Biomedical Engineering Tenure-line Faculty

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Biomedical Engineering Tenure-line Faculty

Orly Alter, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering / SCI Institute Research Track: Computational Systems & Synthetic Bioengineering, Track Co-Chair Number of positions available: None at this time

Tamara Bidone, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering / SCI Institute Research Track: Biomechanics / Computational Systems & Synthetic Bioengineering, Track Co-Chair Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: NSF Project Title: Molecular modeling and machine learning for the study of proteins conformation. Project Description: We will develop and apply supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods in order to: (i) identify new integrin conformations from accelerated molecular simulations; (ii) develop new force field for simulations of integrin conformational changes at the coarse-grained level.

Robby Bowles, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomechanics / Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: None at this time

Christopher Butson, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering / SCI Institute / Neurology Research Track: Neuroengineering, Former Track Chair Number of positions available: None

Douglas Christensen, Ph.D. Professor, Biomedical Engineering / Electrical & Computer Engineering Research Track: Imaging Number of positions available: Not Specified Project Funding: Not Specified Project: Not Specified Project Description: Therapeutic Ultrasound group at UCAIR, involved either in treating Breast Cancer or Movement Disorders in the Brain

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Gregory Clark, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 0-4 Project Funding: Various projects funded by NSF, NIH/NIAMS, DARPA, and others pending Project Descriptions: 1) Embodied Neuroprostheses: The goal of this project is to restore sensorimotor function to humans with upper-limb loss via use of USEAs implanted in residual arm nerves for recording and stimulation, along with recordings of myoelectric signals, so as to provide intuitive dexterous control of, and sensory feedback, from an advanced prosthetic limb.

2) Collaborative Online Learning and Control for Motor Prosthesis: The major goal of this project is to develop and evaluate a collaborative brain-machine learning system that trains the human brain to remap limb movement control to heterologous muscles while simultaneously training the machine to interpret movement intent from surface electromyograms. 3) Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of Dorsal Root Ganglion for Noninvasive Attenuation of Low Back Pain: This project will explore FUS stimulation for repeatable DRG neuromodulation, assessed in part as significant differences in evoked potentials in somatosensory cortex. 4 Pending) Non-anthropomorphic Sensory and Haptic Perception in Human Amputees: Goals: Develop and experimentally demonstrate a novel signal encoder that will enable humans to use prosthetic devices to perform both anthropomorphic and non-anthropomorphic tasks via a neuroelectronic interface.

Tara Deans, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics, Track Chair Number of positions available: None at this time

Alan "Chuck" Dorval, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 1-2 (pending funding) Project Funding: NSF and NIH (both pending) Projects: 1) Computational modeling and clinical data analysis of human neuromodulation with advanced electric fields. 2) Clinical & animal research on relationship between motor-cortical brain oscillations and parkinsonian severity, and how they can be modulated with deep brain stimulation. Hamid Ghandehari, Ph.D. Professor, Biomedical Engineering / Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemstry Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: 1-3 Project Funding: NIH Projects: See lab video and slides posted on the Recruitment Visit Website as “GhandehariLab-ResearchOpportunities-Fall2021”

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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David Grainger, Ph.D. University Distinguished Professor and BME Department Chair, Biomedical Engineering / Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: Not Specified Projects: Not Specified

Robert Hitchcock, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: bioInnovate, Track Chair Number of positions available: Not Specified Projects: Not Specified (Pending Funding)

Edward Hsu, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Imaging, Track Chair Number of positions available: Not Specified Projects: Not Specified

Jindrich Kopecek, Ph.D., D.Sc. Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: 1 Project Funding: NIH grant RO1 Project Title: Drug-free macromolecular therapeutics Project Description: For details of the grant and a paper that covers the topic, see “Kopecek Lab-Specific Aims & Article” posted on the Recruitment Visit Website

Jessica Kramer, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: 0-1 Project Funding: Not Specified Project Title: Glycocalyx engineering and cancer Project Description: The surface of every cell is covered with an array of glycoproteins and glycolipids that collectively form the glycocalyx. Cancer cells have a strikingly altered glycocalyx, but the causes and effects are poorly understood. The Kramer lab is developing tools for

precision glycocalyx engineering that enable systematic studies of the surface of cancer cells and at sites of inflammation. This knowledge aids in design of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for epithelial cancers.

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Jan Kubanek, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: None at this time

Robert MacLeod, Ph.D. Professor & Associate Chair, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Cardiovascular Engineering Number of positions available: 0-1 Project Funding: Not Specified Project Title: Not Specified Project Description: This project will be in the area of computational electrocardiology with an application to two major cardiac illness areas, myocardial ischemia (heart attacks) and atrial fibrillation (rhythm disturbances originating in the upper chambers of the heart). We pursue a

range of approaches, including image based modeling, simulation of cardiac electrical activity, animal experiments, and analysis of clinical image and electrocardiographic data. We apply many engineering skills to our analysis, including machine learning, uncertainty quantification, and statistical shape analysis. Required skills including a high degree of comfort with computing, including languages like MATLAB, Python and C++ and operating systems in the Unix/Linux family. Technical skill requirements include a strong background in calculus, partial differential equations, signal analysis, and medical imaging. A strong background in physiology and interest especially in cardiovascular physiology form the fundamental basis for all our research and students without this previous experience will struggle.

Rick Rabbitt, Ph.D. Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomechanics / Neuroengineering, Track Chair Number of positions available: 1-4 Project Funding: NIH R01 Projects: Projects involve neurobiology, biomechanics, and biophysics of the inner ear. ACTIVE: 1) “Biophysics and biomechanics of the semicircular canals”. The semicircular canals in the inner ear provide signals to the central nervous system required to maintain balance and stabilize visual images on the retina. The primary focus of this project is to determine the role of intracellular

calcium signaling in mechano-transduction and neural encoding in the semicircular canals in health and disease. Experiments in mice and fish include calcium imaging, patch and sharp electrode neural recording, and vestibular reflex recordings. 2) “Mechanisms of blast-induced vestibular injury”. Loud air conducted sounds including blasts can lead to serious balance disorders through damage the vestibular system. The goal of this project is to understand the mechanical mechanisms responsible for damage. Finite element modeling of the inner ear will be used to quantify mechanical mechanisms of blast-induced injury to vestibular sensory organs, ganglion neurons, and neural pathways. PENDING REVIEW: 3) “Cochlear outer hair cell biophysics in silico”. Expression of the protein prestin in cochlear outer hair cells is required for exquisite hearing in mammals. Prestin is the fastest known biological motor protein, but precisely how it works is unclear. The goal of this project is examine how the structure and dynamics of prestin leads to motor function using molecular dynamics and course-grained essential dynamics simulations. 4) “Mechanisms of phenotypic, anatomic and cellular dysfunctions in the aging vestibular system.” A major contributor to age-related balance dysfunction is loss of neural inputs from vestibular organs in the inner ear. The goal of this project is to precisely determine which classes of neurons are lost, how the central nervous system remodels after the loss, and how the changes influence vestibular reflex systems. Experiments in adult and aged mice include reflex testing (e.g. vestibular-ocular reflex, vestibular-evoked potentials), neural recording, and anatomical studies of specific vestibular afferent neural types.

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Frank Sachse, Dr.-Ing. Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Cardiovascular Engineering, Track Chair Number of positions available: None at this time

Luke Timmins, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomechanics Number of positions available: None at this time

Jeff Weiss, Ph.D. Professor, Biomedical Engineering / SCI Institute Research Track: Biomechanics, Track Chair Number of positions available: 3-4 Project Funding: NIH Funding Project Titles & Descriptions: See “WeissLab-PhD_research_Weiss_2021” posted on the Recruitment Visit Website Michael Yu, Ph.D. Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Biomaterials & Therapeutics Number of positions available: 0-1 Project Funding: NIH Projects: Development of new diagnostics and therapeutics based on collagen hybridizing peptides.” Numerous diseases such as cancer, fibrosis, and autoimmune diseases are associated with abnormal collagen remodeling activity. Taking advantage of collagen hybridizing peptide which specifically bind to degrading collagen, we are developing new diagnostic tools for disease detection as well as drug molecules that can treat the diseases.

BME Career-line Research Faculty

David Warren, Ph.D. Research Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: None at this time

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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BME Affiliated Adjunct Faculty

Stavros Drakos, M.D., Ph.D. Adjunct Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiology, CVRTI Investigator Research Track: Cardiovascular Engineering Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: 1) NHLBI R01, 2) Merit Review Award, Dept of Veterans Affairs Projects: 1) Clinical and Metabolic Signature of Recovered Myocardium in Human Heart Failure 2) Understanding Myocardial Recovery in Diabetes and Heart Failure

Jacob George, Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: DP5 grant and startup funds Projects: See “GeorgeLab-Utah NeuroRobotics Lab-Project Summaries” posted on the Recruitment Visit Website

Neda Nategh, Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering / Computational Systems & Synthetic Bioengineering Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: NIH Project Title: Cracking the neural code of the brain using data-driven computational models Project Description: Understanding how our behavior is generated through the integration of

sensory, motor, and cognitive information is a fundamental goal of systems neuroscience. Such an understanding heavily relies on an ability to quantitatively describe the individual and interactive effects of external (e.g., visual input) and internal (e.g., reward value) factors on neuronal responses. One of the major contributions of computational neuroscience is the set of tools that it provides for this quantitative description of neuronal processing of sensory input (encoding) as well as linking those responses to behavior (decoding). This is often difficult to achieve due to the complexities of neural data and limitations of computational models. The overarching goal in our lab is to overcome these challenges: to develop computational methods capable of describing sparse, high-dimensional neuronal data and to employ these methods to provide new insights into the neural basis of cognition and action. To achieve this goal we use an integrative approach: to tailor specific neurophysiological experimental paradigms, use that data in a computational framework to predict the neural basis of specific behavioral outcomes, and test those predictions by computational and experimental manipulations and psychophysical experiments.

Behrad Noudoost, M.D., PhD. Adjunct Associate Professor, Ophthalmology / Moran Eye Center Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 0-1 (Tentative) Project Funding: NIH R01 Project Title: Understanding the neural basis of visual attention Project Description: The student will be involved in behavioral training of animals in cognitive tasks and studying the neural basis of visual perception using in vivo electrophysiology techniques.

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Allison Payne, Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Radiology Research Research Track: Imaging Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: Not Specified Projects: 1) Focused-ultrasound mediated enhancement of checkpoint blockade immunotherapy in breast cancer: This is a funded project that is investigating the effect of different focused ultrasound application on breast cancer cells in a murine cancer model.

Students will gain an understanding of MRI, therapeutic ultrasound and immunology and work with several experts in this interdisciplinary project. The goal is to launch a Phase I clinical trial within 2 years. 2) Translation and validation of a non-invasive breast cancer magnetic resonance imaging guided focused ultrasound therapy: This project is translating a breast focused ultrasound treatment to a clinical trial, slated to start recruitment in Fall 2021. Students will be involved in running the clinical trial, developing new MRI techniques to plan and monitor and assess focused ultrasound treatments and develop the next generation of the technology for future clinical trials.

Ravi Ranjan, M.D., Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Research Track: Cardiovascular Engineering Number of positions available: 1 Project Funding: NIH (R01), American Heart Association Grant and Industry Project: Atrial Fibrillation developing mechanistic insights with the goal of improving outcomes Project Description: My lab is interested in cardiac arrhythmias with the goal of developing a better understanding of the mechanistic aspects leading to improving care for patients. My lab

focuses on large scale mapping studies, imaging as well as computational modeling to achieve these goals. We also work on improving ablation procedures again using imaging to MRI to develop tools to better deliver lesions as well develop personalized treatment strategies for patients.

John Rolston, M.D., Ph.D. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, School of Medicine Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 0-1 Project Funding: NIH UH3 (pending) Project: Biologically realistic models of responsive neurostimulation for epilepsy

Robin Shaw, M.D., Ph.D. Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Director, Nora Eccles Harrison CVRTI Nora Eccles Harrison Presidential Endowed Chair Research Track: Cardiovascular Engineering Number of positions available: 1-2 Project Funding: NIH/R01 Projects: 1) Cardiac cBIN1 gene therapy for chronic heart failure in adult dogs. Students will learn the biology of cardiac t-tubules, heart failure physiology and help develop and highly

promising therapy for failing heart muscle. 2) GJA1-20k therapy to mimic ischemic preconditioning. We have cloned a central mediator of ischemic preconditioning and will be testing it in large animals subject to ischemia and shock. Students will learn the biology of cardiac mitochondria and ischemic preconditioning and cardiovascular physiology.

Fall 2021 Graduate Research Opportunities Biomedical Engineering (BME) Faculty Projects

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Shiu, Yan-Ting, Ph.D. Adjunct Research Associate Professor, Internal Medicine / Nephrology / VA Research Track: Biomechanics Number of positions available: 1 Project Funding: NIH Project Description: Role of pathomechanics in vascular disease in patients with kidney disease and/or undergoing hemodialysis

Florian Solzbacher, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor and Department Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Track: Neuroengineering Number of positions available: 0-4 Project Funding: Various – see below Projects: 1) NIH UG3/UH3: Auditory Nerve Implant Project (first in human demonstration) 2) NIH SBIR: SiC Neural Electrodes 3) NIH SBIR: High channel auditory implant

4) NIH STTR: Fentanyl Biomarker Sensors 5) Sentiomed/Brown Foundation: hydrogel based biomarker sensors for metabolic and cardiac applications 6) Darpa BETR: Advanced encapsulation for implantable device for wound monitoring 7) Darpa Adapter: Encapsulation for implantable device for circadian rhythm control 8) Polymer based artificial muscles for implantable and exoskeleton/prosthetic applications Etc.) There are a few more pending: UG3/UH3: LCP based high channel electrodes for epilepsy monitoring, NIH R21 “live” Utah electrode array, U44 active smart electrodes,….

Dustin Williams, Ph.D. Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, division of Microbiology and Immunology Research Track: Biomaterials / bioInnovate Number of positions available: 0-1 Project Funding: Pending Projects: We are working on a grant for which we were invited by the FDA to submit and develop new test methods for orthopedic devices. It would be an ideal project for a BioInnovate student as they would work at the FDA for a year.