Collaboration effort with UMD and Canon for R&D development of scientific products.

Research Summary: Spatiotemporal control of neurochemicals using an in vitro brain slice microfluidic device Designed and prototyped a microfluidic brain slice device that utilized LabVIEW software to integrate with standard pharmacology/electrophysiology toolsPerformed simultaneous ensemble fluorescence imaging and electrophysiology in the mouse cortical microcircuitQuantified how dopamine and other neuromodulators influenced the ability of the prefrontal cortical network to maintain spatiotemporal activity patterns associated with working memory and other executive functions Measured the spatial and temporal profile of dopamine using computational fluid dynamics, cyclic voltammetry, and fluorescence microscopy to characterize and optimize a library of chemical delivery profiles to perform high-throughput pharmacology/electrophysiology studies Developed a modular valve system that allowed the user purchase readily available oxygen concentrations that were not custom and adjust oxygen levels on the fly

Dissertation Research Title: Enhancements to brain tissue perfusion and cell culture devices through microfluidicsDesigned, prototyped, and tested an innovative dual-perfusion microfluidic brain slice chamber that was utilized in 800+ separate electrophysiology studies and is still used for studies in multiple labs First design of it’s kind in allowing a multisite penetrating recording electrode to be inserted from a side orientation that is inline with the laminar tissue structure of the brain tissueDesigned multiple iterations for use with tissue slices and an entire brainstem Achieved viable 800 micron thick tissue slices that retained connections allowing more in-depth studies to be performed that couldn't be done previouslyAccomplished over 8 hours of electrical recordings from live tissue due to the increased perfusion from the micro-scale dimensions of the fluid chamber The unique laminar flow design allowed spatial control of multiple drugs exposed simultaneously to key areas of the brain tissue slice and brainstem to elucidate the role/function of brain activity Identified and mapped the spatial activity patterns in neural networks with Matlab software offline to study stroke and epilepsy modelsStudied the effects of oxygen, perfusate media flow rates, and reactor temperatures to maximize the in-vitro brain slice recording environmentTrained in animal handling and surgeriesTrained on multiple microscopy imaging tools consisting but not limited to confocal and multi-photonTrained in CAD programs, tooling, and fabrication methods

Evaluated patent disclosures, information from inventors, and scientific journals to formulate marketing summaries and strategies for intellectual property managers Summaries of these technology portfolios are published online through www.warf.org or www.discoveryportal.org

Provided technical support and managed the online help documentation database to support the computing needs of the students, faculty, and staff at the UW–Madison campus

Summer research title: Synthesis and analysis of poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate macromer polymerization within a multicomponent semi-interpenetrating polymer network systemSynthesized hydrogel networks and confirmed gelatin backbone modifications using HPLC, Mass Spectrometry, and FTIR to develop a biodegradable membrane that enhances the skin wound healing processFormulated various hydrogel networks and performed a series of cell culture tests to evaluate the surface biocompatibilityPerformed a series of swelling tests and validated the performance of various formulations in different environmental conditions

Tested and validated oxygen, media pulsation, flow rates, and temperature to refine a bioreactor system for modulating cellular shear stress and extracellular signaling to help elucidate the cellular-scale mechanisms of native aortic valve dysfunctionProvided ongoing consulting work in the prototyping and validation of a new MEMS device for cellular shear stress applications

Provided computer and software support and managed the sales floor to support the computing needs of the students, faculty, and staff at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill campus

Constructed a bioreactor composed of three layers, each having a unique permeability, that mimic an artificial liver with the goal of developing an alternative to the current dialysis machines Maintained a culture of mouse liver cells (Hep3B) that were utilized in the bioreactor