the Executive Committee of the ASME Bioengineering Division (BED; 2006-2015), serving as ASME BED Chair from 2013-2014. Dr. Vorp was elected to the Board of Directors of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) for two terms (2006-2009; 2009-2012), and was elected BMES Secretary, an executive post, for two terms (2012-2014; 2014-2016).  He was Co-Program Chair of the 2018 World Congress of Biomechanics. In 2012, Dr. Vorp became the first non-MD President of the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology, and was re-elected for a second term in 2014.  Dr. Vorp is a Fellow of ASME, BMES and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.

Pitt Bioengineering Alumna Named NSF Program Director

Bioengineering

Laurel Kuxhaus, an associate professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering at Clarkson University, has recently been named Program Director of the Biomechanics & Mechanobiology Program within the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation, Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Kuxhaus comes to the position directly from serving as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Congressional Fellow in Bioengineering. She has been working on Capitol Hill this year in the office of Congressman Lipinski, learning about how Congress works and crafting science and technology policy.  Key accomplishments include the drafting of the Growing Artificial Intelligence Through Research (GrAITR) Act, and the Medical Device Sterilization Challenges Act of 2019. “It’s been an incredible experience to work on Capitol Hill for the year and see how policy is created at the top,” said Kuxhaus, “I look forward to serving at the National Science Foundation." At the National Science Foundation, her background in both bioengineering and policy will enhance the management, operation, and evaluation of programs within the Division. She will also gain experience in the development of large and complex Federal programs. In this position, Kuxhaus will be responsible for long-range planning and budget development for the Biomechanics & Mechanobiology Program. She will oversee the NSF award process for researchers in her program, which includes merit review, award and declination process, and identifying future funding opportunities. In 2018, Kuxhaus was named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She was nominated for her continued dedication to engineering education, scholarly research, and service to the ASME Bioengineering Division.  She concentrates her research in orthopedic biomechanics. Kuxhaus received bachelor’s degrees in engineering mechanics and music from Michigan State University in 2001, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 2003, and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008. As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, N.Y., and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,300 students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2.5% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company.

STEM Camp Sparks Pittsburgh Kids’ Curiosity

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

Reposted from PittWire. Click here to view the original story. When Ameena Bradford entered the University of Pittsburgh Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, she didn’t know what went into the creation of a video game, but she was excited to see what was in store. What the 12-year-old Pittsburgh public school student found was a reignited interest in science and technology, with the help of a classic arcade game. Ameena and 14 other students from Pittsburgh’s Hill District put their coding skills to the test to recreate the 1978 game Space Invaders this June, using a computer program provided by Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering and the School of Computing and Information. The coding exercise was part of a three-day STEM mini-camp hosted by Pitt’s Hill District Community Engagement Center (CEC) as part of the larger Swanson School’s annual Camp BioE. At the camp, students ages 8 to 12 were helped along their interstellar journey by Pitt bioengineering and computing experts, as well as volunteer undergraduate students from bioengineering and biology. Using graphics created prior to the event, the students were able to input simple commands for the spaceship, alien invaders and the lasers — represented by cats — used to defeat the aliens. “Before, I liked science, but it kept getting harder and harder to learn. This made it kind of easier,” Ameena said. “This is more fun, because the teachers are nice and they help us to learn by making it more interesting,” said Alyssa, 9, Ameena’s younger sister. “It’s a lot of fun working with these kids,” said Dmitriy Babichenko, professor of practice at the School of Computing and Information, who led the students in coding the game. “They start out being skeptical and then you can see the light bulbs coming on as they get excited to see that something works. It’s fun to see that excitement develop.” The STEM camp comes at a transitional time for the students; some studies, such as one published in the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, have shown that students, particularly girls, begin to lose interest in the sciences upon entering middle school. Camp leaders say they hope STEM learning opportunities like this encourage students — especially those from underrepresented populations — to further pursue science and technology studies during their high school and college years. This could lead to better employment opportunities, too: STEM jobs in computer analyst and development fields are projected to increase as much as 32% beginning in the 2020s, according to the U.S. Department of Education. While Camp BioE has been providing summer STEM activities for mostly middle school-age students for the past 10 years, this year was the first time it teamed up with the CEC and the School of Computing and Information. Camp director Steven Abramowitch said even though this year’s students were the youngest Camp BioE has worked with, they were also some of the most passionate and easily engaged. “They were interested and curious, so when we saw this opportunity to make the connection (with the CEC) for the summer, we knew this was something we wanted to do,” said Abramowitch, who is also an associate professor of bioengineering at the Swanson School. “The game design for Space Invaders is simple, so we thought this was something easy for the students to grasp in terms of game design. We hope that events like these give students confidence to pursue their passions.” June’s mini-camp was the first of many upcoming collaborations between the Pitt Community Engagement Centers, the Swanson School and the School of Computing and Information. One of these includes creating a STEAM Studio as part of the CEC’s permanent space at the New Granada Theater. The camp’s in-community and on-campus curriculum is also an example of how the Hill District Community Engagement Center seeks to build bridges between the University and the community for mutual benefit: Pitt faculty establish new partnerships, Pitt students learn from and with community members in a real-world setting and Hill District youth have the opportunity to explore STEM fields in an enriching and educational setting. “We wanted to help bring youth from the Hill District in one of the most underserved sections, Bedford Dwellings, here on campus to continue exploring possibilities in STEM fields,” said Kirk Holbrook, director of the Hill District CEC. “We hope to start planting the seeds of future realities for these children. With activities like coding a video game, they’re fun, but also educational. They’re intensive, but we saw engagement.” The CECs are part of Pitt's Neighborhood Commitments, which build stronger communities and a stronger University based on long-term place-based partnerships. In collaboration with local communities, the University is making a minimum 15-year commitment of investment, infrastructure, programming and dedicated staff in neighborhoods such as Homewood and the Hill District. The CECs aim to host events and offer services for community members related to youth education enrichment, employment, health and wellness, the cultural arts and small business growth and development, among other topics. The Hill District CEC is Pitt’s second Community Engagement Center — the CEC in Homewood opened in October 2018.
Amerigo Allegretto

MechMorpho Lab Brings Computation and Experimentation Closer Together

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (July 9, 2019) … A bioengineering group from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering is bringing the worlds of computational modeling and experimentation closer together by developing a methodology to help analyze the wealth of imaging data provided by advancements in imaging tools and automated microscopes. Their study focuses on embryonic tissue spreading, a process that is critical during wound healing and the progression of many diseases. The article, recently published in PLOS ONE (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218021), shows how using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) - a statistical inference method - can help derive useful quantitative information for experimental design. The work was overseen by Lance Davidson, professor of bioengineering, who runs the MechMorpho Lab in the Swanson School of Engineering. The study was led by Tracy Stepien, a Pitt mathematics graduate alumnus, and Holley Lynch, a former postdoctoral associate in the MechMorpho Lab. Davidson’s group cultured tissue from the Xenopus embryo to uncover the mechanical properties behind embryonic morphogenesis - the biological process of an organism developing its shape. During the study, they discovered that small explants spread slower than larger ones so they began creating modeling approaches to find out why. They collected time-lapse image sequences over the course a few weeks, but the challenge when integrating modeling with experiments is determining the best set of parameters. “As models get more complex and the experimental systems produce more data, it is difficult to determine if the chosen parameters are the optimal set,” said Stepien, a postdoctoral associate at the University of Arizona. “This is where Bayesian computation is useful - for each dataset, you can run the model thousands of times to identify sets of parameters that best match the experiment itself.” Once the group applied a Bayesian approach to their model, they found that there was no one unique parameter set. Instead, they identified distributions of ‘almost-best’ parameters and then used statistical methods to compare the different distributions. From the statistical analysis, they predict tissue properties such as force production and adhesion are more likely to vary with initial tissue size than factors such as rates of cell division or shape change. Frames from a 10 hour long time-lapse sequence with model prediction (red line) and explant spreading (dotted line). "Good" models predict not only the extent of the movement but also the amount of mechanical strain as the tissue spreads. The images in the lower row report the error between predicted and actual strain (gradient blue) at the time-points above. Credit: MechMorpho Lab/University of Pittsburgh. “Our work provides predictive methods that can help guide more general studies of morphogenesis to better understand how tissue spreading is regulated during development and potentially control spreading during wound healing and cancer,” said Lynch, who is currently an assistant professor of physics at Stetson University. According to the research group, these parameters may also prove to be useful for improving models of other experiments. “Though this paper focused on one specific type of tissue movement, it is more broadly impactful in that it is trying to identify a new way forward for the scientific community,” said Davidson. “Over several years our model went from something simple to something more rigorous and robust. A paper that originally focused on tissue spreading eventually evolved to demonstrate a framework that very closely integrates modeling and experiment.” In the short-term, Davidson’s lab will follow-up on the predictions made in this paper and further investigate the biophysics of tissue spreading. In the long-term, the group would like to apply an equally robust statistical approach to other computational models being developed in the lab. “We really want to integrate our experimental approaches with computational models, as robust statistically as this approach offers,” said Davidson. “Using the power of computation in conjunction with advanced biomechanical experiments could really impact our knowledge of disease development and treatment.” ###

NSF Awards $500,000 to Pitt Researchers to Create Neuromorphic Vision System Mimicking Human Sight

Bioengineering, Electrical & Computer

PITTSBURGH (June 19, 2019) —  Self-driving cars rely on their ability to accurately “see” the road ahead and make adjustments based on what they see. They need to, for instance, react to a pedestrian who steps out from between parked cars, or know to not turn down a road that is unexpectedly closed for construction. As such technology becomes more ubiquitous, there’s a growing need for a better, more efficient way for machines to process visual information. New research from the University of Pittsburgh will develop a neuromorphic vision system that takes a new approach to capturing visual information that is based on the human brain, benefitting everything from self-driving vehicles to neural prosthetics. Ryad Benosman, PhD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who holds appointments in electrical engineering and bioengineering, and Feng Xiong, PhD, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Swanson School of Engineering, received $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct this research. Conventional image sensors record information frame-by-frame, which stores a great deal of redundant data along with that which is useful. This excess data storage occurs because most pixels do not change from frame to frame, like stationary buildings in the background. Inspired by the human brain, the team will develop a neuromorphic vision system driven by the timings of changes in the dynamics of the input signal, instead of the conventional image-based system. “With existing neuromorphic camera systems, the communication between the camera and the computing system is limited by how much data it is trying to push through, which negates the benefits of the large bandwidth and low power consumption that this camera provides,” says Dr. Xiong. “We will use a spiking neural network with realistic dynamic synapses that will enhance computational abilities, develop brain-inspired machine learning to understand the input, and connect it to a neuromorphic event-based silicon retina for real-time operating vision.” This system will work more efficiently than existing technology, with orders of magnitude better energy efficiency and bandwidth. “We believe this work will lead to transformative advances in bio-inspired neuromorphic processing architectures, sensing, with major applications in self-driving vehicles, neural prosthetics, robotics and general artificial intelligence,” says Dr. Benosman. The grant will begin July 1, 2019, and is expected to last until June 30, 2022. ### About the Swanson School of EngineeringThe University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering programs in the U.S. and is consistently ranked among the top 25 public engineering programs by U.S. News & World Report. The Swanson School has excelled in basic and applied research during the past decade with focus areas in sustainability, energy systems, advanced manufacturing, bioengineering, micro- and nano-systems, computational modeling and advanced materials development. About the University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineAs one of the nation’s leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region’s economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu.
Maggie Pavlick

Pitt and CMU Researchers Discover How the Brain Changes When Mastering a New Skill

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (June 10, 2019) … Mastering a new skill - whether a sport, an instrument, or a craft - takes time and training. While it is understood that a healthy brain is capable of learning these new skills, how the brain changes in order to develop new behaviors is a relative mystery. More precise knowledge of this underlying neural circuitry may eventually improve the quality of life for individuals who have suffered brain injury by enabling them to more easily relearn everyday tasks. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University recently published an article in PNAS (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820296116) that reveals what happens in the brain as learners progress from novice to expert. They discovered that new neural activity patterns emerge with long-term learning and established a causal link between these patterns and new behavioral abilities. The research was performed as part of the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, a cross-institutional research and education program that leverages the strengths of Pitt in basic and clinical neuroscience and bioengineering with those of CMU in cognitive and computational neuroscience. The project was jointly mentored by Aaron Batista, associate professor of bioengineering at Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering; Byron Yu, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering at CMU; and Steven Chase, associate professor of biomedical engineering and the Neuroscience Institute at CMU. The work was led by Pitt bioengineering postdoctoral associate Emily Oby. “We used a brain-computer interface (BCI), which creates a direct connection between our subject’s neural activity and the movement of a computer cursor,” said Oby. “We recorded the activity of around 90 neural units in the arm region of the primary motor cortex of Rhesus monkeys as they performed a task that required them to move the cursor to align with targets on the monitor.” To determine whether the monkeys would form new neural patterns as they learned, the research group encouraged the animals to attempt a new BCI skill and then compared those recordings to the pre-existing neural patterns. “We first presented the monkey with what we call an ‘intuitive mapping’ from their neural activity to the cursor that worked with how their neurons naturally fire and which didn’t require any learning,” said Oby. “We then induced learning by introducing a skill in the form of a novel mapping that required the subject to learn what neural patterns they need to produce in order to move the cursor.” Like learning most skills, the group’s BCI task took several sessions of practice and a bit of coaching along the way. “We discovered that after a week, our subject was able to learn how to control the cursor,” said Batista. “This is striking because by construction, we knew from the outset that they did not have the neural activity patterns required to perform this skill. Sure enough, when we looked at the neural activity again after learning we saw that new patterns of neural activity had appeared, and these new patterns are what enabled the monkey to perform the task.” These findings suggest that the process for humans to master a new skill might also involve the generation of new neural activity patterns. “Though we are looking at this one specific task in animal subjects, we believe that this is perhaps how the brain learns many new things,” said Yu. “Consider learning the finger dexterity required to play a complex piece on the piano. Prior to practice, your brain might not yet be capable of generating the appropriate activity patterns to produce the desired finger movements.” “We think that extended practice builds new synaptic connectivity that leads directly to the development of new patterns of activity that enable new abilities,” said Chase. “We think this work applies to anybody who wants to learn - whether it be a paralyzed individual learning to use a brain-computer interface or a stroke survivor who wants to regain normal motor function. If we can look directly at the brain during motor learning, we believe we can design neurofeedback strategies that facilitate the process that leads to the formation of new neural activity patterns.” ### This work was funded by NIH R01 HD071686, National Science Foundation (NSF) BCS1533672, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, NSFCAREER Award IOS1553252, NIH CRCNS R01 NS105318, NIH R01 HD090125, Craig H. Neilsen Foundation 280028, Pennsylvania Department of Health Research Formula Grant SAP 4100077048 under the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement program, Simons Foundation 543065, and NIH T32 NS07391. Image 1: Pitt and CMU researchers discovered that new neural activity patterns emerge with long-term learning and established a causal link between these patterns and new behavioral abilities. This illustration shows new roots – depicted as neurons – blossoming into a flower that represents a new behavior or skill. Credit: Frank Harris for the University of Pittsburgh. Image 2: Emily Oby, a bioengineering postdoctoral associate at the University of Pittsburgh, led a study that explored what happens when the brain learns a new task. Here, she holds an electrode that measured brain activity, represented on her computer screen. The success of this study could lead to new hope for people who have suffered debilitating brain injuries that caused them to forget how to do certain tasks, like playing music or sports. (Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh)

DPT-PhD graduate student Anna Bailes receives award at the Rehabilitation Institute Research Day

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (June 5, 2019) … University of Pittsburgh graduate student Anna Bailes received the Best Rehabilitation Research award in the pre-doctoral category at the 2019 UPMC Rehabilitation Institute Research Day on May 22, 2019. Bailes presented her work titled “Depression and anxiety are associated with increased healthcare utilization in low back pain.” This research was performed in the lab of her co-advisor Gwendolyn Sowa, professor and chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Co-authors on the paper include Rohit Navlani, Stephen Koscumb, Amanda Malecky, Oscar Marroquin, Ajay Wasan, Howard Gutstein, Christina Zigler, Anthony Delitto, Nam Vo, and Gwendolyn Sowa. Bailes is a student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy/PhD in Bioengineering (DPT-PhD) dual-degree program, a unique offering that integrates clinical and research experiences in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Swanson School of Engineering. She is currently a member of the Human Movement and Balance Laboratory where she works with Rakié Cham, associate professor of bioengineering, on the quantification of functional and mobility deficits in individuals with vision loss. “My current research aims to quantify functional capabilities in individuals with macular dystrophy, with a long-term goal of creating standardized assessments to track disease progression and therapy progress,” said Bailes. “We use high-tech balance and gait assessments along with mobility and fine-motor tasks to identify areas of impairment and potential rehabilitation goals.” Bailes also has a strong interest in the psychosocial and behavioral contributors to pain and movement impairments. Her future career goals include improving physical therapy treatment for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain using basic psychological principles alongside traditional rehabilitation interventions. “Many individuals who fear pain and have catastrophizing thoughts about it will alter movement patterns or all together avoid activities that elicit pain,” she explained. “This behavior can lead to exacerbated pain, disuse, and disability.” One of her recent research proposals will use engineering-based methods, such as dynamic balance testing and gait analysis, to determine the extent of functional and cognitive changes associated with pain anxiety in those with chronic low back pain. Bailes said, “Understanding this relationship between cognition, balance, and gait will allow us to identify treatment targets for novel rehabilitation strategies integrating cognitive, balance, and psychosocial therapies.” ###

DPT-PhD students Bailey Petersen and Stephanie Rigot receive NIH F30 awards

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (May 23, 2019) … University of Pittsburgh graduate students Bailey Petersen, DPT, and Stephanie Rigot, DPT, received F30 Individual Predoctoral NRSA Fellowships from the National Institutes of Health. The award provides funding for students who are matriculated in a combined dual-doctoral degree training program and who intend to pursue careers as physician-scientists or other clinician-scientists. Petersen and Rigot are members of the inaugural class of the Doctor of Physical Therapy/PhD in Bioengineering (DPT-PhD) dual-degree program, a unique offering that integrates clinical and research experiences in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the Swanson School of Engineering. “This program combines the outstanding evidence-based physical therapy education and innovative bioengineering research training that already exists at the university and builds upon synergies between faculty members of the nationally-ranked Departments of Bioengineering and Physical Therapy,” said Patrick Sparto, PT, PhD, associate professor of physical therapy and co-director of the DPT-PhD program. Petersen works in the lab of Lee Fisher, PhD, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, where her research aims to restore a sense of joint movement that mimics the feeling of the leg and foot for people with lower-limb amputations. “Individuals with lower-limb amputations face a wide range of gait impairments and have a substantially higher risk of falling than the average population,” said Petersen. “This increased fall risk can be partially attributed to a lack of the sense of touch and joint movement that are crucial for maintaining balance.” The research group uses spinal cord stimulation in the low back, which activates the nerve fibers that normally carry sensory information from the leg and foot to the brain. They use sensors to measure movement and contact pressure of the prosthetic during normal walking and stimulate the corresponding nerve fibers in real-time. “When the prosthetic touches the ground, we induce stimulation, and the participant feels their foot moving and touching the ground as they walk,” explained Petersen. “The aim of this project is to improve gait and balance, thereby improving the mobility and safety of people with lower-limb amputations.” Rigot works in the lab of Michael Boninger, PhD, Professor and UPMC Endowed Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, where she aims to develop a new measure of impairment after spinal cord injury using leg movements measured by activity monitors. “Current testing, which is primarily measured by brute tests of strength and sensation, may not be sensitive enough to provide an accurate representation of an individual’s impairment and functional abilities,” explained Rigot. “Our new measure could be used to track an individual’s recovery over time, as well as provide a novel method to predict an individual’s long-term mobility potential using data collected soon after their spinal cord injury.” The length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury is decreasing, which forces clinicians to quickly make critical decisions about where to focus time in therapy to maximize an individual’s functional mobility. Rigot plans to develop a new clinical prediction rule that would provide clinicians, individuals with spinal cord injuries, and their families with a more accurate and descriptive estimation of the individual’s future mobility. This strategy will allow patients to tailor their therapy and focus on the ideal interventions. “If we can develop a tool to assist clinicians in determining the optimal interventions during therapy early after an injury, then we can hopefully improve the participation, quality of life, pain, and other outcomes for many of the nearly 18,000 people in the United States that experience a new spinal cord injury each year,” said Rigot. “Bailey and Stephanie exemplify the caliber of students enrolled in this first class of the DPT-PhD program,” said Patrick Loughlin, PhD, professor of bioengineering and co-director of the program. “I’m excited to see what these students will accomplish in their future careers.” ###

Designed with Women in Mind: Pitt researchers receive a $2.5M NIH award to create an improved repair device for pelvic organ prolapse

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (May 6, 2019) … Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a condition where the organs in the pelvis push against the vagina, creating a “bulge” that can extend outside of the body. It results from a weakening of the muscles and tissues that help support the pelvic organs. This disorder affects many women, but surgical treatments with polypropylene mesh - devices initially designed for hernia repairs, not vaginal use - often result in complications. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh will use a five-year, $2,500,000 award from the National Institutes of Health to create a novel repair device designed for the vagina that may improve outcomes in POP surgery. Steven Abramowitch, associate professor of bioengineering in the Swanson School of Engineering, and Pamela Moalli, professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Pitt and pelvic reconstructive surgeon at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, will lead this effort. Abramowitch and Moalli co-direct the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Female Pelvic Health (CIRPH) where they focus on the impact of pregnancy, delivery, and other life-changing events on the structural integrity of the pelvic floor. They aim to develop preventative treatment options for POP and more effective patient-specific treatments. “The purpose of this project is to design and develop novel solutions for POP repair since past materials were never specifically developed for the functional and material properties of the vagina,” said Moalli. “Based on our studies, the properties of most meshes are altered following implantation with tensioning and loading, which in some cases can lead to suboptimal outcomes. Ultimately, this funding mechanism will allow us to design a device with properties that more closely mimic the native properties of the vagina and its supportive tissues. We believe this approach will create a more favorable biological response compared to current mesh products.” Since polypropylene - the material used in current POP meshes - is very stiff, it is manufactured with a knitted pattern, which causes mechanical behaviors that can exacerbate inflammation and fibrosis in some women. This may ultimately result in complications including pain and/or mesh exposure, potentially requiring additional surgeries and removal of the implanted mesh. “Our group will evaluate the use of elastomeric polymers whose inherent stiffness is similar to that of the vagina but are also tough enough to meet the physiologic loading demands within the pelvis,” explained Abramowitch. “The designed solutions will contain pore geometries that provide the device with counterintuitive mechanical behaviors, such as the ability to expand rather than contract when you pull on it. We believe that this will allow for better integration between our device and the patient’s tissue.” To optimize the design, the team will test the biological response to devices with different material stiffnesses, fiber widths, and device thicknesses. “The materials we chose can be 3D printed, which allows us to adjust the geometric features of the device and design it so that we reduce issues seen in current meshes, such as wrinkling and permanent deformation,” said Abramowitch. “We will use computational modeling and laboratory testing to develop a rigorous understanding of the mechanics as it relates to the female pelvis. Ultimately, we want to use our knowledge of how the body responds to the mechanics of the device to better inform our design process.” Abramowitch and Moalli hope that their novel device, designed specifically for the vagina, will significantly improve the outcomes of prolapse surgeries while minimizing complications. “Issues that negatively impact the quality of life and are specific to women often do not get the attention that they deserve in research,” said Moalli. “This is an opportunity to develop solutions for women that are designed based on an understanding of the uniqueness of female anatomy and biology.” ### This work is supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01HD097187. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

An Uphill Task: Split-belt training on an incline may be more effective for correcting gait in stroke patients

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (April 23, 2019) … Individuals recovering from a stroke often experience atypical movement, making previously simple tasks - such as walking - more difficult. Repeated exposure to split-belt treadmill walking, where one foot walks faster than the other, has proven to be an effective strategy to improve gait for some stroke patients, but many individuals do not benefit from this therapy. Gelsy Torres-Oviedo, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, recently published a paper detailing her surprising discovery that inclined split-belt training increases locomotor adaptation and may be useful for helping more stroke survivors improve their gait. During split-belt training, researchers use a treadmill with two belts that move at different speeds to teach an individual to walk a new way. Prof. Torres-Oviedo’s group uses this technique to train healthy volunteers to walk with a limp and subsequently reverses the process to see if a clinical population that already has a limp can be trained to walk symmetrically. “Research suggests that the forces experienced on the feet during walking might improve how much individuals adapt or learn a new walking pattern,” said Prof. Torres-Oviedo. “We wanted to explore this idea so we looked at propulsion demands from inclined walking and braking demands from declined walking to see if they influenced locomotor adaptation.” “We track a subject’s adaptation and learning of new walking patterns with a measure of limping called step length asymmetry,” explained Prof. Torres-Oviedo. “Larger values of step length asymmetry reflect more limping than smaller values, and a zero step length asymmetry indicates that subjects are walking symmetrically.” The research, published in Frontiers in Physiology (DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00060), was led by Carly Sombric, PhD, a recent graduate alumnus from the bioengineering program in the Swanson School of Engineering. “We previously thought that all young, healthy individuals sought a step length asymmetry value of zero during split-belt training,” Sombric explained. “But, in this study, we noticed that participants in the sloped conditions chose to limp rather than walk symmetrically.” Asymmetric stepping was selected because of the way slope and walking speed influence our gait. On a flat surface, it doesn’t matter how slow or fast a person is walking - one foot always moves in front of the person the same distance they let it trail behind them. This relationship is disrupted when walking on an inclined or declined condition at different speeds. “During split-belt training, subjects placed their legs relative to their body in a speed-and-slope-specific manner,” said Sombric. “We found that you adapt and learn more depending on the forces you need to generate. Increased adaptation and learning are achieved at the expense of stepping symmetry. In summary, inclined training caused subjects to better learn a new walking pattern.” Studies have shown that split-belt training has been an effective therapy for many patients recovering from a stroke, but there is still a large population that is not benefitting, and it is still unclear why some stroke survivors relearn better than others. Prof. Torres-Oviedo’s group wants to know if they can use this sloped strategy to adjust the degree to which people change their gait. “Before this study, it was unclear how we could control how much we adjust walking patterns in patients,” said Sombric. “Now we understand that you can augment how much subjects are learning a new walking pattern by making them generate larger propulsion forces or breaking forces, depending on how much you want them to adapt.” The team plans to examine whether or not this new knowledge can be used to increase the amount that stroke patients change their gait from this intervention. In future studies, the lab also wants to determine whether or not the patients can generalize these effects to different walking environments. ###

BioE graduate students capture top prizes at the Pitt Three Minute Thesis competition

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (April 16, 2019) … After their success in the Swanson School of Engineering’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, bioengineering graduate students Piyusha Gade and Gerald Ferrer participated in the university-wide event hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Office of the Provost on April 1, 2019. Gade was awarded first place while Ferrer captured the runner-up prize and the People’s Choice award. The Pitt 3MT competition was held during National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, a celebration to emphasize the contributions, impact, and value of graduate and professional students on campuses throughout the United States. The Provost’s Office presented four prizes for the 3MT competition: first place was awarded a $1000 travel grant, two runner-ups were each awarded a $500 travel grant, and for the first time at Pitt, a $1000 travel grant was awarded to a People’s Choice winner. “I am proud that both Piyusha and Gerald received awards at the university-wide Three Minute Thesis competition,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Nickolas A. Dececco Professor of Industrial Engineering and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. “We try to prepare our Swanson School students for successful careers in STEM, and effective communication is an important but often overlooked part of that.” Gade, who placed first in both the Pitt and Swanson School 3MT competition, is a bioengineering a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Anne Robertson, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. She presented her research which involves rationally designing in situ engineered vascular grafts in young and aged hosts. “Piyusha is an outstanding researcher – extremely smart, innovative and versatile,” Robertson said. “She is always ready to take on new challenges, both intellectually and professionally. I am so proud of Piyusha and her accomplishment!” Ferrer, who was a runner-up in the Swanson School competition, presented his work from the Orthopaedic Robotics Lab of Dr. Richard Debski, professor of bioengineering. His current research is focused on quantifying location specific mechanical properties in tendons using different ultrasound techniques and understanding key biomechanical factors that influence rotator cuff tear propagation through computational models. "I enjoyed the challenge of communicating the significance and impact of our research in a way that everyone - regardless of their background - could understand and relate to, all in under 3 minutes,” Ferrer said. “Being able to communicate with a diverse audience is important because it allows us to bridge the gap between scientists and nonscientists thus increasing awareness of the societal impact of your research.” The 3MT Competition, developed by The University of Queensland, is designed to encourage students to communicate the importance of their research to the broader community. Since its launch in 2008, the 3MT competition has expanded to 67 countries, and events are currently held at more than 600 universities worldwide. ###

Maria Jantz Receives the 2019 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Award

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (April 9, 2019) … Maria Jantz, a bioengineering graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, was selected to receive the 2019 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Award. The competitive fellowship, which received more than 2,900 applications, recognizes academic excellence in STEM fields and awards up to three years of full tuition, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and a travel budget for research-related training and/or conferences. Jantz received her undergraduate degree in physics at Goshen College, where she developed an interest in prostheses. Following college, she worked with Professors Lee Miller and Matthew Tresch at Northwestern University to use functional electrical stimulation to restore locomotion following spinal cord injuries. She has continued to explore these interests at Pitt and joined the lab of Robert Gaunt, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, where she studies epidural stimulation of the spinal cord to improve bladder control. “After spinal cord injuries, bladder control is one of the most important functions people want to have restored,” said Jantz. “By applying electrical stimulation to the surface of the spinal cord, we can activate nerves in that region to produce bladder reflexes that improve continence and voiding. “Spinal cord stimulation is a really exciting area of research with a lot of possibilities that we are only now figuring out, and I'm very happy to be a part of that,” Jantz continued. “With an application in bladder control, specifically, I get to improve an issue that many people deal with daily that regularly goes unaddressed, and I think it's really important to meet that need.” In 2018 Jantz was awarded an honorable mention from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and was the recipient of the best oral presentation award from the Society for Pelvic Research. “I feel very fortunate to have Maria working in my lab on a problem that is such a significant issue for so many people,” said Gaunt. “This award recognizes Maria’s outstanding talents and abilities, and I’m really looking forward to see what she is able to accomplish with this generous support!” ###

Bioengineering’s Role in Regenerative Medicine

Bioengineering

Starfish can repair injured arms and reptiles can regrow severed tails; from bacteria to humans, every species is capable of regeneration, albeit to variable extents. These functions help make species more resilient, but how can we apply the knowledge of these regenerative mechanisms to improve human health? The University of Pittsburgh Department of Bioengineering has been collaboratively working to address this question through research efforts in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In 1981, upon the arrival of Dr. Thomas E. Starzl at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh quickly became world-renowned in transplantation. This helped put Pittsburgh on the map in the medical community, eventually leading to increased interest in artificial organs and the establishment of the McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development in 1992. This Center, which later became the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, continues to flourish and develop therapies that reestablish tissue and organ function impaired by disease, trauma, or congenital abnormalities. The McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine (MIRM) received its current title in 2001 when the Center's mission was expanded to include tissue engineering, adult-derived stem cell and wound healing research, and several other areas of investigation. “We could have carried on with medical device and artificial organ research, but we recognized that we wanted to address the problem – organ and tissue failure – and begin to develop a wider range of technologies,” said William R. Wagner, PhD, director of MIRM and professor of surgery at Pitt. Dr. Wagner, who joined the University in 1991, saw his own research begin to evolve beyond artificial organs. He studied blood coagulation from an engineering perspective, which turned out to be useful in understanding why artificial hearts were forming blood clots, but he later wanted to move beyond artificial hearts and look at ways to make tissue for cardiac repair. His research group currently focuses on developing cardiovascular technologies, with projects that address medical device biocompatibility and design, hypothesis-driven biomaterials development, tissue engineering, and targeted imaging. Dr. Wagner believes that advancements in regenerative medicine require a collaborative effort in which bioengineering plays a large role. “An interdisciplinary approach is what makes the McGowan Institute thrive,” he said. “The problem we are trying to solve is what happens when a part of the body is no longer working. A clinical viewpoint is necessary, but medical training doesn’t give you an engineer’s perspective of design and manufacturing. You need a solid foot in both camps to make progress.” This approach is well-suited for the University of Pittsburgh, which ranked fourth among U.S. universities in funding by the National Institutes of Health in FY 2018. These research opportunities are complemented by the world-renowned University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which has helped to create a collaborative environment conducive to productive medical research. “Institutes are created to bring people from different disciplines together to solve a common problem, and that is exactly what we are doing at the McGowan Institute,” said Dr. Wagner. “If you look in our laboratories, you could find a nursing professor, a pathology professor, a cardiac surgeon, or a bioengineer – it is a very diverse population. We have a wide range of research, and this center allows these collaborations to be built and supported.” Among this wide range of researchers are 16 primary bioengineering faculty. From the design and development of novel artificial lung devices to the creation of an injectable gel technology that helps injured peripheral nerves repair and regenerate, bioengineering faculty have made an impact on biomedical translational research and innovation at Pitt. “I think we are at a very exciting point where the commercialization of a lot of our inventions is not only possible but practical,” said Wagner. “Our ideas and the technology we have developed are more mature, and the investment community has a better idea of what we are trying to do.” The translational research efforts at MIRM have led to 30 spinout companies derived from MIRM-affiliated faculty. Bioengineering has contributed to the success of these efforts by offering the Center for Medical Innovation, which provides early-stage seed grants to projects, and the Coulter Translational Research Partners II Program, which provides funding and helps lead the projects to commercialization. Beyond research, education is another priority of the McGowan Institute. Part of their mission is to educate and train scientists and engineers to pursue technologies related to regenerative medicine and train a generation of clinicians in the implementation of regenerative therapies. Bioengineering makes up a large part of MIRM graduate student population, which also includes surgical fellows and residents. MIRM-associated faculty currently participate in three NIH training grants to support the educational efforts: the Biomechanics in Regenerative Medicine (BiRM) program, the Cardiovascular Bioengineering Training Program (CBTP), and the Cellular Approaches to Tissue Engineering and Regeneration (CATER) program. In addition, MIRM serves local, national, and international undergraduate students through the Regenerative Medicine Summer School, a hands-on experiential learning program launched by Bioengineering Assistant Professor Bryan Brown, which aims to recruit students from underrepresented backgrounds, including those at universities without significant bioengineering and/or regenerative medicine programs. This educational program nicely complements the CampBioE effort by the Department of Bioengineering, which is a tissue engineering summer camp for middle and high school students. “I consider MIRM to be a scaffold that brings together individuals interested in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and facilitates their interactions,” said Sanjeev Shroff, Distinguished Professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. “The symbiotic relationship between MIRM and the Department of Bioengineering greatly benefits our students and faculty, offering outstanding opportunities for training and research collaborations.” All of these efforts have led the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine to be one of the most prominent institutes of its kind. As this dynamic field evolves and grows, the Department of Bioengineering will continue to contribute to the diverse group of researchers at MIRM who pursue the development of innovative technology and new therapies for patients in need. ###

Allderdice Senior Caroline Yu to Present Research at IEEE International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics

Bioengineering, Electrical & Computer

PITTSBURGH (April 3, 2019) — High school students in the Pittsburgh area get the chance to work with groundbreaking researchers—and, sometimes, even become published authors before high school graduation. Caroline Yu, a senior at Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, worked in Ervin Sejdic’s iMed Lab through the University of Pittsburgh Computer Science, Biology and Biomedical Informatics (CoSBBI) program. Working closely PhD candidate Yassin Khalifa, Miss Yu co-authored a paper titled “Silent Aspiration Detection in High Resolution Cervical Auscultations,” which has been accepted at the IEEE International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics. The authors will present their findings at the Dorin Forum at the University of Illinois at Chicago, held May 19-22, 2019. The CoSBBI program is part of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy. This UPMC partnership invites high school students to work on an authentic cancer research project while receiving mentorship and training. “Caroline did an amazing job, and I’m proud and excited to see her success in her first publication,” says Dr. Sejdic, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “We know she is headed for great things.” After graduation, Miss Yu says that while she is still waiting to hear back from a few schools before making her final decision, she plans to major in computer science.
Maggie Pavlick

MEMS Undergraduate Trevor Kickliter Selected to Represent Pitt at the ACC Meeting of the Minds

Bioengineering, MEMS, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (March 27, 2019) … Trevor Kickliter, a junior mechanical engineering student in the Swanson School of Engineering, was selected as one of six undergraduate researchers to represent the University of Pittsburgh at the 2019 ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference hosted by the University of Louisville, March 29-31, 2019. Kickliter will present his research on the use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) as a promising alternative to traditional surgical therapy for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). With a mortality rate of 90 percent and no sufficient strategy for early intervention, rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body, which runs from the heart, through the chest, and down to the abdomen. Due to its size, an AAA can lead to massive internal bleeding, which is typically fatal. According to Kickliter, due to inadequate diagnostic markers, surgical intervention for this disease often fails to treat those in need of care while subjecting others to unnecessary risks. His work in the lab of David Vorp, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and the John A. Swanson Professor of Bioengineering, addresses these shortcomings through the use of stem cell therapy. “Our lab has previously investigated the use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in therapies for abdominal aortic aneurysm, but a method to effectively target ADMSCs to the aorta has yet to be developed or tested in large animals,” said Kickliter. “Since the use of ADMSCs as a therapeutic treatment seems promising, the primary goal of this study was to design and create a method for localizing ADMSCs in large animal aortas.” The group implanted a diametric magnet into a harvested aorta loaded with ADMSCs that were treated with iron nanoparticles. The internal magnet was then able to draw the ADMSCs to the aortic adventitia - the outermost layer of connective tissue in the aorta. “We looked at a cross-section of the treated aorta under fluorescent microscopy, and we found a significantly greater concentration of ADMSCs both on and around the aortic adventitia in the group where an internal magnet was used,” said Kickliter. “These results suggest that our method can be used to localize stem cell-based vascular therapies in other large animals, including humans.” Each participating institution in the ACC Meeting of the Minds conference is allowed to select a total of six students to give three oral presentations and three poster presentations. Kickliter will present his research during the poster session. “This is another outstanding recognition for Trevor, who continues to impress me with the quality of his research,” said Dr. Vorp. “This work introduces a novel way to localize delivery of stem cell therapy in large animals, and we hope that it will lead to improved treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms.” ###

Bioengineering undergraduates take their diagnostic innovation to the Rice 360° Global Health Competition

Bioengineering, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (March 22, 2019) … Two junior bioengineering students from the University of Pittsburgh were accepted to the Rice 360° Global Health Design Competition where more than 20 national and international student teams will present low-cost global health innovations. Sneha Jeevan and Shivani Tuli will be representing Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering at the competition in Houston, Texas on March 29, 2019. They will demonstrate their handheld complete blood count (CBC) point-of-care device, which can be used as a diagnostic tool for doctors working in underdeveloped nations. The competition asks teams to identify a challenge in delivering healthcare in developing countries and propose a potential technological solution. Tuli was inspired to create this device after a visit to India where she had the opportunity to travel to underprivileged areas and witness healthcare problems first-hand. “Disparities in healthcare access and quality can greatly affect the health of residents in third world countries,” said Tuli. “Diseases like malaria and tuberculosis are rampant, and the lack of quality healthcare prevents proper treatment and contributes to further spread of disease. In developed areas, these illnesses are typically diagnosed through primary blood tests, specifically complete blood count testing, so we wanted to create a tool to help make this technology widespread.” Their team, Blodot, used lab-on-a-chip technology and microfluidic concepts to develop a prototype CBC point-of-care device. Their portable technology uses a drop of blood and receives results within a few minutes. “A CBC test checks several measurable components of your blood in order to detect possible diseases and assess overall health,” said Jeevan. “In underdeveloped countries, however, CBC testing cannot be easily implemented because the machinery involved is expensive and unsuitable for the unhygienic conditions. Additionally, the time it takes for families to receive their results - typically two-to-four days - is impractical for residents who need to travel hours for their appointments with a physician.” According to the competition, teams will be judged on “the quality of the problem definition, the effectiveness and potential impact of the design solution, and the likelihood that the solution can be successful in improving healthcare delivery in low-resource settings by faculty, clinicians, and private and public sector partners from around the country.” “It is an absolute delight to see our undergraduates take advantage of such initiatives to become innovators of the future,” said Arash Mahboobin, assistant professor of bioengineering and coordinator of the undergraduate program. “I have known Shivani and Sneha since the start of their engineering endeavors in the Swanson School and am very proud of their achievements thus far. I will certainly continue to watch their careers develop with great interest and high expectations.” Tuli and Jeevan recently participated in the final round of the Innovation Institute’s Randall Family Big Idea Competition, an event that awards $100,000 in cash prizes to Pitt student innovations with the goal of helping teams discover how to take their idea to the next level towards startup creation. Blodot placed second in the competition and won a $15,000 prize. ###

Bistra Iordanova receives a $25K award to address the differences between men and women in Alzheimer’s disease risk and progression

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (March 21, 2019) Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly, affecting 5.4 million people in the United States and 35 million people worldwide.1 Two-thirds these individuals are women, and though they are disproportionately affected, the biological basis of the sex differences in AD onset and progression is not well understood. Bistra Iordanova, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, received a $25,000 award from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center to collect data from female rodent models, integrate it with her existing datasets from males, and begin to examine whether AD onset and progression differs between the two. One reason AD research lacks female data is because in a significant portion of human studies, the sex variable is regressed out, and the data are pooled together. And until recently, the bulk of animal studies exclusively used males in an effort to keep costs low. “A long-held view for the cause of the disparity between men and women developing Alzheimer’s disease pointed at the greater female lifespan,” said Dr. Iordanova. “However, a growing number of studies demonstrate that even if we control for the fact that women live longer, they are still at higher risk than men to develop dementia, and we have only recently begun to examine the cause.” According to Dr. Iordanova, research suggests that vascular dysfunction and oxygen deficiencies may be major risk factors in AD for both men and women, however, evidence reveals that the pathways may be different and some susceptibilities may be significantly stronger in one sex. “The aging metabolic transitions in women have a specific bioenergetic profile with early mitochondrial dysfunction, a drop in vascular reactivity, and reduced oxygen availability,” said Dr. Iordanova. “This transitional stage makes women particularly vulnerable to vascular and metabolic assaults. It is important to note that the unique aspects of woman’s aging do not happen in isolation but interact with the genetic and environmental factors that are common for all humans.” Dr. Iordanova plans to use this award to compare metabolic and vascular health between male and female rat models and correlate the data with well-established hallmarks of AD such as amyloid plaques in brain tissues and blood vessels. Her laboratory, located at the Center for Bioengineering, develops multi-level imaging platforms to understand the neurovascular unit - a system that supports proper brain function through communication between neurons, which drives cerebral blood flow and local delivery of oxygen and glucose. “In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, a number of cellular events precede the onset of clinical symptoms, but the causal relationship between these events is still unclear,” said Dr. Iordanova. “For example, cerebral blood flow decreases, causing the delivery of nutrients and waste clearance to decrease; the neural responses asking for more oxygen and glucose from the blood flow also decrease; and amyloid accumulates in the blood vessels, while neurons degenerate and lose communication with each other.” Dr. Iordanova will use high field 9.4 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging at the Advanced Imaging Center to measure the sex-specific decline in cerebrovascular reactivity, cerebral blood flow, and oxidative and glucose metabolism in rodent models of AD. She will then use in vivo two photon microscopy to correlate these measures with the amyloid plaque accumulation in the blood vessels. She hopes that starting this data collection will spur other researchers to do the same and perhaps reveal biological differences between the sexes related to AD development. Dr. Iordanova is also the current recipient of a three-year, $175,000 Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant and an award from the Brain Institute to develop multimodal platforms for systems-level brain imaging in rodent models of dementia. “The use of knowledge about the sex differences in metabolic and vascular contributions to AD will benefit both men and women,” said Iordanova. “It will allow earlier diagnosis on a sex-specific timeline, improve personalized therapy development, and provide more accurate biomarkers for treatment monitoring.” ### 1 https://www.alz.org/media/HomeOffice/Facts%20and%20Figures/facts-and-figures.pdf

Gelsy Torres-Oviedo Receives Early Career Award from the Society for the Neural Control of Movement

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (March 19, 2019) … Gelsy Torres-Oviedo, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, was awarded the Society for the Neural Control of Movement’s 2019 Early Career Award. She will be presented the award at the NCM Annual Meeting on April 23-27, 2019 in Toyama, Japan. NCM’s Early Career Award recognizes outstanding contributions by scientists who have significantly advanced the understanding of the neural control of movement within 10 years of receiving their doctoral degree. The recipient is chosen by NCM’s board and will have the opportunity to present a lecture at the annual meeting. Prof. Torres-Oviedo is the second recipient of this competitive award for junior faculty members, which receives close to 100 nominations annually. She leads the Sensorimotor Learning Laboratory in the Swanson School of Engineering where her research group investigates the ability of the human motor system to adapt walking patterns and learn new movements upon sustained changes in the environment. “My long-term research goals are to advance the current understanding of walking deficits post-stroke and develop treatments to improve their gait,” said Prof. Torres-Oviedo. “My approach has been to combine quantitative tools from engineering and experimental work based on post-stroke neurology.” She will present a talk titled, “Sensorimotor adaptation studies to advance neurorehabilitation after stroke,” where she will discuss her work related to the generalization of movements from trained to untrained situations. “My work is just an example of scientific efforts to address clinical problems through a combination of computational and laboratory-based studies,” said Prof. Torres-Oviedo. “I envision that my research will contribute to the progress of gait rehabilitation and ultimately improve the quality of life of patients and caregivers.” Prof. Torres-Oviedo will receive travel support to the meeting, accommodation at the conference hotel, complimentary conference registration, an engraved plaque, and a $500 award. “I am delighted that Prof. Torres-Oviedo’s work in the area of neural control of movement is being recognized by her colleagues,” said Sanjeev G. Shroff, Distinguished Professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. “Her work nicely complements the strengths we have at Pitt in systems neuroscience in general and neuro-prosthetics and rehabilitation neural engineering in particular.” ###

Dr. William Federspiel Receives the Carnegie Science Award for Life Sciences

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (March 19, 2019) … The University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. William Federspiel was selected as the recipient of the 2019 Carnegie Science Award for Life Sciences, one of 16 categories announced March 13 by the Carnegie Science Center. The award recognizes and honors scientific advances in new and innovative biomedical and life sciences endeavors that benefit the economy, health, or societal well-being of the region. Dr. Federspiel, the William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Bioengineering in the Swanson School of Engineering, directs the Medical Devices Lab in the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine where researchers develop clinically significant devices for the treatment of pulmonary and cardiovascular ailments by utilizing engineering principles of fluid flow and mass transfer. In particular, Dr. Federspiel’s lab  have created next-generation artificial lung devices, including portable, wearable devices for adults and children suffering from lung disease. His research in artificial lung technology eventually led Dr. Federspiel to co-found ALung Technologies, a Pittsburgh-based medical device startup company that develops technology for treating respiratory failure. He serves as head of the scientific advisory board for the company, which is currently running clinical trials for their Hemolung® Respiratory Assist System (RAS), a dialysis-like alternative for or supplement to mechanical ventilation which removes carbon dioxide directly from the blood in patients with acute respiratory failure. “What motivates me about the research we do is that it all focuses ultimately on saving lives of patients, many of whom have no alternatives,” said Dr. Federspiel. In addition to his research, Dr. Federspiel also actively teaches and mentors: he has developed five courses in the Swanson School and has been the primary advisor for 15 PhD students and 15 master’s students. “Dr. Federspiel has been a major asset to our bioengineering program, both through his research and academic leadership” said Sanjeev Shroff, Distinguished Professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. “His innovative and highly translatable work with respiratory assist devices has the potential to affect the lives of thousands of patients suffering from lung disease.” Other awards and honors Dr. Federspiel has received include, Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biomedical Engineering (AIMBE), member of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO), and in 2014 he received an honorable mention in the Startup Entrepreneur Award category from the Carnegie Science Awards. Dr. Federspiel and the rest of the awardees, including two winners and three honorable mentions from the Swanson School,  will be recognized at the 23rd Annual Carnegie Science Awards Celebration on May 10, 2019. ###

The ups and downs of sit-stand desks: Pitt bioengineer Dr. April Chambers compiles studies to examine the comprehensive benefits of the popular accessory

Bioengineering

PITTSBURGH (March 12, 2018) … Have a seat. No, wait! Stand. With researchers suggesting that “sitting is the new smoking,” sit-stand desks (SSD) have become a common tool to quell sedentary behavior in an office environment. As this furniture becomes ubiquitous, conflicting opinions have arisen on its effectiveness. The University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. April Chambers worked with collaborators to gather data from 53 studies and published a scoping review article detailing current information on the benefits of SSDs. “There has been a great deal of scientific research about sit-stand desks in the past few years, but we have only scratched the surface of this topic,” said Chambers, assistant professor of bioengineering in Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “With my background in occupational injury prevention, I wanted to gather what we know so far and figure out the next steps for how can we use these desks to better benefit people in the workplace.” This work was done in collaboration with Dr. Nancy A. Baker, associate professor of occupational therapy at Tufts University, and Dr. Michelle M. Robertson, executive director for the Office Ergonomics Research Committee (OERC). The scoping review, published recently in Applied Ergonomics (DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2019.01.015), examines the effects of a sit-stand desk in the following domains: behavior, physiological, work performance, psychological, discomfort, and posture. “The study found only minimal impacts on any of those areas, the strongest being changes in behavior and discomfort,” said Baker. Their work showed that use of a SSD effectively got participants to sit less and stand more and that the device made users more comfortable at work. However, many frustrations with SSDs stem from the physiological outcomes. Early adopters were fed the idea that these desks would be the miracle cure for obesity, but users were not achieving the results they expected. According to the review, physiological effects were the most studied, but within that domain, there were no significant results with regards to obesity. “There are health benefits to using sit-stand desks, such as a small decrease in blood pressure or low back pain relief, but people simply are not yet burning enough calories to lose weight with these devices,” said Chambers. “Though these are mild benefits, certain populations might benefit greatly from even a small change in their health. In order to achieve positive outcomes with sit-stand desks, we need a better understanding of how to properly use them; like any other tool, you have to use it correctly to get the full benefits out of it.” There are many considerations to most effectively use a SSD, such as desk height, monitor height, amount of time standing, or the use of an anti-fatigue mat. Chambers believes that workplace setup and dosage are two factors that should be further studied. “There are basic ergonomic concepts that seem to be overlooked,” said Chambers. “Many workers receive sit-stand desks and start using them without direction. I think proper usage will differ from person to person, and as we gather more research, we will be better able to suggest dosage for a variety of workers.” Chambers noted that the current research is limited because many of studies were done with young and healthy subjects who were asked to use the desk for a week or month at most. Since some of the significant benefits are with cardiovascular health or muscle discomfort, it may be beneficial to perform additional studies with middle-aged or overweight workers. “There is still more to learn about sit-stand desks,” said Chambers. “The science is catching up so let’s use what we’ve studied in this area to advance the research and answer some of these pressing questions so that people can use sit-stand desks correctly and get the most benefit from them.” ###

Swanson School Undergrad Kaylene Stocking Wins the University’s Top Student Award for Scholarship

Bioengineering, Electrical & Computer, Student Profiles

Click here to view the PittWire Accolade. PITTSBURGH (February 28, 2019) … The 43rd annual Honors Convocation recognized the academic achievements of nearly 3,700 students and 478 faculty members, including the University’s highest awards for undergraduate students. The Emma W. Locke Award, given to a graduating senior in recognition of high scholarship, character and devotion to the ideals of the University of Pittsburgh, went to the Swanson School of Engineering’s Kaylene Stocking. “We are very proud of Kaylene’s accomplishments,” said Sanjeev Shroff, Distinguished Professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering. “She has effectively leveraged Swanson School resources and her own ingenuity to achieve academic excellence within and outside of the classroom and make impactful contributions to the University community. We know she has a bright, successful future ahead!” Stocking is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in both bioengineering and computer engineering. Her research has led to three journal publications, two presentations and a Goldwater Scholarship honorable mention. She is also an undergraduate teaching assistant, an Honors College ambassador and member of the Pitt orchestra. For the past two years, she has been working in the BIONIC Lab led by Takashi D. Y. Kozai, assistant professor of bioengineering. Her work focuses on how researchers can improve the longevity of neural implant technology. "It has been an amazing experience to work with Kaylene,” said Kozai. “Her off-the-cuff insights into projects and scientific discussion as well as her simultaneous bird's-eye view perspective and understanding of how each individual piece of data fits into the larger story has been a major driving force in our research lab." Stocking plans to continue her education after graduating this spring. Regarding her time at Pitt, she said, “I'm so grateful for the many opportunities I've had thanks to the amazing Engineering and Honors College communities. I'd like to thank my professors, mentors, family, and friends for their encouragement and support over the last four years.” ###

Tenure/Tenure-Stream Faculty Position in Translational Bioengineering

Bioengineering, Open Positions

The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering invites applications from accomplished individuals with a PhD or equivalent degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, or closely related disciplines for an open-rank, tenured/tenure-stream faculty position. We wish to recruit an individual with strong research accomplishments in Translational Bioengineering (i.e., leveraging basic science and engineering knowledge to develop innovative, translatable solutions impacting clinical practice and healthcare ), with preference given to research focus on neuro-technologies,imaging, cardiovascular devices, and biomimetic and biorobotic design. It is expected that this individual will complement our current strengths in biomechanics, bioimaging, molecular, cellular, and systems engineering, medical product engineering, neural engineering, and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In addition, candidates must be committed to contributing to high quality education of a diverse student body at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh is a top-five institution in terms of NIH funding, and provides a rich environment for interdisciplinary research, strengthened through its affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The Department of Bioengineering, consistently ranked among the top programs in the country, has outstanding research and educational programs, offering undergraduate (~270 students, sophomore-to-senior years) and graduate (~150 PhD or MD/PhD and ~50 MS students) degrees. The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (mirm.pitt.edu),  the Vascular Medicine Institute (vmi.pitt.edu), the Brain Institute (braininstitute.pitt.edu), Starzl Transplantation Institute (http://www.stiresearch.health.pitt.edu/), and the Drug Discovery Institute (upddi.pitt.edu) offer many collaborative research opportunities. The Center for Medical Innovation (https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/CMI/), the Coulter Translational Partnership II Program (engineering.pitt.edu/coulter) and the Center for Commercial Applications of Healthcare Data (healthdataalliance.com/university-of-pittsburgh) provide biomedical innovation and translation opportunities. Interested individuals should send the following as a single, self-contained PDF attachment via email to bioeapp@pitt.edu (include “AY20 PITT BioE Translational BioE” in the subject line): (1) cover letter, (2) complete CV (including funding record, if applicable), (3) research statement, (4) teaching statement, (5) three representative publications, and (6) names and complete contact information of at least four references. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by June 30, 2019. However, applications will be reviewed as they are received. Early submission is highly encouraged. The Department of Bioengineering is fully committed to a diverse academic environment and places high priority on attracting female and underrepresented minority candidates. We strongly encourage candidates from these groups to apply for the position. The University affirms and actively promotes the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected class.

Scholar Works to Restore Sensory Perception

Bioengineering

Reposted from the ARCS Foundation. Click here to see the original article. Mind over matter—a phrase meant to draw out mental fortitude in a time of physical exhaustion. For University of Pittsburgh ARCS® Scholar Christopher Hughes, this phrase takes on new meaning as he works with a quadriplegic patient to use his brain to move a robotic arm from a few feet away. Hughes, a third-year Pittsburgh Chapter Scholar, is working on the human brain-computer interface (BCI) project studying intracortical micro stimulation (ICMS) for the restoration of tactile perception.  His project team was recently featured in the New Yorker where their work to restore movement by implanting a microelectrode array in a human brain is described. Currently, he focuses on using biomimetic pulse trains to improve naturalness of sensory perception in his patients. Hughes’ work creates an environment for the electrical stimulation to more closely mimic normal neural activity. These pulses give his participants a chance to get back a sense of physical freedom and purpose. “Some of our participants feel as if their life was taken from them,” Hughes said. “Participating in research studies like this helps give them purpose and goals to help others.” He will travel to Japan in April to present findings from this project to several hundred attendees at the Neural Control of Movement Conference. A first generation college student, Hughes says the ARCS Scholar award helped him set aside financial worries and put more focus and thought into his research. The California native says ARCS has enabled him to find community in a place far from home. “Beyond the financial component, I have really appreciated my donors and I have established relationships with them that would have never existed had it not been for ARCS,” he said. "I left all of my family behind to study here in Pittsburgh. But my ARCS donors have made me feel like I have family here.” Help fund scholars like Chris who are changing lives with their passion for science and make a donation to the ARCS Foundation.

Lights, Camera, Action: Pitt iGEM team captures silver medal for their “Molecular Movie Camera”

Bioengineering, Electrical & Computer, Student Profiles

PITTSBURGH (January 29, 2019) … The ability to measure and record molecular signals in a cell can help researchers better understand its behavior, but current systems are limited and provide only a “snapshot” of the environment rather than a more informative timeline of cellular events. In an effort to give researchers a complete understanding of event order, a team of University of Pittsburgh undergraduate students prototyped a frame-by-frame “video” recording device using bacteria. The group created this project for the 2018 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, an annual synthetic biology research competition in which over 300 teams from around the world design and carry out projects to solve an open research or societal problem. The Pitt undergraduate group received a silver medal for their device titled “CUTSCENE.” The iGEM team included two Swanson School of Engineering students: Evan Becker, a junior electrical engineering student, and Vivian Hu, a junior bioengineering student. Other team members included Matthew Greenwald, a senior microbiology student; Tucker Pavelek, a junior molecular biology and physics student; Libby Pinto, a sophomore microbiology and political science student; and Zemeng Wei, a senior chemistry student. CUTSCENE aims to show a “video” of cellular activity by recording events in the cell using modified CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Hu said, “By knowing what time molecular events are happening inside of a cell, we are able to better understand a cell's history and how it responds to external stimuli.” Their system improved upon older methods that could only record the levels of stimuli at a single point in time. They used a movie analogy to illustrate their objective. “Try guessing the plot of a movie by looking at the poster; you can get an idea of what is going on, but to really understand the story, you need to watch the film,” said Becker. “Unless researchers are taking many snapshots of the cellular activity over time, the image doesn’t give any sense of causality. You can see that the molecule is there, but you don't know where it has been or where it is going.” For their project, the iGEM team used modified CRISPR/Cas9 technology called a base editor. The CRISPR/Cas9 system contains two key components: a guideRNA (gRNA) that matches a specific sequence of DNA and a Cas9 protein that makes a cut at the specific sequence, ultimately leading to the insertion or deletion of base pairs - the building blocks of DNA. In addition to these components, a CRISPR/Cas9 base editor contains an enzyme called cytidine deaminase that is able to make a known single nucleotide mutation at a desired location of DNA. “We achieved a method of true chronological event recording by introducing recording plasmids with repeating units of DNA and multiple gRNA to direct our base editor construct,” said Hu. “This technique will provide an understanding of the order in which molecules and proteins appear in systems.” “A recording plasmid can be thought of as a roll of unexposed film, with each frame being an identical sequence of DNA,” explained Wei. “A single-guideRNA (sgRNA) directs the CRISPR/Cas9 base editor to move along the recording plasmid, making mutations at a timed rate and constantly shifting which frame is in front of our base editor. Activated by the presence of a stimulus, another sgRNA can mark the current frame.” The iGEM team’s approach to this technology will allow them to figure out which molecules are abundant at specific times and perhaps reveal hidden, causal relationships. The information gathered from the device has many potential applications and may allow researchers to develop medicines and therapies based on the timing of the cellular malfunction. “The team did a tremendous amount of lab work over the summer, implementing the cellular event recording methodology,” said Alex Deiters, a professor of chemistry at Pitt who helped advise the iGEM team. “Most importantly, the students developed this clever idea on their own by first identifying a current technology gap and then applying modern gene editing machinery to it. The silver medal is well-deserved!” In addition to Dr. Deiters, the 2018 Pitt iGEM team was advised by Dr. Jason Lohmueller, American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Immunology; Dr. Natasa Miskov-Zivanov, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bioengineering, and Computational and Systems Biology; Dr. Sanjeev Shroff, Distinguished Professor and Gerald E. McGinnis Chair of Bioengineering; and Dr. Cheryl Telmer, a Research Biologist at Carnegie Mellon University. Funding for the 2018 Pitt iGEM effort was provided by the University of Pittsburgh (Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Honors College, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Swanson School of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering), New England Biolabs (NEB), and Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT). ###

Engineering New Career Exploration Opportunities

Bioengineering

In addition to the four weeks of camp hosted at the University of Pittsburgh, the CampBioE team also headed to the Crossroads Foundation in Homewood for a free 4-day camp experience with 19 rising sophomore scholar participants. Here is an article reposted from the Crossroads Foundation about their experience... If a mannequin head falls 25 feet from the Calland Center patio to the sidewalk below, does it make a sound? What if it’s full of gelatin? And wearing a helmet? The answer, as this year’s rising sophomore scholars can tell you, is “yes, and the brain fragments get a little messy.” The experiment was just one of the many fascinating activities exploring bioengineering at Camp BioE. Now in its 11th year, Camp BioE is an interactive week-long exploration of bioengineering and regenerative medicine, which hosted its summer mentor training week at Crossroads for the first time this summer. The camp’s theme of STEM applications in criminal investigation had scholars gathering clues to solve an office murder mystery (complete with a crime scene set up in the back hallway). Designed and facilitated by the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, CampBioE invites students--especially from groups underrepresented in STEM fields--to learn with a team of college student-mentors from Pitt and working professionals in STEM education, including Dr. Juel Smith (CCAC), Dr. Steven Abramowitch (University of Pittsburgh), and Mr. Mark “Special K” Krotec (Central Catholic High School). “It’s so encouraging to see the faces of the campers, their parents and our staff as learning and growth takes place,” says Dr. Smith. “For us it’s not only about the campers themselves, but about our ability to change the lives of our interns and junior counselors as well. To expose them to diversity...and to assist in the development of the next generation of educators and scientists.” On a given day during CampBioE, guests walking through the Calland Center might find Scholars wearing giant bubble suits and building PVC pipe structures for a bio-themed relay race Raw chicken in various parts of the office for tissue regrowth testing A robotic machine serving hundreds of ping pong balls to scholars as a “lesson in biomechanics” Mr. Krotec leading an “Enzymes” singalong to the tune of The Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” “Camp BioE was an amazing opportunity to learn about the principles of engineering and biology rolled into one, enhancing our inner scientists,” said Seton sophomore Hadia Killang. “My favorite part was when we dissected a chicken leg/thigh and learn[ed] about the different parts of the leg.” Despite accounting for 30% of the population, black, hispanic, and native American students are awarded only 15% of the nation’s share of bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Our goal was to try to change that,” says Dr. Smith. The program’s vision, Dr. Abramowitch adds, “is that the field of STEM should reflect the population.” ### About Crossroads Foundation: Crossroads Foundation is a non-denominational 501c3 enjoying its 30th school year as a Pittsburgh leader in providing educational equity to low-income youth.  We envision a world where all students, regardless of means, have access to the educational opportunities and support necessary to achieve their God-given potential.  Our mission is to provide promising, low-income youth who have limited access to a quality high school education, with tuition assistance to attend one of six local Catholic high schools partnered with a wide range of after-school and summer support in academics, college and career exploration, and personal guidance.  Learn more about us and our important work at www.crossroadsfoundation.org.
Esther Mellinger Stief, Executive Director, Crossroads Foundation