-
Pioneer A WALLACE H. COULTER PRODUCTION
DR. BROCK WESTER, Georgia Tech and Emory School of Biomedical
Engineering Ph.D. class of 2010, can name myriad positions under
his belt: former SGA graduate student body president, co-founder of
NanoGrip Technologies Inc. that specializes in product development
and prototyping), software engineering consultant, and now, a
senior professional staff member of Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
Applied Physics Lab (APL). Looking back, Wester can attest to an
impressive collection of jobs, one he can attribute to his
experiences at Georgia Tech. Currently at Johns Hopkins, Wester is
involved in a variety of biomedical related projects including
"blast and biomechanical injury studies, software and hardware
development for motorized upper-extremity prosthetics, and rapid
design and construction of microsystem and MEMS
[(microelectromechanical system)] technologies."
by Christine Hangby Christine Hangby Christine Hangby Christine
HangUndergraduate Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate
Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
Department
Alumni SpotlightAlumni SpotlightAlumni SpotlightAlumni
Spotlight
Continued on page 3333
Brock WesterBrock WesterBrock WesterBrock Wester
List of BME-related
organizations to get involved
with at Georgia Tech
How to prepare
a design for
manufacturing
Dr. Brock Wester currently conducts research at John Hopkins
University with a focus in motorized prosthetics.
(Photo: Dr. Brock Wester)
THE GLOBAL RESEARCH PROGRAM (GBR) is a new initiative to create
a foundation of cultured scholars with a broad worldview of
research. This summer, the Wallace H. Coulter Department of
Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University
welcomed select BME undergraduates from Peking University (PKU),
situated in China, and Khalifa University, situated in United Arab
Emirates. These international students were given a chance to
conduct research in a lab of their interest under the direct
supervision of world-renowned faculty at Georgia Tech and Emory.
Research assistants, mainly GT and Emory BME undergraduates,
graciously volunteered to mentor the students every step of the
way. Enas Azhari, a sophomore at Khalifa University, worked in Dr.
Barbara Boyan's lab. During the course of three weeks in the lab,
she was able to...
Weaving the Web to International EducationWeaving the Web to
International EducationWeaving the Web to International
EducationWeaving the Web to International Education
by Nithya Paranthamanby Nithya Paranthamanby Nithya
Paranthamanby Nithya ParanthamanUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
The Peking UniversityThe Peking UniversityThe Peking
UniversityThe Peking University----Khalifa University Exchange
ProgramKhalifa University Exchange ProgramKhalifa University
Exchange ProgramKhalifa University Exchange Program
VOLUME VII ISSUE 1
AUG/SEPT 2012
PIONEER.GATECH.EDU
Insights from Dr. Josiah Wilcox, CSO of
Medtronic Cardiovascular, on the BME
curriculum and the medical device industry
GUIDE
Continued on page 11111111
Students from both Peking University and Khalifa University took
part in the first research exchange program hosted by both Georgia
Tech and Emory.
(Photo: Dr. Changhui Li, visiting faculty from Peking
University)
SPOTLIGHT DESIGN
-
PioneerPioneerPioneerPioneer Established 2007
From the Editor in Chief
CLASS SPOTLIGHT......CLASS SPOTLIGHT......CLASS
SPOTLIGHT......CLASS SPOTLIGHT..........4444 Notorious 10s (2210,
3110, 3610)
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENUNDERGRADUATE STUDENUNDERGRADUATE
STUDENUNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHTT SPOTLIGHTT SPOTLIGHTT
SPOTLIGHT........5555 Binbin Chen
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.......RECENT PUBLICATIONS.......RECENT
PUBLICATIONS.......RECENT
PUBLICATIONS...................................6666
BME ADVISORY BOARD PBME ADVISORY BOARD PBME ADVISORY BOARD PBME
ADVISORY BOARD PROFILE..ROFILE..ROFILE..ROFILE..........7777 Dr.
Josiah Wilcox, Coronary and Renal Denervation CSO of
Medtronic Cardiovascular
BMEBMEBMEBME----RELATED ORGANIZARELATED ORGANIZARELATED
ORGANIZARELATED ORGANIZATIONS GUIDE...TIONS GUIDE...TIONS
GUIDE...TIONS GUIDE...................8888
BMES ANNUAL MEETING 2012.....BMES ANNUAL MEETING 2012.....BMES
ANNUAL MEETING 2012.....BMES ANNUAL MEETING
2012.......10..10..10..10 Integrating Academics, Industry, and
Translation:
From Discovery to Implementation
DESIGN TOOLBOX........DESIGN TOOLBOX........DESIGN
TOOLBOX........DESIGN TOOLBOX........12121212 Preparing a Design
for CNC Machining or Manual Milling
INSIDE:PIONEER
Hello and welcome to a new semester at Tech! Pioneer is excited
for a fresh new start and for the stories it has lined up for this
coming year. As you read through our pages, you will notice that
there is something for everyone to enjoy. For those of you coming
back, we give you the scoop on the unknowns of future BME classes
that await you, exciting opportunities with the National BMES
Conference hosted by our very own school in conjunction with Emory,
as well as an inside look with some important members who have a
significant impact on our community. For those of you who are new
to Georgia Techs biotechnology community, we welcome you and have
readily included guides to help you navigate your way through.
Gradually, you will discover the ins and outs, as well as the
quirks of our community. And in no time at all, you will be soon be
leaving your mark in our dynamic and collective culture that is the
Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia
Tech and Emory University. Also at this time, Pioneer is excited to
accept new members into our growing staff. If you are interested
and have a background in writing, photography, graphic design, or
web development, feel free to visit thepioneer.gatech.edu/join-us
for more details or e-mail us at [email protected] for any
questions or concerns. Again, we welcome you to a brand new start
at Tech and wish you best of luck with this upcoming coming year!
For more updates and news, feel free to like us on facebook at
facebook.com/gtpioneer or follow us on twitter at
twitter.com/PioneerGT. Sincerely, Virginia Lin
2
Virginia LinVirginia LinVirginia LinVirginia Lin
Wendy Newstetter, Ph.D.
Timothy LinTimothy LinTimothy LinTimothy Lin
Saranya KarthikeyanSaranya KarthikeyanSaranya KarthikeyanSaranya
Karthikeyan
Guergana TerzievaGuergana TerzievaGuergana TerzievaGuergana
Terzieva
Jaemin SungJaemin SungJaemin SungJaemin Sung
Sara KhalekSara KhalekSara KhalekSara Khalek
Felis (Doyeon) Koo
Jaheda Khanam
Karan Suraj
Subhendu DeSubhendu DeSubhendu DeSubhendu De
Rachel Stewart Rachel Stewart Rachel Stewart Rachel Stewart
Belane Gizaw
Sarah Gonzales
Christine Hang
Cathy Heo
Arun Kumar
Nithya Paranthaman
Asra Rehan
Hifza Sakhi
Harish Srinimukesh
Jaemin Sung
Guergana Terzieva
Steven Touchton Jr
Prateek Neil Viswanathan
Iva Zivojinovic
Harish Srinimukesh Harish Srinimukesh Harish Srinimukesh Harish
Srinimukesh
Nida Dharani
Jackson Hair
Caroline Massaro
Ayesha Patel
Elina Sarmah
Kristen Weirich Kevin Lam Kevin Lam Kevin Lam Kevin Lam
Marisa Casola
Yeonghoon Joung
Candace Law
Summer Lee
Sam Lim
Xurong Liu
Alexandra Low
Eesha Mathur
William SessionsWilliam SessionsWilliam SessionsWilliam
Sessions
Sheridan Carroll
Jacob Khouri
Arthur Lo
Rachel Moore
Fred Woo
Karen Adams
Paul Fincannon
Sally Gerrish
Marty C. Jacobson
Jennifer Kimble
Megan McDevitt
Mark P. McJunkin
Colleen Mitchell
Adrianne Proeller
Shannon Sullivan
EDITOR IN CHIEF
FACULTY SPONSOR
OPERATIONS
SECRETARY
TREASURER
PUBLIC RELATIONS
WEBMASTERS
STAFF WRITERS
EDITORS
LAYOUT EDITORS
PHOTOGRAPHERS
COLLABORATORS
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3
Spring and Summer 2012 PHD Graduates This past spring and
summer, the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering
at Emory University and Georgia Tech released another group of
graduate students into the world to start a new chapter of their
lives. Pioneer would like to congratulate the following students on
their recent graduation and wish them luck with their future
endeavors!
May 2012May 2012May 2012May 2012 Casey Holliday Ankeny, PhD
Casey Holliday Ankeny, PhD Casey Holliday Ankeny, PhD Casey
Holliday Ankeny, PhD ---- BMEBMEBMEBME Advisor: Dr. Robert Nerem
July 2012July 2012July 2012July 2012 Hajira Ahmad, PhD Hajira
Ahmad, PhD Hajira Ahmad, PhD Hajira Ahmad, PhD ---- BMEBMEBMEBME
Advisor: Dr. Athanassios Sambanis Christopher Hermann, PhD
Christopher Hermann, PhD Christopher Hermann, PhD Christopher
Hermann, PhD ---- BIOEBIOEBIOEBIOE Advisor: Dr. Barbara Boyan
Christopher Lee, PhD Christopher Lee, PhD Christopher Lee, PhD
Christopher Lee, PhD ---- BMEBMEBMEBME Advisor: Dr. Barbara Boyan
Aaron Lifland, PhD Aaron Lifland, PhD Aaron Lifland, PhD Aaron
Lifland, PhD ---- BMEBMEBMEBME Advisor: Dr. Philip Santangelo
Jeremy Lim, PhD Jeremy Lim, PhD Jeremy Lim, PhD Jeremy Lim, PhD
---- BMEBMEBMEBME Advisor: Dr. Johnna Temenoff
Steven Harris, PhD Steven Harris, PhD Steven Harris, PhD Steven
Harris, PhD ---- BMEBMEBMEBME (MD/PhD Candidate at Emory) Advisor:
Dr. Xiaoping Hu Frank Lin, PhD Frank Lin, PhD Frank Lin, PhD Frank
Lin, PhD ---- BIOEBIOEBIOEBIOE Advisor: Dr. Robert Liu Risa Lin,
PhD Risa Lin, PhD Risa Lin, PhD Risa Lin, PhD ---- BIOEBIOEBIOEBIOE
Advisor: Dr. Robert Butera Jaemin Shin, PhD Jaemin Shin, PhD Jaemin
Shin, PhD Jaemin Shin, PhD ---- BIOEBIOEBIOEBIOE Advisor: Dr.
Xiaoping Hu Weiwei Yin, PhD Weiwei Yin, PhD Weiwei Yin, PhD Weiwei
Yin, PhD ---- BIOEBIOEBIOEBIOE Advisor: Dr. Eberhard Voit
He also works with John Hopkins Medical Institution (JHMI) as a
APL project manager on a collaborative pre-clinical study, which
involves a motorized prosthetic arm controlled by the patients
brain. According to Wester, "Weve been getting exciting results
that someday will dramatically improve prosthetics control for
upper-and lower-arm amputees and those with quadriplegia." As
someone who prefers working on multiple projects rather than
focusing on a single project, which he realized in grad school,
Wester not only appreciates the many roles of his occupation, but
finds this work important in his "career and skillset development."
In addition, his job melds his passion of industry work in the area
of concept or production and research, which also helped him choose
his career path at Johns Hopkins. Although Wester feels acclimated
to his new setting in Baltimore, he recalls fondly of his alma
mater. From his speech at the 239th Commencement Ceremony at
Georgia Tech on May 2011, Wester reflected, "Tech is a place of
possibility and accomplishment...I had
gotten so used to this superb culture of can do that I didnt
fully realize what we had here until I left to start working in
January, and I have to say, I still havent gotten used to it." For
current students at Georgia Tech, he believes that research
experience is an important option that students should take
advantage of, especially for those who plan on pursuing industry
work or academia. He emphasized that research opportunities and
networking in student groups could lead to future research
collaboration or even help with landing a job" Outside of lab,
Wester enjoys going on trips, taking part in outreach activities in
the area of STEM educationhe was even awarded APL's highest honor
for outreach, and playing beach volleyball. Although he does miss
Atlanta (such as the food industry which he admits exceeds
Baltimore's, and Tech's CRC), he is happy to have a job in which
his "efforts make a real impact." Asked where he sees himself in
five years, Wester responds, I plan to continue research and
project management, and eventually move into p r o g r a m m a n a
g e m e n t i n t h e neuroscience space, but in general just hope
to make a difference .
Alumni SpotlightAlumni SpotlightAlumni SpotlightAlumni
Spotlight
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1Continued from page
1Continued from page 1
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THERE IS A SMALL GROUP of classes in every curriculum for any
major at any school that is commonly referred as weed-out courses.
The undergraduate Biomedical Engineering program at the Wallace H.
Coulter Department at Georgia Tech and Emory University has a
handful of notoriously challenging courses, particularly BMED 2210
(Conservation Principles in Biomedical Engineering), 3110
(Quantitative Engineering Physiology Lab I), and 3610 (Quantitative
Engineering Physiology II). These three courses have earned
reputations as the most frustrating, rigorous, and terrifying
courses that undergraduates in the Coulter Department must face.
Both students and faculty have weighed in on why students perceive
these courses as intimidating, how to overcome the challenges
presented, what to take away from the courses, and how they may be
improved. BMED 2210, Conservation Principles in Biomedical
Engineering, is the Coulter Departments version of introductory
Chemical Engineering with a heavy emphasis on mass and energy
transfer problem solving. The course was initially developed by Dr.
Joseph Le D o u x , A s s o c i a t e C h a i r f o r Undergraduate
Studies & Associate Professor in the Coulter Department, as
BMED 3200, a three-hour primer on biological thermodynamics. The
original 3200 course, which required exposure to differential
equations, was recognized as too ambitious and was sized down to
BMED 2200, eventually to BMED 2210. Despite these changes, Le Doux
says the class has always been a struggle for people, but the
general flavor [] has always been the same: to teach people how to
think like an engineer and use basic tools to solve structured
problems. Le Doux, however, has some valuable words of advice on
how to succeed in the course. He says that students should study
the material three days in advance, especially for a test. He
encourages students to actively read the text while working out
each example problem. In fact, it is good pract ice for students to
quiz themselves, be analytical about where and why they fail, and
plan out ways to address their weaknesses. For students who still
struggle, Le Doux suggests developing better metacognition. He
describes this as thinking about learning, how learning occurs, and
how effective different methods are. To prosper, students must be
their own toughest critics, thoroughly examining their successes
and failures and thinking more critically and analytically
about learning. BMED 311 0 and 361 0, the Quantitative
Engineering Physiology Labs, have gained notoriety in their heavy
focus on independent learning and open ended problem sets. The two
courses began as supplemental instructional labs. Dr. Esfandiar
Behravesh, Instructional Lab Director in the Coulter Department and
professor for both classes, explains that the old labs ran much
like traditional biology labs where students would learn common lab
protocol. The BME department has since developed a problem and
project based approach along with a mixture of physiology, biology,
and engineering. Behravesh explains that the primary roles of BMED
3110 and 3610 are to help students reinforce what has been taught
in the lecture based courses and to not teach you a whole lot of
new things, but try to incorporate [key concepts] in a hands-on
way. He also stresses that these labs leave the bulk of the
learning up to the students, allowing them to generally function
autonomously while completing labs or pursuing independent
projects. To be successful , Behravesh highly recommends students
to plan ahead, explaining that if [they] plan it, Ill help [them]
implement it. For freshmen,
Class SpotlightClass SpotlightClass SpotlightClass Spotlight
by Robert Joungby Robert Joungby Robert Joungby Robert
JoungUndergraduate Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate
Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
Department
Notorious 10s (2210, 3110, 3610)Notorious 10s (2210, 3110,
3610)Notorious 10s (2210, 3110, 3610)Notorious 10s (2210, 3110,
3610)
4
Students are performing experiments during the lab sessions of
BMED 3110 and BMED 3610. (Photo: Hyunjun Fred Woo)
-
5
sophomores, and early juniors, Behravesh says to figure out what
is supposed to be learned in the class at the end of the day, make
sure its actually learned, and be honest to yourself and others
about whether its been accomplished. Persevering through the
biomedical engineering curriculum is challenging, and BMED 2210,
3110, and 3610 exemplify the difficulties inherent in
d e v e l o p i n g t h e c o n c e p t u a l understanding and
utilization of physics, chemistry, biology, physiology, and
engineering in the context of real world problems. Behravesh points
out that learning how to figure out what is important is part of
what BME is all about because nobody can know everything. He hopes
that the professors are encouraging students to dig deeper into
each subject.
The Notorious 10s will always be infamous; they are courses that
challenge students by forcing them to adopt novel approaches and
methods of thinking. However difficult, these courses are still
instrumental in the s t u d e n t s t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i n
t o biomedical engineers.
ONE OF THE NATIONS most prestigious awards for undergraduates is
the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Each year, this $7,500
scholarship is awarded to exceptional students actively involved in
research in the sciences, math, or engineering fields. Among the
awardees for 2012 is Binbin Chen, a senior Biomedical Engineer in
the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at
Georgia Tech and Emory University. A humble Chen says he was
relieved not to have wasted the recommendation spot for Georgia
Tech, as each university is allowed to nominate only four
candidates for the s c h o l a r s h ip . C h e n s a c a d e m i c
achievement does not stop here; this past summer, Chen was awarded
a NIH summer fellowship, where he interned at the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute. For the past three years, Chen has been
heavily involved with research at Georgia Tech. As a research
assistant in the Platt Lab, he worked on an independent project
involving cathepsin activities for early cancer diagnosis. He then
published his first-author paper of his work in the Journal of
Translational Medicine. Chen later started a project with Shereka
Baton, a BME PhD student from Dr. Gilda Barabinos lab, to
investigate bone destruction in sickle cell disease patients.
Throughout his experience in the lab, he realized that
breakthroughs in scientific studies offer potential towards
improving human lifestyles, which gives research and dev elopm ent
m ean ing to him. Furthermore, Chen had the opportunity, through
the Clinical Observation and Design Experience class, to observe
both the engineering and medical aspects of an architectural
problem in the emergency department of a
hospital. Under the guidance of Professor Jeremy Ackerman, Chen
learned how to integrate engineering methods and clinical thinking,
and devised a possible solution to the real-life issue. As a result
of these experiences, he hopes to interlink research in medicine by
getting an MD/PhD, a degree devoted to helping people live happier,
easier lives. Aside from his experiences at Georgia Tech, Chen also
encountered a more personal side of medicine at a very young age.
He lost both his grandfathers to cancer before he was even three
years old. This was particularly difficult to deal with as a child
when other kids at school asked him about his grandfathers. His
goals became further
unambiguous after volunteering in the cancer center of Grady,
where he had many conversations with cancer patients and recognized
the current lack of effective cancer treatments. Thus with an
MD/PHD, Chen hopes to be an oncologist working in both the clinic
and research lab to promote better translational research for
cancer treatment. Chens drive for excellence in academics stems
from his simple desire to help people. He believes that it is
everyones responsibility to think about what we can do for this
society, as there will always be space for us to go above and
beyond and make this world a better place to live.
Undergraduate Student SpotlightUndergraduate Student
SpotlightUndergraduate Student SpotlightUndergraduate Student
Spotlight
by Nithya Paranthamanby Nithya Paranthamanby Nithya
Paranthamanby Nithya ParanthamanUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter Department
Binbin ChenBinbin ChenBinbin ChenBinbin Chen
Binbin Chen, a Goldwater Scholar, presents at many conferences
and poster sessions such as this one in the BMES Conference last
year.
(Photo: Virginia Lin)
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6
Recent Publications Journal Article Title Authors
ACS Nano Quantum dot-fluorescent protein FRET probes for sensing
intracellular pH
Dennis AM, Rhee WJ, Sotto D, Dublin SN, Bao G.
ACS Nano Ultrahigh sensitive piezotronic strain sensors based on
a ZnSnO3 nanowire/microwire.
Wu JM, Chen CY, Zhang Y, Chen KH, Yang Y, Hu Y, He JH, Wang
ZL.
Applied Optics Angle-resolved reflectance of obliquely aligned
silver nanorods. Wang XJ, Abell JL, Zhao YP, Zhang ZM.
Biomacromolecules Synergistic activity of v3 integrins and the
elastin binding protein enhance cell-matrix interactions on
bioactive hydrogel surfaces.
Patel D, Vandromme SE, Reid ME, Taite LJ.
Biomacromolecules Anti-invasive adjuvant therapy with imipramine
blue enhances chemotherapeutic efficacy against glioma.
Munson JM, Fried L, Rowson SA, Bonner MY, Karumbaiah L, Diaz B,
Courtneidge SA, Knaus UG, Brat DJ, Arbiser JL, Bellamkonda RV.
Journal of Biomechanics In-vivo transducer to measure dynamic
mitral annular forces. Siefert AW, Jimenez JH, West DS, Koomalsingh
KJ, Gorman RC, Gorman JH 3rd, Yoganathan AP.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part B. Applied
Biomaterials
A review of polyvinyl alcohol and its uses in cartilage and
orthopedic applications.
Baker MI, Walsh SP, Schwartz Z, Boyan BD.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
Osteoblast maturation and new bone formation in response to
titanium implant surface features are reduced with age.
Olivares-Navarrete R, Raines AL, Hyzy SL, Park JH, Hutton DL,
Cochran DL, Boyan BD, Schwartz Z.
Journal of Neurophysiology Stance-phase force on the opposite
limb dictates swing-phase afferent presynaptic inhibition during
locomotion
Hayes HB, Chang YH, Hochman S.
Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Effects of resveratrol on enrichment of adipose-derived stem
cells and their differentiation to osteoblasts in two-and
three-dimensional cultures.
Erdman CP, Dosier CR, Olivares-Navarrete R, Baile C, Guldberg
RE, Schwartz Z, Boyan BD.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Manifestation and post hoc correction
of gradient cross-term artifacts in DTI.
Nair G, Hu XP.
Medical Physics Quantitative cone-beam CT imaging in radiation
therapy using planning CT as a prior: first patient studies.
Niu T, Al-Basheer A, Zhu L.
Nano Letters An integrated power pack of dye-sensitized solar
cell and Li battery based on double-sided TiO2 nanotube arrays.
Guo W, Xue X, Wang S, Lin C, Wang ZL.
Nature Methods Faster STORM using compressed sensing. Zhu L,
Zhang W, Elnatan D, Huang B.
NeuroImage Quantitative assessment of a framework for creating
anatomical brain networks via global tractography.
Li L, Rilling JK, Preuss TM, Glasser MF, Damen FW, Hu X.
PLoS Computational Biology Optimization of muscle activity for
task-level goals predicts complex changes in limb forces across
biomechanical contexts.
McKay JL, Ting LH.
PLoS Genetics Polyglutamine toxicity is controlled by prion
composition and gene dosage in yeast.
Gong H, Romanova NV, Allen KD, Chandramowlishwaran P, Gokhale K,
Newnam GP, Mieczkowski P, Sherman MY, Chernoff YO.
PLoS One Laterally orienting C. elegans using geometry at
microscale for high-throughput visual screens in neurodegeneration
and neuronal development studies.
Cceres Ide C, Valmas N, Hilliard MA, Lu H.
Procedings of the National Academy of Science of the United
States of America
Phage-based molecular probes that discriminate force-induced
structural states of fibronectin in vivo.
Cao L, Zeller MK, Fiore VF, Strane P, Bermudez H, Barker TH.
The Journal of Steriod Biochemstry and Molecular Biology
Phospholipase A(2) activating protein is required for
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) dependent rapid activation of protein
kinase C via Pdia3.
Doroudi M, Schwartz Z, Boyan BD.
Tissue Engineering. Part A. Three-Dimensional In Vitro
Tri-Culture Platform to Investigate Effects of Crosstalk Between
Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Osteoblasts, and Adipocytes.
Hammoudi TM, Rivet CA, Kemp ML, Lu H, Temenoff JS.
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TWICE A YEAR, the members of the Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Advisory Board visit Georgia Tech and Emory University to attend
the Advisory Board meeting. Sometimes, they sit in sone of the BME
lectures, asking students questions, such as why they believe that
our BME undergraduate program is ranked No. 2 in the nation
according to US News & World Report, and what changes can be
made to further enhance the program. The people who make up the
board are highly-accomplished individuals who listen and critique
updates from our faculty regarding the curriculum, faculty-student
interactions, and the department's agenda. One of the board members
is Dr. Josiah N. Wilcox, Chief Scientific Officer in Coronary and
Renal Denervation at Medtronic Cardiovascular. Since the start of
his membership, he has communicated with other board members in
order to increase program involvement and to voice their opinions
about the status quo of the Coulter Department. Dr. Wilcox oversees
the research and development process aimed at improving the current
technologies of medical devices such as drug-eluting stents and
angioplasty catheters. Befitting the role of an innovator in
medical device research, Dr. Wilcox spends a lot of time talking to
physicians in different parts of the world and seeks novel
technologies to address the medical needs expressed by these
physicians. Many years ago, Dr. Wilcox's research was rooted in
cell biology and gene expressions in the brain, suggested by his
Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from Rutgers University. During his
postdoctoral fellowship at what is now the New York Presbyterian
Hospital, he studied in situ hybridizationa technique used to look
at single cell gene expression in tissues. He then took a job at a
biotech company called Genentech and conducted a series of research
studies to look at local gene expression in the setting of
atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and angioplasty. Dr. Wilcox's
research career was further enriched with his appointment at Emory
University as Professor of Internal Medicine in Cardiology,
Hematology/Oncology, and Pathology. As a researcher, he was closely
tied to internationally-recognized research programs in the areas
of vascular biology, cardiovascular disease, angioplasty
restenosis, and vascular brachytherapy. After his 14-year tenure at
Emory, he was then offered a position to lead an innovation
research group at Medtronic to compete in the drug-eluting stents
market. Within his first year, he helped develop the Resolute
drug-eluting stent, which has shown success results abroad and has
been just recently approved by the FDA in the United States. With
his distinguished role and background in medical device development
processes at Medtronic, Dr. Wilcox agreed to serve on the BME
Advisory Board. Now as the Board Chair, he encourages board members
to engage in interactions with the students; some of his
suggestions include providing career-related discussions and
setting examples for the students to emulate. When asked to
evaluate the impact of BME on the field that he works in, Dr.
Wilcox provided an anecdote. When he joined Medtronic, the stent
division was originally inundated with mechanical engineers. When
Cordis, a competing
company, proved to the world in 2002 that a anti-proliferation
drug delivering stent can reduce the risk of restenosis from 25% to
4%, Medtronic realized that it fell behind in this new market of
drug-eluting stents. Soon afterwards, cell biologists, polymer
scientists, and analytic chemists were added to the division to
formulate an interdisciplinary approach to the problem. Now this
example provides a framework for problem solving in BME, showing
that a common problem that many engineers face nowadays is that
they cannot expect to solve problems without consultation from
biologists, and vice versa. Hence, a successful union between
biology and engineering is imperative and is emphasized in the
curriculum. Dr. Wilcox shared his vision on the future of BME. He
believes that feedback from physicians is very important for the
product development process in medical devices. And the lives of
many are contingent upon technological innovation to improve
patient care. With this vision, Dr. Wilcox strives to engender an
environment at Georgia Tech and Emory University, where BMEs are
built up with extraordinary communication skills.
BME Advisory Board ProfileBME Advisory Board ProfileBME Advisory
Board ProfileBME Advisory Board Profile
by Jaemin Sungby Jaemin Sungby Jaemin Sungby Jaemin
SungUndergraduate Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate
Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
Department
Dr. Josiah Wilcox. Coronary and Renal Denervation CSO at
Medtronic CardiovascularDr. Josiah Wilcox. Coronary and Renal
Denervation CSO at Medtronic CardiovascularDr. Josiah Wilcox.
Coronary and Renal Denervation CSO at Medtronic CardiovascularDr.
Josiah Wilcox. Coronary and Renal Denervation CSO at Medtronic
Cardiovascular
7
Dr. Josiah N. Wilcox is the Coronary and Renal Denervation CSO
of Medtronic Cardiovascular
(Photo: Jacob Khouri)
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8
1. Overview1. Overview1. Overview1. Overview 2. Key Activities2.
Key Activities2. Key Activities2. Key Activities
Alpha Eta Mu Beta Alpha Eta Mu Beta Alpha Eta Mu Beta Alpha Eta
Mu Beta (AEMB)(AEMB)(AEMB)(AEMB)
AEMB serves as Georgia Techs chapter of the National Biomedical
Engineering Honor Society and provides a community for high
achieving Biomedical Engineering students with a diverse set of
goals.
Registration advising seminars Community service opportunities
Mentor & Mentee Program (BMES and BBUGS included)
Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Biomedical
Engineering Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)Society
(BMES)Society (BMES)Society (BMES)
BMES works to promote Biomedical Engineering awareness and its
utilization by introducing students to professions and resources of
Biomedical Engineering.
Information sessions by guest speakers (BME deparment chair,
etc.) Industry talks Social events Philanthropy events Mentor &
Mentee Program (BBUGS and AEMB members included)
Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Biomedical
Engineering Biomedical Engineering Student Advisory Board Student
Advisory Board Student Advisory Board Student Advisory Board
(BmedSAB)(BmedSAB)(BmedSAB)(BmedSAB)
BmedSAB serves as a liaison between the students and
administration in the BME department on the overall planning,
implementation, and evaluation of the BME program.
BME Connections Poster Session Town Hall meetings Unofficial
Course Guide Faculty committees
Biomedical Research Biomedical Research Biomedical Research
Biomedical Research and Opportunities and Opportunities and
Opportunities and Opportunities Society (BROS)Society (BROS)Society
(BROS)Society (BROS)
BROS advocates involvement in Biomedical Engineering related
research, gives members opportunities to present their research,
and fosters a deeper understanding of the field and what Georgia
Tech does for it.
Resume workshops Talks by distinguished faculty Q&A sessions
by upperclassmen involved in research Graduate school preparation
seminars
Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Neuroscience
Club Neuroscience Club Neuroscience Club Neuroscience Club
(GTNeuro)(GTNeuro)(GTNeuro)(GTNeuro)
GTNeuro serves to support students in careers relating to
neuroscience, neuroengineering, and neurobiotechnology.
Guest Speaker Series Volunteer Events Job and Internship
Opportunities Discussion Events Research Events and Conferences
Neuroscience Seminars Socials
Medical Device Medical Device Medical Device Medical Device
Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship
Association of Georgia Association of Georgia Association of
Georgia Association of Georgia Tech (MDEA)Tech (MDEA)Tech
(MDEA)Tech (MDEA)
MDEA works to create a community of students interested in
healthcare and medical device entrepreneurship.
Business Strategy Workshops MDE (Medical Device Entreneurship)
Speaker Series Design Workshops Networking Events MDE Ethics and
Philosophy Seminar Series
PioneerPioneerPioneerPioneer Pioneer is the official newsletter
for the biotechnology community, which serves as the connection
between the students, faculty, and department collaborators.
Cover news around the biotechnology community Access to various
biotechnology-related events for event coverage Staff socials and
photoshoots
BME-Related Organization Guide
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9
3. Reasons to Join3. Reasons to Join3. Reasons to Join3. Reasons
to Join 4. How to Get Involved4. How to Get Involved4. How to Get
Involved4. How to Get Involved 5. How to Join5. How to Join5. How
to Join5. How to Join
Meet faculty and advisors Join a close knit community of BME
students aspiring to make a difference Excellent leadership and
service opportunities
Members are required to attend monthly meetings to help plan and
execute events.
Students who meet the academic requirements (top 1/5th junior,
top 1/3 senior) to join Georgia Tech's AEMB will be invited once
they reach junior or senior status.
Peer interaction and professional networking Leadership
opportunities Involvement with the Biomedical Engineering and
Bioengineering community
Members can attend the general meetings and become involved by
joining one of these committees: Industry Public Relations Social
Education Fundraising Philanthropy
Dues to join the local chapter are $15/yr with an additional fee
to the optional national chapter ($30/yr). Students can go to
www.bmes.gatech.edu/join or one of the general meetings to
join.
Network amongst the Biomedical Engineering community Utilize
influence on the BME program through advising and implementing
change to both academic and extracurricular aspects
Each member will have a specific role in the organization, as
well as opportunities to facilitate collaboration with other BME
organizations. Meetings are every other week on Tuesdays or
Thursdays.
BmedSAB receives nominations each semester from the BMED 1300
facilitators. From there, the nominated students can go through the
application and interview process to be selected to join the
board.
Learn about new scholarship and internship opportunities Prepare
for graduate school with resources provided Gain valuable knowledge
about research done at Georgia Tech
Members can attain points by attending meetings and
participating in extracurricular events. These points help out when
running for executive board positions during elections held in the
fall and spring. Meetings are held every Tuesday or Thursday of the
week.
Students interested in joining can go to a meeting to fill out a
membership form.
Get involved in the neuroscience community and research of
Georgia Tech/Atlanta Have access to internships/jobs, and
newsletter publications related to neurobiotechnology. Gain
valuable insight into the field of neuroscience
Members can attend events, become a club officer, and sign up
for a committee. Meetings are held at every event hosted by
GTNeuro.
Dues to join are $15/semester. Students interested in joining
can go to their site at gtneuro.net/?g=node/464.
Learn more about device design Network with medical device
professionals and like-minded members Attend professional events
relating to medical device entrepreneurship
Members can attend events, create a new committee, and enroll as
an active member in a committee. Meetings are held once or twice a
month.
Dues to join are $15/semester. Students interested in joining
can go to their site at gtmedea.org/node/36.
Develop valuable communication skills (via writing and
photography) Network with members of the Biotechnology community
Gain valuable insight on the biotechnology community
Members will either write articles, design the newsletter,
develop the site, or take photos for biotechnology related news.
Meetings are every other Mondays.
Students can sign up at thepioneer.gatech.edu/join-us. Pioneer
recruits at the beginning of every fall and spring semester through
an interview process.
Related Organization Guide By: Virginia Lin
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10 10
THE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING SOCIETY (BMES) serves to promote and
disseminate Biomedical Engineering (BME) knowledge and its
utilization by introducing students to the profession and to the
roles in and obligations of the field. Dr. Gilda Barabino,
Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in the Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and
Emory, is the incoming President of the national BMES chapter and
will start her two year term at the conclusion of the upcoming
annual BMES meeting in Atlanta this year. It is the pinnacle
meeting of BME departments all over the country and has continually
been growing in attendance over the past few years. The theme of
this years meeting is Integrating Academics, Industry and
Translation: From Discovery to Implementation. Thus, the meeting
will serve as a venue for the intersection of research and
industry. In a span of four days, it will feature parallel platform
sessions, poster sessions from academia and industry, plenary
sessions, and guest speakers, all designed for the spread of
information between faculty, students, researchers, and industry.
At the meeting, there will be ample opportunities for networking,
featuring something for everyone. For undergraduate students, BME
departments from across the country will have exhibits where
representatives will provide information on the various research
opportunities in their graduate programs. Plus, juried poster
sessions will provide students an opportunity to showcase their
research, where the best presentations will receive awards. The
conference will also host tables for BMES student chapters around
the nation to network amongst each other. For the industry minded
students, there will be a career fair, as well as career
development and resume writing workshops. Similarly, for graduate
and post-doctoral students, the meeting will feature a Coach
Workshop, which will provide information pertaining to career
development, interviewing for faculty positions, as well as grant
and resume writing. At the Meet the Candidate
Session, post-doctoral students will have a chance to present
posters to representatives from schools who are looking to hire
faculty. Likewise, there will be a Coulter College for faculty,
which will provide information on translation and commercialization
of research into practical applications. A particular highlight of
the meeting will be the symposium, which will provide information
on the translation of research from the bench to the industry and
from the industry to patient care and diagnostics. Programming
includes various tracks such as biomedical imaging and optics,
cardiovascular and respiratory engineering, cellular and molecular
engineering, biomaterials, stem cell engineering, tissue
engineering, as well as how translation of research occurs within
each of these tracks. Besides these information sessions, the
meeting will provide ample opportunities for participants to
network socially. The major social event, BASH, will be hosted at
the Georgia Aquarium for members to meet and greet. In addition,
many programs are planned throughout the conference to honor the
works of minorities and women in the BME field. This includes the
various networking luncheons, such as the Celebration of Minorities
in BME Luncheon and the Women in BMES Luncheon as well as the BMES
Diversity Award and Lecture. The incoming BMES President and
Georgia Tech faculty member, Dr. Gilda Barabino, received the award
back in 2010. This year, the BMES conference will be held October
24-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Faculty,
undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows working
in and interested in BME are all invited to register for the
conference and attend. More information on the meeting can be found
on the website at: www.bmes.org/aws/BMES/pt/sp/meetings. For
questions pertaining to technical content and program organization,
please contact the program chair, Dr. Julia Babensee, or the
conference chair, Dr. Hanjoong Jo
BMES Annual Meeting 2012BMES Annual Meeting 2012BMES Annual
Meeting 2012BMES Annual Meeting 2012
by Hifza Sakhiby Hifza Sakhiby Hifza Sakhiby Hifza
SakhiUndergraduate Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate
Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
Department
Integrating Academics, Industry, and Translation: From Discovery
to ImplementationIntegrating Academics, Industry, and Translation:
From Discovery to ImplementationIntegrating Academics, Industry,
and Translation: From Discovery to ImplementationIntegrating
Academics, Industry, and Translation: From Discovery to
Implementation
The corners, thus, will have a radius of the cutter being used.
To get square surfaces inside a pocket, relief is added to the
corners by extending one of the edges by at least half the diameter
of the cutter.
Angled vertical surfaces cannot be cut without a special setup.
The part or the cutting head must be angled, or a
special expensive angle cutter may be used. In general, one
should avoid angled z-axis surfaces.
Radiused inside (
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calendar
11
August August August August
29
Graduate and Postdoc (GaP) Seminar SeriesGraduate and Postdoc
(GaP) Seminar SeriesGraduate and Postdoc (GaP) Seminar
SeriesGraduate and Postdoc (GaP) Seminar Series
Brian Wile
12pm IBB 1128
30
Bioengineering Seminar SeriesBioengineering Seminar
SeriesBioengineering Seminar SeriesBioengineering Seminar
Series
Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Fibrosis: The Fibroblast in Focus
James Hagood University of California San Diego
11-12pm IBB 1128
SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptember
5
GaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP
Seminar Series
Zihao Zhang and Marina Piccinelli
12pm IBB 1128
6
Diversity Networking Social and ReceptionDiversity Networking
Social and ReceptionDiversity Networking Social and
ReceptionDiversity Networking Social and Reception
4-6pm Academy of Medicine
11
Breakfast Club Seminar SeriesBreakfast Club Seminar
SeriesBreakfast Club Seminar SeriesBreakfast Club Seminar Series
Microscale Ultrasound Systems for Minimally Invasive Imaging in the
Heart
F. Levent Degertekin - School of Mechanical Engineering
8:30-9:30am
12
GaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP
Seminar Series
Melissa Li and Nassir Mokarram
12-1pm IBB 1128
Things I Wish I Knew as a FreshmanThings I Wish I Knew as a
FreshmanThings I Wish I Knew as a FreshmanThings I Wish I Knew as a
Freshman
5-6pm Bill Moore Student Success Center
13
Petit Institute Distinguished LecturePetit Institute
Distinguished LecturePetit Institute Distinguished LecturePetit
Institute Distinguished Lecture
Biomaterials to Program Cells in situ
David J. Mooney - Harvard University
11am Petit Institute Atrium
Biotechnology Career FairBiotechnology Career FairBiotechnology
Career FairBiotechnology Career Fair
1-5pm MS&E Building
19
GaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP Seminar SeriesGaP
Seminar Series
Renee Cottie and Nicholas Parnell
12pm IBB 1128
20
Bioengineering Seminar SeriesBioengineering Seminar
SeriesBioengineering Seminar SeriesBioengineering Seminar
Series
Cheng Dong Penn State University
11am IBB 1128
25
Young Innovators in Biomedical EngineeringYoung Innovators in
Biomedical EngineeringYoung Innovators in Biomedical
EngineeringYoung Innovators in Biomedical Engineering
Michael Smith - Boston University
11pm Whitaker 1103
learn the basics of cell culture, dissections, and orthopedic
implants. Furthermore, Azhari had the opportunity to work with
costly surface characterization equipment, such as the scanning
electron microscope and the atomic force microscope. Like Azhari,
the other exchange students were immersed in advanced facilities,
motivating them to voluntarily give up their free time to work
extra hours in their respective labs. Although, each student
experienced different research environments, they all agreed on one
thing; the response from the lab faculty and mentors was
overwhelming. Azhari said, I'll never forget the people I met in
Boyan's lab, they all were very helpful and explained what they
were doing very clearly to me. I really appreciate their effort
especially my mentors, Alice Cheng. Alice Cheng is a first year
graduate student in Dr. Barbara Boyan's lab. She agreed that not
only was this program beneficial for the mentees, but for the
mentors as well. Cheng says, Participating in this program was a
great experience for me; I was able to make a friend and possible
future research collaborator. The success of the GBR has sparked
future collaborations and expansion of this once non-existent
opportunity. Dr. Changhui Li, visiting faculty from PKU, has
observed tremendous growth in the students. Although their time in
the labs was short, this type of exposure to such groundbreaking
research fosters an endless amount of skills to complement the
academic achievement of each student. As a professor, Li views the
BME program at Georgia Tech and Emory as a platform for the BME
program at Peking University. He plans to implement what he has
learned during his stay to his
classrooms at PKU, in hopes to advance the curriculum there and
encourage incoming undergraduates to join the BME department. Apart
from academics, the students were able to enjoy a range of
attractions Atlanta has to offer. Some of their favorite moments
included spending a day tasting an assortment of Coca-Cola products
at the Coca-Cola factory and watching the July Fourth fireworks
show at Centennial Park. Despite the initial complications that
come with any new program, the success of this collaborative effort
surpassed all expectations and may be on its way to becoming a
reoccurring exchange program.
WeavingWeavingWeavingWeaving the Web the Web the Web the Web
Continued from page 1Continued from page 1Continued from page
1Continued from page 1
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ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS among engineering
students, or anyone inexperienced with manufacturing, is the idea
that a computer-aided design (CAD) model of a part represents a
finished design. There is more to design than just a CAD model, and
listed are a few elements students should consider when planning a
part. 1. Time Before students invest any of their own time, and
that of teammates, shop mentors, and instructors, they should
evaluate whether the component can be made in the time allotted.
Sometimes the best design is one which eliminates the necessity to
build. Students should also have realistic output expectations. For
an experienced machinist, it is reasonable to assume that only one
or two parts can be made per day. If students do not have a fully
planned and documented design with the tools organized and material
on hand, then accurate time estimates cannot be made. 2. Objectives
and Constraints After making the decision to invest their time and
resources into making a part, students should plan to use their
resources effectively. As taught in BMED 2300 Problems in
Biomedical Engineering II and BMED 4600/4601 - Senior Design
Project I/II, students should outline their objectives, goals to
achieve, and constraints, limiting variables. Here are some
examples of each. Objectives:
Part must hold 250 mL of mildly corrosive fluid
Part must be complete by the end of next week
Part must incorporate a pressure release valve, which has a NPT
fitting
Constraints
Shop is only available when the shop keepers or key holders are
there.
Part must be made using tools available in the shop
Part must be designed to be feasible to machine using the chosen
method (ProtoTRAK, etc.)
3. Fixturing Fixturing or workholding is the art of providing a
stable, known location for a part prior to machining. Ninety
percent of the
work going into even moderately complex machined parts is
invested in developing reliable and effective fixturing techniques.
Though in essence, fixturing is a constraint, failing to consider
this important aspect of machining can lead to a parts demise.
However, there are some techniques where fixturing is less
critical. For example, if a part is made with a laser cutter,
waterjet, or X-Acto knife, then it does not have to be clamped in a
vise, simplifying production planning. By choosing alternate means,
other constraints can be inevitablely imposed on the part and
should be considered, such as the following:
Thin parts (> 1/8 in aluminum, or >1/4 in acrylic) are
difficult to hold on to. Some workarounds include using an
adhesive, vacuum, or tape to secure a part, but in general, parts
of moderate thickness and reasonably strength are the easiest parts
to make. However, parts should not be so thick as to require
excessive machining time.
An ideal part to make on a mill is about half the size of a
letter sheet of paper (under 5 on the short side), and about thick.
Anything bigger than this will require a special fixture in order
to hold a longer or wider part.
Long cutters (typically over 3x the diameter) will chatter or
vibrate, leaving poor surface quality and loose tolerances.
If a part has two different sides, then students must plan on
the method of flipping the part and maintain the reference points.
This can be done using an edge finder to locate an edge, or a
physical stop such as the edge of the vise. Its ideal to either
plan for this or avoid such conditions.
Students should know which material to use as well as its
machining characteristics. Some materials, including mild steel,
titanium, and polyethylene, have characteristics which make them
challenging to machine. In prototypes, aluminum should be used for
metal parts, and acrylic when possible. Polycarbonate, though
similar to acrylic in machining, is significantly stronger.
4. Form and Feasibility Finally, when students manufacture their
parts, they need to consider the capabilities of the machines and
plan accordingly.
A traditional cylindrical cutter used by milling machines is not
capable of making sharp corners less than 180 degrees.
Design ToolboxDesign ToolboxDesign ToolboxDesign Toolbox
by Hifza Sakhiby Hifza Sakhiby Hifza Sakhiby Hifza
SakhiUndergraduate Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate
Student in the Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the
Coulter DepartmentUndergraduate Student in the Coulter
Department
Preparing a Design for CNC Machining or Manual MillingPreparing
a Design for CNC Machining or Manual MillingPreparing a Design for
CNC Machining or Manual MillingPreparing a Design for CNC Machining
or Manual Milling
(Photos: Fred Woo)
12 Continued on page 10101010