The faculty mentors for BE@SLU come from across campus, all with the common theme of bioengineering. The following information details past, present and future projects from all possible faculty mentors. While project advisors will be assigned prior to the summer, actual student projects will not confirmed until Training Week. The projects are typically ongoing research projects and specifics may not be defined until the project begins. BE@SLU mentors are experienced in undergraduate research projects and seek to make all projects relevant, exciting, and able to be completed in 8 weeks. Participating faculty include:

1. ‣Michael Anch, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
   

2. ‣David W. Barnett, D.Sc., Department of Biomedical Engineering
   

3. ‣Dana Baum, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry
   

4. ‣Gary Bledsoe, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering
   

5. ‣Amy Harkins, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences
   

6. ‣David Henthorn, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering
   

7. ‣Blythe E. Janowiak, Ph.D., Department of Biology
   

8. ‣Istvan Kiss, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry
   

9. ‣Mark Knuepfer, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences
   

10. ‣Scott Martin, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry
    

11. ‣Cheryl Miller, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering
    

12. ‣Shelley Minteer, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry
    

13. ‣Jessica Wagenseil, D.Sc., Department of Biomedical Engineering
    

14. ‣Zijun Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

MICHAEL ANCH, Ph.D., Department of Psychology

Dr. Anch’s ongoing student projects include

1. 1.Effects of sleep deprivation on intermediate stage rodent sleep
   

2. 2.Quantifying pain using a behavioral (open field apparatus) measure
   

3. 3.Effects of sleep deprivation on water maze learning (this is project is still in development)
   

4. 4.Automated sleep deprivation vs manual vs "gentle handling" methods of rodent sleep deprivation (with David Barnett).
   

DAVID BARNETT, D.Sc., Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Barnett’s recent student research projects have focused on the design of a support vector machine (SVM) approach to the classification problem. SVMs are a class of learning systems, based on statistical learning theories, that are designed to recognize certain patterns once trained using a set of representative data. Our lab developed an automated, SVM-based sleep-scoring system to discriminate among waking, high voltage sleep, and paradoxical sleep using both time-domain and frequency-domain features. Overall agreement between the automated scores and the consensus of two experts was over 95%. Future student projects aim to utilize this approach to design a feedback mechanism that can be used to selectively deprive the animal of specific sleep stages over multi-day studies.

DANA BAUM, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry

Dr. Baum's research focuses on using the binding and catalytic abilities of nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) in a variety of applications. Nucleic acids are typically known for their coding roles within a cell, but in recent years, new roles for nucleic acids have been discovered. Student projects currently involve identifying new catalytic nucleic acids for use in portable small molecule sensors and as enzyme replacements for biofuel cells.

GARY BLEDSOE, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Bledose’s current student project is entitled “Orthopaedic/Spine Biomechanics.” Healing of bone fractures often requires a fixation device to be placed on the bone, and in the spine these devices often result in fusion of two or more vertebrae.  This project will compare two different fixation methods; a current standard of care to a new device.  While we know that both devices are appropriate for specific forms of treatment, we do not always know how new devices will perform in the variety of situations that are encountered in the ER.  This project will contribute to knowledge base of how orthopaedic devices may be successfully used.

AMY HARKINS, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences

Dr Harkins’ research projects include measuring and/or analyzing mechanisms of synaptic transmission.  We utilize neurons to detect release of neurotransmitter from individual synaptic vesicles.  We also collaborate with Dr. Willits on a neuronal regeneration project that utilizes synaptic transmission as a measure of functional regeneration and appropriate connectivity after neuronal regrowth.  We use 2- and 3-dimensional scaffolding materials and electrical stimulation for regrowth, and determine the intracellular signaling effects of biomaterials and stimulation. 

DAVID HENTHORN, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Henthorn’s research focuses on the production of new materials and fabrication techniques for the manufacture of diagnostic and therapeutic devices.  Student projects include controlled drug delivery from polymer nanocomposite materials, continuous monitoring of wound healing, design of microdevices to monitor lactate and glucose levels in blood, and study of recognitive materials for protein recognition.

BLYTHE JANOWIAK, Ph.D., Department of Biology

Dr. Janowiak's research focuses on how specific pathogenic bacteria evade the host cell defenses during an infection. Current student projects include using biochemical, biophysical, and cellular techniques in order to characterize the bacterial defenses against the human immune system. We use Group B Streptococcus, bacteria that cause neonatal meningitis, as our model system. Our longterm goal is to identify drug targets and to develop potential antibiotics against this dangerous pathogen.

ISTVAN KISS, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry

Dr. Kiss's research is on system level modeling and engineering of complex chemical and biochemical networks. Mathematical models are developed to interpret the synchronization properties of multicellular circadian gene expressions. In a recent project, novel pacemaker algorithms are constructed for optimal entrainment of complex rhythms; these algorithms are experimentally tested with pacing small networks of electrochemical oscillators. Students participating in the project will become familiar with basic concepts of Nonlinear Science (synchronization, deterministic chaos), learn modeling and data analysis with Matlab, and gain hands-on experience in computer controlled instrumentation with Labview.

MARK KNUEPFER, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences

Dr. Knuepfer’s research project addresses the question: does stress cause cardiovascular disease? This project is designed to study the effects of stress on sympathetic and hemodynamic responsiveness.  We are interested in determining the central neural causes that make some individuals more sensitive to the detrimental effects of stress that can lead to development of cardiovascular disease.  We are studying rats that are instrumented for recording cardiovascular parameters, sympathetic nerve activity and intracerebral drug administration and examining the roles of specific neurotransmitters and inflammatory mediators in the hypothalamus on acute responsiveness to stress and on the development of hypertension. The student would be required to conduct experiments, analyze data, participate in lab meetings and colloquia and to write up their results.

SCOTT MARTIN, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry

Dr. Martin’s research project is entitled “Use of Microchip-based Analysis Systems to Study Biological Events.” Research in the Martin group is focused on the development of microchip-based analytical devices that utilize flow-based analysis, electrophoresis, electrochemistry and fluorescence to probe and monitor various biological systems.

CHERYL MILLER, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Miller’s research projects focus on the study of cell behavior due to remodeling of the cellular environment. Future student projects being planned include bioreactor design, construction and utilization; microfluidic flow experiments with the microvascularized tissues; and finalizing techniques to do long term (5 month) studies with the tissue engineered airway project. These projects are in the planning stages and will be implemented as the current projects continue.

SHELLEY MINTEER, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry

Dr. Minteer’s research projects are focused on electrochemical biomimetics, specifically developing enzymatic fuel cells for implantable applications (i.e. power supplies for sensors, pace makers, and drug delivery devices), biosensors, and mitochondrial-based self-powered sensing schemes.

JESSICA WAGENSEIL, D.Sc., Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Wagenseil’s research focuses on the hypothesis that developmental changes in hemodynamic parameters, combined with altered elastin amounts, stimulate structural and functional remodeling of the artery wall. Future student projects will include measuring circumferential residual strain in embryonic and neonatal mouse arteries, quantifying component mass fractions from histologic sections of mouse arteries, writing Matlab scripts for implementing the microstructural mechanical model and validating the servo null pressure measuring system.

ZIJUN ZHANG, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Zhang’s research project is entitled “Chondrocyte aggregates for cartilage engineering: evaluation of physical conditions.”