Bioengineering Seminar Schedule

Fall Semester, 2001 (For prior semesters, click here: Fall 1999, Spring 2000 , Fall 2000 , Spring 2001, Click here to return to current semester)

Friday, Aug 24, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG624 (HMC)

2:30-3:30 pm

Herbert H. Lipowsky

Department of Bioengineering, Penn State

Welcome to New Students and Overview of the New Department of Bioengineering

Thursday,Aug 30, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Craig Grimes, Ph.D
Deptartment of Electical Engineering
Penn State University

Wireless, Passive Sensors for Biomedical Monitoring Applications

Thursday, September 6, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Dr. Christopher A. Siedlecki
Assistant Professor of Surgery and Bioengineering
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Molecular Interactions with Model Biomaterial Surfaces: Blood Coagulation/Thrombosis

Abstract

Thrombosis and coagulation on synthetic biomaterials remain significant impediments to the successful use of blood-contacting medical devices. These events arise from an intricate interplay between biomaterials, biological molecules/cells and the surrounding biological environment. Our research is directed towards understanding the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for initiation of these processes. The research plan utilizes a series of surface-sensitive techniques in conjunction with model biomaterial substrates. Improved understanding of these processes will be important in determining relevant parameters for the successful design of new biomaterials specifically designed for long-term implantation in the complex blood environment.

Friday, September 14, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

12:00 Noon - 1:00 pm

Professor Joseph Sommer
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Penn State University

Dual Axis Cranial Accelerometry to Assess Postural Sway

Abstract

Measurement of postural sway during quiet standing is particularly useful to predict idiopathic falling for elderly and neurological patients, and to quantify alcohol impairment for police field sobriety testing. Unfortunately, traditional methods such as timed stance tests and force plate center-of-pressure (COP) measurements are respectively either subjective or expensive and not portable. To this end, a dual axis accelerometer was interfaced to a microprocessor to record cranial accelerations and compute stability indicators. Traditional sway descriptors as well as random walk mean-square-distance (MSD) analyses will be discussed.

Thursday, September 20, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Chris Keating
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Penn State University

DNA hybridization for nanowire assembly and biosensing

Thursday, September 27, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Chris Rahn
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Penn State University

Design, Dynamics, and Control of Continuum Manipulators

Thursday/Friday, October 4, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

12:00 Noon - 1:00 pm

Ronald M. Summers, MD, PhD

Department of Diagnostic Radiology
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD

Introduction to Computer-Aided Diagnosis for CT Colonography

Abstract

The American Cancer Society estimates that 10% of new cancer cases and cancer deaths will be due to cancer of the colon and rectum. Many of these cases can be prevented if the precursor to colon cancer, colonic polyps, are detected early and removed. The current best technique for detection of colonic polyps is colonoscopy. CT colonography (CTC) is a new method for detection of colonic polyps which is now undergoing evaluation at a number of research hospitals. In contrast to colonoscopy, CTC is less invasive and does not require sedation.

The appropriate way to perform and interpret CTC studies is still in evolution. Preliminary studies from other investigators suggest that optimal interpretation consists primarily of using the two-dimensional CT images supplemented where needed with analysis of three-dimensional (3D) ("virtual colonoscopy") reconstructions. Other work suggests that 3D views may increase detection when used either alone or in combination with 2D images. Because a typical CTC study consists of many 2D CT sections (as many as 1200 images must be inspected per patient), it can be time consuming to interpret CTC studies. There is also a need to improve the sensitivity of CTC for polyp detection. Computer-assisted polyp detection could potentially improve efficiency of interpretation and increase sensitivity. For these reasons, we have developed a computer-assisted detection algorithm and tested it in an established phantom model for colonic polyps and in patients. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of CT colonography and describe our results with computer-aided polyp detection that lay the groundwork for future research.

Friday, October 12, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Srinivas Tadagadapa
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Penn State University

BioMEMS

Friday, October 19

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Fan Yuan
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Duke University

Drug Delivery to Tumors

Friday, November 25, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Professor H. J. Sommer III
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Penn State University

Dual Axis Cranial Accelerometry to Assess Postural Sway

Thursday, November 1, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)
2:30 - 3:30 pm

Richard Cyr

Department of Biology
Penn State University

Biomechanics of the Plant Cytoskeleton

Thursday , November 8, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Bruce Wheeler
Professor of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Patterned Neuron Grown on Microsubstrates

Thursday, November15, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30 pm

John Blebea

Associate Professor of Surgery
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Quantitation and Modulation of Angiogenesis in the Chick Embryo

Friday/Thursday Novenber 21-22

No Seminar due to Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday, November 29, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

12:10 - 1:10 pm

Edward R. Damiano
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Toward A New Understanding of the Interface Between Blood and the Vascular Endothelium

Thursday, December 6, Room 210 Hallowell Building (Univ Park) & CG623 (HMC)

2:30 - 3:30

Student presentations

Michael Dancu

Bioengineering Department, Penn State University

Simultaneous Effects of Wall Shear Stress and Circumferential Strain on Endothelial Cell (EC) Behavior: An in vitro System and EC Gene Expression

For additional information, contact Ms. Doretta Garvey, Dept of Bioengineering, Tel: 814.865.1407 or E-Mail: bioe@psu.edu