Lab Facilities

Location:
Coordinator: Dr. Lanny V. Griffin

The mission of the advanced instrumentation lab is to provide support to other labs in biomedical engineering. This includes expertise in sample preparation for nano- and micro-indentation, scanning electron microscopy, undecalcified hard tissue histology, as well as performing advanced analysis and characterization of natural and engineering biomaterials. Equipment includes a Hitachi S-800 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, Bioquant Nova, Micromaterials Microtest 600, Buehler precision diamond saw, Anatech Sputter coater, and metallographic polishing and cold-mount capability.

Location: ATL, St. Jude Lab
Coordinator: Dr. David Clague

The Biofludics laboratory focuses on biofluids characterization, microfluidics and Bio-MEMS. The biofluids side of the laboratory is equipped with a capillary rheometer, Osmotic pressure meter and a fluid properties characterization meter (conductivity, ionic strength, pH and dissolved gasses). The microfluidics side of the laboratory is equipped with two microfluidic test stations. Each microfluidic test station has a LabSmith video microscope and three Harvard apparatus Plus 11 syringe pumps. In addition to these capabilities, we have a LabSmith DC power supply, Tektronix signal function generator, and 4 high end workstations for design and analysis, one of which is equipped with National Instruments capabilities to perform Impedance sensing and AC-signal function generation. 

Students design, manufacture and model microfluidic chips. Additionally, students prepare and characterize reagents and conduct microfluidic experiments.

Location: 
Coordinator: Dr. Lily Laiho

The vision of the Biomedical Imaging and Bioinstrumentation Laboratory is to develop novel instrumentation incorporating imaging technologies to probe and understand biological systems on the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. This laboratory concentrates on applications in biology and medicine and offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to be involved in projects applying imaging and bioinstrumentation to diagnosis of disease. The laboratory is currently under development and, in the future, will have the ability to perform confocal microscopy, optical coherence microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and other optical techniques. Current research areas of interest in the lab include optical biopsy, cancer detection, creation of multi-modal instrumentation, and noninvasive monitoring devices providing diagnostic information.

Location: 
Coordinator: Dr. Lanny V. Griffin 

The mission of the BioMAC Lab is to characterize mechanical performance of both natural and engineered materials. Primary interests and expertise are associated with fracture, fatigue, static strength, and mechanical properties. Projects include application of engineering principles to characterize natural materials, micro-indentation, nano-indentation, fatigue of orthopedic and cardiothoracic surgery devices, micro-fracture toughness, and stent testing. Equipment includes a Bose SmartTest SP, Bose Enduratec 3200, Instron Inspec 2200, and a Micromaterials Microtest 600.

Location: ATL, St. Jude Lab
Coordinator:  

The advancement of the state of the art in the simulation, modeling and experimental application of biological neural systems and integrated neural-electronic systems for the benefit of medicine, national defense and the space sciences.

The Electrophysiology and Neural Electronics Research Group at California Polytechnic State University has extensive expertise in the simulation and modeling of neurological systems. This simulation and modeling expertise includes simulation of linear as well as non-linear neurological systems. A principal recent focus of the group has been the development of Hodgkin-Huxley based equivalent circuit models to study the characteristics of neural-electronic systems. Consequently, there is extensive in house experience related to combining simulations of excitable cells, through the use of Hodgkin-Huxley active membrane equivalent circuit models, with models of electronic devices. Additional research efforts have been focused on developing improved, physiologically relevant, models based on the Hodgkin-Huxley excitable membrane framework for implementation in SPICE-based simulation programs. These efforts are ongoing and have included successful implementation of the models in SPICE circuit description programs or (netlist) code as well as hard coding Hodgkin-Huxley equivalent circuit models within public domain versions of the SPICE program.

Recently the group has been extensively involved in the development of hybrid nerve conduction velocity techniques based on the spectral group delay characteristics associated with compound evoked potential measurements of peripheral nerve. These techniques facilitate the determination of peripheral nerve fiber diameter distributions associated with the fibers that contribute to the propagated evoked potential. If successfully implemented, the group delay techniques could provide an alternative and more robust diagnostic tool for neurologists in the diagnosis of pathologies of the peripheral nervous system.

The group has an extensive empirical and theoretical program focused on studying the impact of organophosphate based neural toxins on the electrophysiology of the neuromuscular junction. Detailed mathematical models of the processes involved in conduction of neural activity across the motor end-plate have been developed. These simulation studies are currently being validated empirically through electrophysiology based empirical investigations of the leech neuromuscular junction exposed to organophosphate based neural toxins.

The Electrophysiology and Neural Electronics Laboratory features state of the art electrophysiology instrumentation for sharp electrode and patch clamp experiments. A Molecular Devices/Axon Instruments MultiClamp 700B sharp electrode/patch clamp amplifier is the main instrumentation platform for intracellular studies. This platform is supported by advanced digital sampling/data collection capabilities with the Molecular Devices/Axon Instruments Digidata 1440A Digitizer and the supporting PClamp 10 Electrophysiology Software Suite. Customizable data acquisition capabilities are further enhanced by the availability of a high speed National Instruments PCI-6259, M Series data acquisition system capable of 1.25 MS/s. Intracellular electrophysiology studies are supported by a Nikon Eclipse FN1 fixed state microscope with a Gibraltar x-y stage platform. The facility is housed in a radio frequency screen room located within the St. Jude Biomedical Engineering Laboratory in the Advanced Technology Laboratory at California Polytechnic State University.

Location: 41-209
Coordinator:  

The objective of the In Vitro Systems Lab is to allow students and faculty to design, build, and evaluate in vitro systems for a variety of applications. These systems can be used to cultivate living tissue models for device and therapeutic evaluation, to create an environment for the production and harvest of cellular products, or to mimic geometries and conditions found in living organisms.

This facility centers on the development and implementation of components necessary for creating in vitro systems. Biologic and synthetic polymeric scaffolds are synthesized and utilized, bioreactor systems are designed and built to meet specific criteria, samples are prepared for post-cultivation evaluation, and conditions such as flow and pressure are controlled and measured.

Location: 38-134
Coordinator:  Dr. Trevor Cardinal

Spring Lab BBQ 2018
Spring Lab BBQ 2018

Principal Investigator
Trevor Cardinal, PhD
tcardina@calpoly.edu
805-756-6244

Graduate Students
Isobelle Espiritu
Ricardo Lasa
Jessica Scherer
Colleen Richards
Quentin Klueter

Undergraduate Students
Olivia Welch
Jordan Ambrose
Ada Tadeo
Nick Dion
Sammi Shi
Christine Do
Jaden Frazier
Elsa Bean
Karly Knox
Mahina Saucedo
Makenzie Jones
Randy Hau
Simon Park
Chloe Zimovets

Laboratory Mission Statement
The mission of our lab is to advance biomedical understanding while educating future generations of scientists and engineers, providing students with opportunities to learn by creating knowledge and ideas. Our primary objective is to understand the impact of vascular disease on blood flow control, which we hope will provide the foundation for advanced therapeutics to improve vascular health. 

General Research Interests
Our laboratory is at the nexus of two fields- microcirculation and cardiovascular regenerative medicine, hence the lab name. Specifically, we are interested in how the regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow is impacted by arteriogenesis* and risk factors for vascular disease. Studies investigating blood flow control are typical in the microcirculation field, while studies investigating arteriogenesis are typical in the cardiovascular regenerative medidine field. We combine these two fields to understand how various aspects of vascular disease impact the control of skeletal muscle blood flow. Unfortunately, vascular disease and its many risk factors impair the regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow, which can lead to leg pain while walking and decreased quality of life. Although all tissues depend on nutrient and waste exchange through blood, the massive increase in muscle metabolism that occurs when transitioning from rest to locomotion needs to be supported by a similarly massive increase in blood flow. When blood flow doesn’t increase sufficiently, patients experience a burning sensation referred to as intermittent claudication. If left untreated, vascular disease can worsen to the point where limb tissues no longer heal, and amputation is required (vascular disease is the #1 cause of lower limb amputation). Therefore, we hope to understand why various aspects of vascular disease impair the regulation of blood flow to skeletal muscle, and how cell transplantation and exercise can improve these processess blood flow. Although our focus is skeletal muscle, our research is applicable to vascular disease of the heart, aka coronary heart disease- the leading cause of death in the US.

*arteriogenesis is the enlargement of natural bypass arteries after a main artery is blocked

Laboratory Methods
Our studies involve one or more of the following- surgery, cell transplantation, in vivo microscopy, and immunofluroescence.

Publications (Lab Members Bolded)

Gouin KHHellstrom SK, Clegg LE, Cutts J, Mac Gabhann F, Cardinal TR, Arterialized collateral capillaries progress from non-reactive to capable of increasing perfusion in an ischemic tree, Microcirculation. 2017 Dec 28 [Epub ahead of print]

Guendel AM, Martin KS, Cutts J, Foley PL, Bailey AM, Mac Gabhann F, Cardinal TR, Peirce, SM, Murine Spinotrapezius Model to Assess the Impact of Arteriolar Ligation on Microvascular Function and Remodeling, Journal of Visualized Experiments, 73, 2013.

Cardinal TRStruthers KRKesler TJYocum MD, Kurjiaka DT, Hoying JB, Chronic hindlimb ischemia impairs functional vasodilation and vascular reactivity in mouse feed arteries, Frontiers in Physiology, 2:91, 2011

Presentations
MCS Annual Meeting 2018- Cell Transplantation & Collateral Capillary Arteriogenesis, Cell Transplantation & Arterialized Collateral Capillary Vasodilation, Cell Transplantation & Arteriogenesis in Obesity, Force Production & Arterial Occlusion
MCS Annual Meeting 2017- Sex Differences in Arteriogenesis & Vasodilation
Fall MCS Meeting 2014- Blood Velocity & Collateral Capillary Arteriogenesis
MCS Annual Meeting 2014- Vasodilation & Collateral Capillary ArteriogenesisBlood Velocity & Collateral Capillary ArteriogenesisMechanoadaptation & Collateral EnlargementAortic Stenting
Fall MCS Meeting 2013- Vasodilation in Preexisting & Newly Formed Collaterals
MCS Annual Meeting 2013- Vasodilation & Collateral EnlargementVasodilation & Collateral Capillary Arteriogenesis
MCS Annual Meeting 2012- Ischemia & Bone
MCS Annual Meeting 2011- Vasodilation & Ischemia
MCS Annual Meeting 2010- Vasodilation & Ischemia
Fall MCS Meeting 2009- Vasodilation & IschemiaNetwork Architecure & Ischemia
MCS Annual Meeting 2009- Vasodilation & IschemiaNetwork Architecture & Ischemia

“Microcirculations” in Nature
After viewing photomicrographs of vascular networks so often, we have begun to “see” these elegant, almost artisitc structures everywhere. After exercising your left brain on the papers and posters above, exercise your right brain with the pictures below.

Gorgonian Coral photographed in the Great Barrier Reef by David Danzeiser looks a lot like the interconnected capillaries of the lung.

Roots from a Maple Tree penetrating a burl on a Large Western Red Cedar (according to Dr Matt Ritter) in Stanley Park, resemble microvessels feeding a solid tumor.

Alumni  
NameDegreeAfter Graduation
Mary Kate EvansBS, BME 2018PhD at U Penn
Christopher HatchBS, BME 2019PhD at UC Irvine
Mark LandonMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2019Scientist at ThermoFisher
Madison HubbardBMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2019Engineer at ViaCyte
Courtney Nickell R&D Engineer at Edwards Life Sci
Vahid HamzeinejadBMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2018, ReportEngineer at ViaCyte
Tanner Quon BMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2018, ReportPD Associate at Capricor
Chris TranBMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2018, ReportMD, Cal Northstate U
Eric MagillBMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2017, ReportSecond Lieutenant, US Marine Corps
Ethan TietzeBMS, BME-Regenerative Medicine 2017, Report, Senior ProjectResearch Associate, Leiber Institute 
Padon SivesindBMS, BME 2017, ThesisProcess Engineer, Kite Pharma
Britta NelsonBMS, BME 2017, Thesis, Senior ProjectR&D Engineer at Meditrina
Megan Chu BMS, BME 2016, ThesisSenior Project Manufacturing Engineer, NeoTract 
Kenny GouinBMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2016, ReportSenior ProjectPhD, Cedars Sinai
Patrick PaineMS, BIO-Stem Cell Research 2016, ReportResearch Associate, Stanford
Laura BurckhardtBMS, BME 2015, ThesisSenior ProjectEP-TSS, St Jude Medical
Ashli SantosBS, BME 2015, Senior ProjectMedical Assistant Program
Travis SuttleMS, BIO-Stem Cell Research 2015, ReportR&D, Capcicor Therapeutics
Caitlin KoeroghlianBS, BME 2014, Senior ProjectBiomechanics Engineer, Biomechanica
Amanda KrallBS, BME 2014, Senior ProjectEP-TSS, St Jude Medical
Ashkon NehzatiBMS, BME 2014, Senior ProjectER Scribe, Apply to DO
Sara HellstromBMS, BME 2014, Senior ProjectThesisProcess Engineer, St Jude Medical
Jennifer Go

BMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2014, ReportSenior Project

Project Engineer, NDC
Josh CuttsBMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2014, ReportSenior Project PhD, Arizona State University
Paul HecklerBS, BMED 2014, Senior ProjectR&D Engineer, Altaviz
Stephan Papp

BS, BIO 2014

MD, University of Colorado
Allison Peck

BMS, BME 2013, Senior Project

Mech Engineer, Home Dialysis Plus
Robert ChaconMS, BIO-Stem Cell Research 2013, ReportLab Manager, Stanford/VA
Daniel HooverBS, BME 2013, Senior ProjectMD, Loma Linda University
Paige CzarneckiBS, BME 2012, Proprietary ProjectApplications Engineer, inviCRO
Ryan GallagherBMS, BME 2012, ThesisQuality Engineer, Alcon
Tyler SmithBS, BME 2012 Proprietary ProjectPhD, UCLA
Andrew TiltonBS, BIO 2012, Senior ProjectResearch Associate, SRI Int’l
Chris LiBS, BIO 2012MD, Boston University
Whitney Cole

BMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2012, Report

ER Scribe, apply to MD
Ian MahaffeyBMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2012, ReportQuality Engineer, Boston Scientific
David DanzeiserBMS, BME, 2012, ThesisWorld traveler
Alexander BynumBMS, BME 2011, ThesisQuality Engineer, Stryker
Michael GoveaBMS, BME 2011, ThesisR&D Engineer, Boston Scientific
Michael MachadoBMS, BME 2012, Senior ProjectThesis, Dr K Cardinal
Thomas HarperBMS, BME-Stem Cell Research 2011, ReportResearch Associate, UCSD
Anna McCannMS, BIO-Stem Cell Research 2011, ReportPhD, U of Washington
Andrew BurchMS, BIO-Stem Cell Research 2011, ReportPhD, UC Davis
Kyle StruthersBMS, BME 2011, ThesisEP-TSS, St Jude Medical
Shilpi GhoshMS, BME 2010, ThesisMBA, Indian Inst of Foreign Trade
Joe Zhu OD, New Engl College of Optometry
Phil Chang TDP, Edwards Life Sciences
Emily DeckertBS, BME 2010, Senior ProjectEP-TSS, St Jude Medical
Thomas KeslerBS, BME 2010, Senior ProjectMD, New York Medical College
Matthew YocumMS, ENGR (BME) 2009, ThesisMD, Medical College Wisonsin
Allyse AlexBS, ASCI 2008Clinical Embryology
Stephanie WoodMS, ENGR (BME) 2008, Thesis MD, UC Irvine

Location: ATL
Coordinator:  

The focus of this facility is the design, development, construction, and testing of instruments for direct clinical and commercial application. Key thrust areas include bioinstrumentation, medical devices, biomaterials, biomechanics, bio-remediation, prosthetic robotics and microbial interaction with materials.

Transforming Engineers through Community Hands-on Engagement (TECHE) – CENG Laboratories (calpoly.edu)

This lab is devoted to generating and fostering innovations that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.  We focus on engineering-driven projects that address challenges that people face in today’s world, using engineering and computing expertise to improve the human experience.  The lab provides students with an excellent opportunity to develop unique solutions for health problems faced by people with disabilities and perform hands-on work while making a difference in someone’s life.  We serve a wide range of individuals and community members seeking assistive technology solutions.

Location: 197-209
Coordinator:  

The objective of the Tissue Analysis Laboratory is to provide the tools for students and faculty to evaluate tissues at the structural, cellular, and molecular level.

The Tissue Analysis facility centers around core competencies in the areas of histological evaluation and gene expression analysis. Histology protocols include sectioning and staining to assess tissue morphology and cellular phenotypes. Gene expression analysis involves nucleic acid isolation, amplification, and quantification in order to determine the molecular characteristics of cells and tissues. This facility currently contains multiple fume hoods, a rotary microtome for histology, PCR thermocyclers, a gel imaging station, and electrophoresis chambers.

Location: 41-209A
Coordinator:  

The objective of the Tissue Engineering Laboratory is to provide an aseptic and controlled environment for the culture of cells and the creation of living tissue engineered constructs.

The Tissue Engineering Laboratory facility is a site for working with living systems. The facility is focused on the ability to culture and maintain cells and tissues in flasks, bioreactor chambers, and other in vitro environments. Maintaining proper conditions for cells, tissues, and reagents is accomplished with a biological safety cabinet, dedicated cell and tissue incubators, and other equipment housed in this lab. The cell incubator is used to culture a variety of cell types in flasks and dishes, while the large tissue incubator can house pumps and bioreactor systems for tissue cultivation.