Abstract of A Bioengineering Approach to Develop New Technologies for Genomics-Based Healthcare, by Olivia Ott, Sc.M. Brown University, May 2023. Genomics-based healthcare is a rapidly …
Objective: Cervical cancer causes 311,000 deaths annually. However, routine pap smears can facilitate early detection and improve patient outcomes. Liquid Pap smears are conducted in …
Agitation is a symptom of restlessness and overt behavior in individuals due to a variety of psychological, psychiatric, and medical conditions. The symptoms are seen …
Persons afflicted with neuromuscular diseases, whether acute or congenital, frequently suffer from secondary musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions may be so severe that they prevent persons …
The goal of this study is to create a simulation-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) that can detect and characterize stiffer tissue embedded in a softer …
Abstract of A Novel NearInfrared Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy System for Stroke Prediction and Diagnosis on the Neck, by Ning Zhang, Degree ScM, Brown University, May …
Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) show great promise as more efficacious treatments for various cancers compared to current methods like chemotherapy. However, preclinical …
Abstract of A STUDY OF PRG4 AS IT RELATES TO URIC ACID AND GOUT, by Talia D’Ambruoso, ScM, Brown University, DECEMBER, 2021. Objective: Proteoglycan-4 (PRG4) …
The goal of this thesis was to use non-invasive quantifiable MR parameters of volume, signal intensity and T2* relaxation time to predict the biomechanical or …
Postoperative cerebral injuries due to debris traveling up the carotid arteries can be a devastating complications of open-heart surgeries. While the benchmark medical device manufacturers …
Bone anchored prosthetic attachments, like other percutaneous devices, suffer from poor soft tissue integration, seen as chronic inflammation, infection, epithelial downgrowth and regression. We looked …
Adipose-derived stems cells (ASCs) have key properties such as self-renew and differentiation that makes them a prime candidate to study various issues. An ASC spheroid …
The central nervous system (CNS) contains a complex assortment of cell types and extracellular matrix proteins, which are arranged into an intricate architecture and ultimately …
Our research works to 1)understand protective mechanisms for improving sunscreens through the study of ultra violet light absorbers and 2) develop a novel detection and …
All disciplines of biomedical research utilize in vitro models to answer a range of biological questions. Traditional in vitro models, two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayers, fail …
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption is a common injury, particularly in the young and active patient. ACL reconstruction surgery is the current standard of care, …
As a versatile joint, the wrist remains stable through large motions under a variety of loading conditions. Wrist motion is achieved through the individual articulations …
Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) represent a promising cell source for cell-based therapies and tissue engineering applications because of their multipotency and abundance. However, these cells …
Understanding the fundamental mechanisms, and forces, underlying cell migration holds the promise of effective approaches for treating diseases and promoting cellular transplantation. One such disease …
Currently used titanium implants in orthopedics have a limited lifespan of only 15-20 years. The inadequate ability of the titanium implant to remain bonded to …
The mammalian tongue consists of a complex array of intersecting muscular components with the capacity to create an extraordinary array of functional geometries and deformations …
While 2D in vitro cell culture models have been used over the decades, 3D cell culture technique is becoming increasingly important as it better replicates …
Intravascular catheter related bloodstream infections are a leading cause of hospital-acquired nosocomial infections all over the world, which result in not only the burden of …
Traumatic injury to the spinal cord often results in irreversible loss of function as the central nervous system fails to spontaneously regenerate. The application of …
Nanoparticles are ubiquitous in a variety of fields, including pharmaceuticals, energy materials, composite materials, etc. As new nanoparticles are developed it becomes vital to understand …
Echolocating mammals such as bats, dolphins, and toothed whales perceive images of objects with hyper-resolution and navigate seamlessly through obstacles in complex acoustic environments. The …
Today bone defects such as bone fractures, osteoporosis or bone cancers represent a common and significant clinical problem. However, traditional micron size implant materials have …
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neurological psychiatric disorder that is characterized by impulses and intrusive thoughts, known as “obsessions”, and repetitive behavior known as …
Total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) is a surgical solution that provides pain relief and preserves some wrist motion for patients with severe wrist pathology. However, TWA …
The underlying cellular mechanisms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are both complex and poorly understood, resulting in no widely agreed-upon treatments and unreliable diagnosis strategies. …
This dissertation discusses two related clinical applications of visible regime diffuse reflectance spectroscopy as well as two new configurations of liquid crystal microspectrometer suitable in …
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a prominent organizer of cellular biochemistry. Dozens of liquid-like condensates are found throughout the nucleus and the cytoplasm and the …
The field of medical diagnostics is governed by two practical goals that drive the engineering and relevant innovation necessary to move the technology forward. Firstly, …
Growth factors are recognized as a vital component in the biological repair process, and the strategies developed for in situ tissue engineering and regenerative medicine …
Percutaneous implants are a family of devices that penetrate the skin and suffer from infection-mediated device failure caused by lack of integration/adhesion at the skin/device …
Characterizing the morphology of the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint and how it changes with osteoarthritis progression is important for understanding the pathoetiology of this multifactorial disease. …
In recent years, there has been an exponential growth in biopharmaceutical development stemming from its ability to treat previously incurable diseases and to go from …
Abstract of Characterization of Temperature-Pressure Induced Morphology in High Molecular Weight Poly (Ethylene Oxide) by Sheila Velagapudi, ScM., Brown University, May 2020 The focus of …
Numerous neural imaging and electrophysiological markers have been identified as correlates of pain, however, none have provided for the reliable, quantitative measurement of a human’s …
Author: Pangborn, Joshua, A Institution: Brown University Title: Clinical implementation of a new technology: provider perspectives and perceived effects of an incentive spirometer patient reminder …
The need to improve the longevity of orthopedic implants in vivo is increasingly important as the annual number of primary hip and knee replacements are …
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with solid tumor dissemination and metastasis. Directed migration of tumor cells into the surrounding stroma occurs through both collective …
Recent advancements in the techniques used for developing in vitro three-dimensional cell cultures, such as bioprinting or microtissue formation, has offered a more accurate representation …
The perirhinal cortex (PER) has a well-established role in identification and recognition of objects. Our lab previously provided evidence that neuronal activity in PER may …
This dissertation focuses on the development of new drug delivery platforms using carbon nanotubes. Two nanotube systems, namely single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and multi-walled …
Recent machine learning techniques have become a powerful tool in a variety of tasks, including neural decoding. Artificial neural network models, particularly recurrent models, can …
Abstract of Defining the Laws’ Texture Signature of Magnetic Resonance CISS and T2* Sequenced Images of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, by David Edgar, ScM, Brown …
Introduction: Near-infrared neural stimulation has potential advantages such as non-invasiveness and no need for genetic manipulation. But it has not been well demonstrated in the …
This thesis details design and development of a novel neonatal transilluminator, focusing on the development of robust electronic circuitry and a testable prototype. Transilluminators are …
Introduction: Ankle-foot-orthoses (AFOs) are common interventions for treating foot drop in patients post stroke. Current designs for passive AFOs are either optimized for heel strike …
Desirable cytocompatibility properties of nano-sized ceramics were combined with the tunable degradability and deformability of a select polymer (poly-lactide-co-glycolide, or PLGA) to optimize biological and …
Understanding nanoparticle absorption is a critical step to improving drug delivery techniques. Current methods to determine nanoparticle absorption are often complex and involve direct analysis …
Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is a simple, yet effective technique that is used to observe changes in blood flow. It uses tissue contrast from …
Titanium, titanium alloys, and cobalt-chromium alloys are widely used in orthopedic applications. To promote the osseointegration of implants into juxtaposed bone, an electrochemical surface modification …
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) which significantly disrupt an individual’s daily life. Psychological distress …
Neuroprosthesis research aims to enable communication between the brain and external assistive devices while restoring lost functionality such as occurs from stroke, spinal cord injury …
Bioadhesion, defined as the phenomena of adherence between natural tissue and synthetic materials, is an important property with relevance in a wide range of biomedical …
Signals from fluorescent widefield calcium imaging of neural activity are susceptible to contamination and artifacts from vasculature in the brain. Hemoglobin is a strong absorber …
Objective: To develop a neural network for the binary classification of cardiac arrest patient electroencephalograms (EEGs) between two categories: general periodic discharges (GPDs) or non-GPDs. …
This dissertation describes translational research conducted to develop a rapid diagnostic for the detection of endotoxin using liquid crystal sensor technology. Due to the elastic …
Neural Prosthetics are devices that are able to record brain activity and use it to manipulate the environment in a meaningful way. These devices have …
Molecular diagnostic testing provides critical information to patients that can lead to earlier detection and disease prevention, specific treatment options, and personalized medicine. The workflow …
Over the past few decades, remarkable progress has been made in the development of analytical biosensors for use in medical diagnostics. This dissertation focuses on …
The overarching goal of this project is to utilize modulated differential scanning calorimetry and hot-stage x-ray diffraction to characterize and quantify the formation of oriented …
Abstract of Disruption of yfjD Gene in Francisella, by Japheth Omonira, ScM., Brown University, May 2018. Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia, a …
When a neurological disorder prevents proper communication between central and peripheral aspects of the nervous system, significant motor and sensory deficits often result. Understanding the …
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) consists of a group of intestinal disorders that cause prolonged inflammation along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, specifically within the intestines. Biologics …
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a complication of mechanical ventilation that develops in a subset of critically ill patients in the pediatric intensive care unit. …
The degree of interaction between nanoencapsulated material and gastrointestinal mucin can be an important determinant in efficiency of absorption of orally delivered therapeutics. Mucus lining …
Abstract of (Effective Gold Nanoparticle Delivery to the Retina for Plasmonic Retinal Prosthetics), by (Hafithe Mohammed AlGhosain), Degree [ScM.], Brown University, May (2019). Retinitis pigmentosa …
This dissertation examines two cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, namely CYP27B1 and CYP24A1, for their potential applications in biosensors and drug metabolism, respectively. First, the feasibility of …
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a global health burden responsible for the death of millions of people each year. The primary mechanism that drives myocardial …
Antibiotic resistance and the lack of new antimicrobial therapies create significant challenges for the treatment of infections. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need to …
This study focuses on the development of implantable biosensor microdevices for future brain-machine interfaces. Ensembles of spatially distributed sub-mm size devices, “neurograins, were designed to …
Purpose: First metacarpal (MC1) subluxation is a postulated cause of abnormal biomechanical loading that leads to thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC OA). The oblique orientation and …
Objective: The aim of this study was to quantify the hemolysis in the ECMO oxygenation module. Methods: We analyzed the clinical system to emulate the …
Presently, fibrosis and polyploidal giant cancer cells (PGCCs) have links to tumor onset and progression that are poorly understood; however, disentangling this is vital to …
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating disease that afflicts hundreds of thousands of people each year. Recently, spinal cord epidural electrical stimulation (EES) …
The successful detection and prevention of traumatic brain injuries relies on the quantitative identification of cellular injury thresholds associated with the underlying cellular pathology. First, …
This project aimed (1) to learn the fundamental mechanism of DNA extraction on a novel microfluidic chip that takes advantage of hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions between sample …
Future brain-computer interfaces will require technologies that enable efficient, reliable and high-speed transmission of broadband multichannel neural data out of the brain with minimal number …
The relationship between head impact and subsequent brain injury for American football players is not well-defined, especially at the youth level. The objective of this …
In our approach to understanding the biomechanics of concussions, we have defined head impact exposure as a multifactorial term that includes the frequency, magnitude, and …
Serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy and is associated with accumulation of ascites fluid, which is rich in cell-secreted exosomes. …
Introduction: Osteoarthritis is a debilitating joint disease that affects over 27 million Americans. Tissue engineered cartilage could be a viable option for patients that have …
This thesis is centered around a novel computer navigation experience. A computer game was developed to study how humans navigate from a start position to …