Spring 2025 Seminar Series

May 7, 2025

Empowering Future Scientists: Electrochemical Sensor Research and Undergraduate Training at Navajo Technical University

Thiagarajan Soundappan, Navajo Technical University

4:00 p.m., Farris Engineering Student Lounge, FEC 1000/1500

Abstract: Limited resources and access to centralized healthcare facilities within the Navajo Nation have emphasized the urgent need for low-cost, decentralized diagnostic tools. This talk will present our work on the simple and scalable fabrication of paper-based and laser-induced graphene electrodes for various electrochemical and biosensing applications. These platforms are designed for the sensitive and selective detection of heavy metals, biomolecules, clinically relevant cancer biomarkers, and bisphenol (BP) compounds—an essential class of endocrine disruptors linked to environmental and health concerns. Using simple techniques such as hand coating, wax patterning (commercial wax printer), and laser engraving, we engineered the sensors to be affordable, portable, and accessible, making them ideal for deployment in underserved and remote areas. This research also serves as a vital training opportunity for undergraduate students at Navajo Technical University, providing hands-on experience in electrochemistry research, sensor design, fabrication, and testing. Through this research, Navajo students are empowered to address real-world challenges in their communities, such as water contamination, endocrine disruptor exposure, and early disease detection, helping bridge the gap between advanced research and local impact within the Navajo Nation.

Bio: Dr. Thiagarajan Soundappan is an Associate Professor, Chemistry Program Coordinator, and Head of the Chemistry Department at Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM. His research expertise spans several advanced fields, including electrochemical sensors, biosensors, flexible point-of-care diagnostics, wearable devices, and electrochemical energy storage. Dr. Soundappan earned his Ph.D. from the National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan (2005-2009), where he also gained valuable experience as a postdoctoral researcher from 2009 to 2012. He furthered his postdoctoral work from 2012-2013 at The University of Texas at Austin in Prof. A.J. Bard's research group and continued as a postdoctoral research associate at Washington University in Saint Louis from 2013-2016. Dr. Soundappan has been honored with prestigious NSF-PREM, USDA-NIFA, and USDOT research awards.

April 29, 2025

Recent progress in machine learning for chemical processes: reactive force fields and beyond

Sergei Tretiak, Los Alamos National Laboratory

4:00 p.m., location TBD

Abstract: Machine learning (ML) became a premier tool for modeling chemical processes and materials properties. ML interatomic potentials have become an efficient alternative to computationally expensive quantum chemistry simulations. In the case of reactive chemistry designing high-quality training data sets is crucial to overall model accuracy. To address this challenge, we develop a general reactive ML interatomic potential through unbiased active learning with an atomic configuration sampler inspired by nanoreactor molecular dynamics. The resulting model is then applied to study five distinct condensed-phase reactive chemistry systems: carbon solid-phase nucleation, graphene ring formation from acetylene, biofuel additives, combustion of methane and the spontaneous formation of glycine from early-earth small molecules. In all cases, the results closely match experiment and/or previous studies using traditional model chemistry methods. Importantly, the model does not need to be refit for each application, enabling high throughput in silico reactive chemistry experimentation. Active learning can be further boosted with uncertainty driven dynamics that can rapidly discover configurations to meaningfully augment the training data set. This approach modifies the potential energy surface used in molecular dynamics simulations to favor regions of configuration space for which there is large model uncertainty. Finally, a training procedure based on Iterative Boltzmann Inversion suggests a practical framework of incorporating experimental data into ML models to improve accuracy of molecular dynamics simulations. Altogether, explosive growth of user-friendly ML frameworks, designed for chemistry, demonstrates that the field is evolving towards physics-based models augmented by data science.

Bio: Sergei Tretiak is a Laboratory Fellow of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). He received his Chemistry doctorate in 1998 from the University of Rochester. He was then a postdoctoral fellow (1999-2001) and subsequently became a staff scientist at Los Alamos and a member of the DOE-funded Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT). He became an American Physical Society Fellow (APS) in 2014, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2019, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2023. He has also received the Humboldt Research Award (2021), the Los Alamos Postdoctoral Distinguished Mentor Award (2015) and the Los Alamos Fellow's Prize for Research (2010). His research interests include development of electronic structure methods for molecular optical properties, non-adiabatic dynamics of electronically excited states, optical response of excitons in conjugated polymers, carbon nanotubes, semiconductor nanoparticles, mixed halide perovskites and molecular aggregates, and the use of Machine Learning for chemistry and materials. Tretiak has published more than 400 articles, been cited over 35,000 times (h-index=90) and presented more than 400 invited and keynote talks in the United States and abroad.

April 23, 2025

Stochastic Interactions of Long- and Short-Form Aquaporin-4 in Supported Lipid Bilayers

James Brozik

4:00 p.m., location TBD

Abstract: Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a water channel protein found primarily in the central nervous system and helps to regulate water-ion homeostasis. AQP4 exists in three major isoforms: a long-form (M1), a short-form (M23), and an extended form (exM23/M1). All isoforms are functionally identical water channels, but M23 forms large, ordered arrays (OAPs), M1 regulates the growth of these arrays by forming a peripheral layer around the aggregates, and exM23/M1 regulates the polarization of AQP4s through the PDZ binding domain of a-Syntrophin. Structurally, M1 has an N-terminal tail that is 22 amino acids longer than M23 and contains two solvent-accessible cysteines available for S-palmitoylation. Moreover, earlier work suggests that palmitoylation might play a role in regulating OAP growth. Presented is a series of time-lapse single-molecule fluorescence imaging studies that show trajectories resulting in transient dimer formation for palmitoylated M1 proteins and larger aggregates when de-palmitoylated. These studies have allowed for the determination of fundamental thermodynamic values (free energies, enthalpies, and entropies) and the development of a statistical thermodynamic model that successfully reproduces the experimental results. These studies impact our understanding of the peripheral layer surrounding OAPs in mixed M23/M1 samples. Recent results involving mixed M23/M1 systems and exM23/M1 a-Syntrophin binding will also be discussed.

Bio: Dr. Brozik is an internationally recognized physical chemist, molecular spectroscopist, and biophysicist with expertise in laser spectroscopy, single molecule fluorescence imaging, theoretical modeling, instrument development, and chemical synthesis. Dr. Brozik got his PhD in Chemistry in 1996 under the direction of Professor Glenn Crosby, a well-known and respected laser spectroscopist and Physical Chemist. He worked as a post-doc at Los Alamos National Laboratory under Dr. Basil Swanson, also a highly respected chemist and spectroscopist. Dr. Brozik holds the Donald and Marianna Matteson Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry (2014-2025) and was recently awarded the Ralph P. Yount Distinguished Professorship in Sciences (2024-2030). Dr. Brozik has worked in the fields of single molecule biophysics and single molecule materials science for more than 25 years and has authored numerous recently published articles on the subject. His current research program uses single-molecule fluorescence, spectroscopy, and theory to describe biochemical interactions, dynamics, and the statistical mechanical nature of proteins and small protein assemblies. Dr. Brozik is also a co-founder of two biotech companies and holds numerous patents: Photon Biosciences, LLC, located in Spokane, WA, and SMi Drug Discovery, Limited, in Cambridge, UK.

April 10, 2025

Near-infrared optical Imaging: Bridging technology and clinical applications

Anuradha Godavarty, Florida International University (FIU)

2:45 p.m., Student Lounge inside Farris Engineering Center

Abstract: Near-infrared (NIR) optical imaging has been developed and applied for various non-invasive clinical imaging applications. Our Optical Imaging Laboratory focuses on designing, developing, and implementing low-cost NIR devices for bedside imaging applications related to wound care, cancer therapeutics, and peripheral vascular imaging. We developed hand-held and smartphone-based optical devices as a low-cost triage tool to determine if diabetic foot ulcers require hospitalization, the presence of vascular calcification, or the potential impact of cancer therapy in breast cancer patients. The evolution of NIR optical imaging in our lab from benchtop to bedside to mobile health devices over the years will be discussed.

Bio: Anuradha Godavarty is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Florida International University (FIU). She received a Ph.D. in Chemical engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. She then worked as a Post-Doctoral Associate in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont before joining FIU. Her research interests are in developing low-cost, hand-held, near-infrared optical imaging devices and applying them for various clinical applications, including diabetes wound monitoring, cancer therapeutics, and cardiovascular perfusion studies. To date, she has over 150 research publications and has presented her work (over 240 talks/posters) at various national/international conferences/scientific meetings. Dr. Godavarty received the FIU Faculty Senate Research Award, the Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Health Care Hero Award in the biomedical category, and the Coulter Translational Research Career Award. She has 18 issued/pending patents (within the USA and globally). Dr. Godavarty is a Fellow of Americal Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and SPIE. Her research has been funded by various federal and state agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, American Cancer Society, Canary Foundation, W. H. Coulter Foundation, and Florida Department of Health.

April 9, 2025

Engineered Proteins and Microbes for Predetermined Functions

Ramesh Jha, Los Alamos National Laboratory

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: The computational protein design combined with high throughput screening can pave way for rapid engineering of proteins with customized functions. Using state-of-the-art tools such as Rosetta, RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN and AlphaFold, we are generating proteins that can sense small molecules, bind to metals, perform prolonged catalysis with high efficiency or function as affinity reagents. A major focus of my talk will be on development of tools for enzyme engineering. Enzymes are biocatalytic proteins that play crucial roles in accelerating chemical reactions while maintaining precision and finesse. However, when it comes to industrial applications, the inherent characteristics of enzymes often pose limitations that require improvement in various aspects, including catalytic efficiency, thermostability, expression, and reduced product inhibition. Particularly, when dealing with non-natural substrates or products, enzyme optimization becomes a critical step in bioprocesses involving enzymatic bioconversion. To address this challenge, rational mutagenesis combined with thorough testing can be employed to adapt and optimize enzymes for specific bioconversion process. In order to enhance the efficiency of testing, we utilize a custom-designed gene circuit comprising a sensor-reporter system that becomes activated in the presence of the enzymatic product. The accumulation of a fluorescent reporter within the cells, correlates with product accumulation, serving as a proxy for enzymatic activity. This fluorescence signal enables the adaptation of the method to high throughput screening on a petri dish, based on the fluorescence of the colonies, or ultra-high throughput efficiency using flow cytometry. We have successfully applied this technology to improve the function of various enzymes with immediate applications in biomanufacturing and bioremediation. We have expanded the technology to thermophilic organism for engineering thermostable enzymes. Using computational sequence design and high throughput screening in a thermophile, we developed a fluorescent reporter ideal for anaerobes and with applications as translational reporter at an elevated temperature. Finally, I will show our new research in the areas of metal binding peptides with enzymatic properties or with applications in biosensing and biomining. Furthermore, our engineered helical peptides that can be inserted in fluorescent protein and be used as a fluorescent affinity reagent bring new opportunities in detection and diagnostics. Our high throughput screening methods coupled with rational design methods significantly expedite the protein engineering process and also provides wealth of data that can form basis for data-driven engineering of proteins and peptides.

Bio: Dr. Ramesh Jha received his Bachelors and Masters degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jha joined Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2010 and is currently Scientist 4 in the Bioscience Division. Specialized in synthetic biology and protein biochemistry, Dr. Jha seamlessly integrates computational techniques with experimental approaches to engineer proteins with diverse applications. He currently leads and works with an interdisciplinary team of computational and synthetic biologists on development of biocatalysts and biosensors for conversion of renewable feedstock to value added chemicals, biodegradation of recalcitrant anthropogenic molecules into non-toxic molecules or building blocks, affinity reagents for diagnostics and therapeutics and peptide modules for metal binding. Jha is an investigator and LANL lead on multiple consortiums such as Agile BioFoundry and BOTTLE. He is currently leading projects funded by DTRA and DOE-OS and has established collaborations with universities and industries through CRADA projects. Dr. Jha has authored over 30 research and review papers in peer-reviewed journals and secured 3 patents in the areas of microbial and protein engineering. Notably, Jha’s Smart Microbial Cell Technology for rapid optimization of biocatalyst was a recipient of R&D 100 award and earned a silver medal in the Disruptive Technology category in 2020.

April 2, 2025

Support Interactions, Dynamics and Reactivity of Supported Metal Clusters and Single Atoms

Ayman M. Karim, Professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Supported noble metal catalysts are extensively used in industry and their catalytic performance is strongly affected by particle size and shape. In the last decade, supported single atoms and subnanometer clusters have attracted a lot of interest since they maximize the metal utilization and have shown extraordinary catalytic properties for many reactions. Furthermore, the metal-support interactions are crucial; the support can modify the electronic properties of the metal and, consequently, its catalytic properties. Conversely, metals alter the redox properties of the oxides. In this talk, I will present my group’s work on the use of detailed kinetics, in-situ and in-operando spectroscopies to understand the effect of metal (Pt, Ir, Rh) nuclearity, metal-support interactions and dynamics on the redox properties, and reactivity for CO oxidation and ethylene/acetylene hydrogenation. Different trends emerge for both reactions as a function of metal nuclearity and support, which are due to new reaction pathways; and lead to breakaway from traditional reactivity descriptors. Strategies for tailoring the metal-support interactions to improve the catalyst activity and potentially escape the activity-selectivity trade-off will be presented.

Bio: Dr. Karim is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech. Prior to Virginia Tech in 2014, he worked as a senior research scientist (2008-2014) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Dr. Karim earned his BSc in Biomedical Engineering from Cairo University in Egypt (2000) then moved to the U.S. and received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Mexico working with Prof. Abhaya Datye (2001-2006) followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Delaware in the Chemical Engineering Department with Prof. Dionisios Vlachos (2007-2008). His research is focused on the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, and the design of heterogeneous catalysts for energy and environmental applications using controlled synthesis, detailed kinetics and a combination of advanced in-situ and in-operando characterization techniques.

Dr. Karim has received the 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2015), Virginia Tech Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) Junior Faculty Award (2015), 2021 Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research Class of Influential Researchers, and Virginia Tech College of Engineering Dean’s award for Excellence in Research (2022) and the 2024 College of Engineering SPORN teaching award. He is a co-principal investigator for the Synchrotron Catalysis Consortium (SCC) and is a member of the Young Editorial board for Journal of Energy Chemistry. Dr. Karim has co-authored over 70 peer reviewed publications, one patent and delivered over 40 invited lectures and presentations.

March 26, 2025

Protein Delivery Systems for Autoimmune Disease Treatment

Nicholas A. Peppas, The University of Texas at Austin

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: The biomaterials and drug delivery world is changing drastically. New chemistries have created many exciting new materials. Engineering the molecular design of intelligent biomaterials by controlling structure, recognition and specificity is the first step in coordinating and duplicating complex biological and physiological processes. Here we summarize the latest work of our lab. This includes: (1) Bypassing the BBB barrier for glioblastoma treatment; (2) Combining insulin delivery and glucose sensors for diabetic patients; (3) Nanoparticles for delivery of chemotherapeutic agents; (4) Codelivery for chemotherapy and gene therapy. (4) Use of micelles for RNA delivery. (5) Recent siRNA delivery particulate structures for Crohn’s disease (6) Microfluidic devices for cancer treatment and (7) Addressing diseases less studied: endometriosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia.

Bio: Professor Nicholas A. Peppas is a biomedical/chemical engineer, materials scientist, and nanotechnologist whose research contributions, innovations, inventions have led to twenty chemical, medical and pharmaceutical products. Peppas is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Inventors, Academia Europaea, European Academy of Sciences, Canadian Engineering Academy, Indian National Academy of Engineering, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Korean Academy of Science and Technology, National Academy of France, Royal Academy of Spain, Academy of Athens, Greece, Academy of Romanian Scientists, Mexican Academy of Sciences, Academy of Texas, Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and Italian Society for Medical And Biological Sciences.

He has served as a Visiting Professor in the Universities of Geneva, Paris-Sud, Santiago de Compostela, Madrid, Lisbon, Parma, Pavia, Napoli, Hacettepe (Ankara), Athens, Berlin, Hebrew University (Jerusalem), Hoshi University (Tokyo), Nanyang University (Singapore), Sichuan University (Chengdu), Peking Medical College (Beijing).

His group has set the fundamentals of flow and transport phenomena in numerous medical problems, based on the principles of engineering science and biology. He has published or edited 37 books, 2,150 publications and is cited in more than 230,000 references (H=229). He is honored by 200 Awards including NAE Founders Award, NAM Adam Yarmolinsky, Pharmaceutical Global Leader Award, and the Biomaterials Global Impact Awards. His AIChE Awards include the Founders Award, William Walker Award, Warren K. Lewis Award, Materials Engineering and Sciences Award, and Food, Pharmaceuticals and Bioengineering Award.

Peppas holds a D.Eng. from NTU Athens, a ScD. from MIT and is the recipient of 15 honorary doctorates and professorships from France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, Romania, Israel and China. He is the Editor of Regenerative Biomaterials (Oxford) and Past-President of CRS, SFB, the International Union of Biomaterials Sciences, and the International Sigma Xi research organization.

March 12, 2025

On Interpretation of Impedance Spectra

Mark Orazem, University of Florida, Gainesville

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: The interpretation of impedance spectroscopy data requires both a physical insight into the chemistry and physics that govern the system under investigation and an assessment of the error structure of the measurement. Our group has recently published a measurement model computer program that enables both assessing the stochastic and bias errors in a measurement and provides for regression of interpretation models.1 The program is made available under the GNU General Public License (GPL) 3.0 that makes it free for non-commercial use. Tutorials are provided in the included reference manual and as reference 2. The object of this presentation is to describe the approach taken by our group for interpretation of impedance data, including error analysis and development of interpretation models.

The need for an interpretation model that accounts for the chemistry and physics of the system is especially urgent, given the proliferation of papers that rely on distribution of relaxation time (DRT) methods. Such DRT models provide a useful intermediate step toward an interpretation model, but cannot replace a model that accounts explicitly for the chemistry and physics of the system.

Bio: Mark Orazem obtained his BS and MS degrees from Kansas State University and his doctorate in 1983 from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1983, he began his career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, and in 1988 he joined the faculty of the University of Florida, where he is a Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, the William P. and Tracy Cirioli Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Prof. Orazem is a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society, the International Society of Electrochemistry, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He served as President of the International Society of Electrochemistry and co-authored, with Bernard Tribollet of the CNRS in Paris, a textbook entitled Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, now in its second edition. Prof. Orazem received the Henry B. Linford Award of the Electrochemical Society, the Electrochemical Society Corrosion Division H. H. Uhlig Award, and with his co-author Bernard Tribollet, the 2019 Claude Gabrielli Award for contributions to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Prof. Orazem has been teaching short courses on impedance spectroscopy for the Electrochemical Society and other organizations since 2000.

March 7, 2025

A Journey through Membrane Materials: Natural, Synthetic and Somewhere in Between

Gabriel A. Montaño, Northern Arizona University

2:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: In biology, lipids serve as the principle organizing molecule in membranes. Membranes are essential to life, serving as cellular barriers, the point of interaction for cellular recognition events, and home to important biological processes such as photosynthesis and cell signaling through non equilibrium organization. Biohybrid and bioinspired membrane materials have been demonstrated as useful frameworks for investigating complex biological processes under controlled conditions (i.e. composition, pH, temperature, ionic strength) as well as for applications ranging from diagnostic and therapeutic delivery vesicles to catalysis and environmental treatment, etc. In this talk, I will describe membrane materials built upon natural lipids and synthetic polymer amphiphiles and our ability to control organization and activity toward investigating complex biological processes such as photosynthetic light-harvesting as well as understanding underlying principles that govern the utility of such materials for technology applications such as those described above. I will also share my unconventional journey to materials science, the challenges, struggles, and fun along the way!

Bio: Dr. Gabriel Montaño is a native New Mexican born and raised in Gallup, NM and has spent his academic and professional careers in the southwest. Gabriel attended New Mexico State University where he received his Bachelors of Science in Biology; attended Arizona State University where he completed his PhD in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and; was an Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In 2005, Gabriel accepted a position as a Technical Staff Member with the newly developed Department of Energy-Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) where he remained until the fall of 2017. In the fall of 2017, Montaño moved to Northern Arizona University (NAU) and led the creation of the Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications (¡MIRA!). In addition, he led the establishment of the Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science at NAU and created a PhD program in Applied Physics and Materials Science. Dr. Montaño also served as NAU’s Chief Diversity Fellow and oversaw the creation and implementation of NAU’s first Diversity Strategic Plan. Gabriel has served as a Board Member and as President of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), is a member of the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC), and an advisory Board member for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Materials, Chemical, and Computation Science Division. He has dedicated his career to demonstrating to aspiring scientists the possibility of being an effective, high-impact research scientist while making a difference through outreach initiatives that can help current and future generations of scientists.

March 4, 2025

Functional and Tunable Biomimetics for Reproductive Tissue Engineering

Ariella Shikanov, University of Michigan

3:45 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Premature ovarian insufficiency and infertility are irreversible and significant side effects of radiation and chemotherapies that impact the quality of life of young cancer survivors. Restoration of reproductive function is uniquely challenging because women are born with a non-renewable reserve of ovarian follicles, the functional unit of the ovary each containing a single oocyte and hormone producing somatic cells. Clinically available fertility preservation options to restore the lost ovarian endocrine function are limited, especially for children and young adults. We aim to create biomimetic constructs that direct tissue regeneration and restore biological function by combining approaches from engineering, materials, chemistry and life sciences. To achieve this, we designed biomaterial-based matrices that support the development of ovarian follicles cultured in vitro or transplanted in vivo. For the in vitro follicle culture, we developed a degradable hydrogel that promotes deposition and sequestration of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules secreted from the cultured follicles and cells. The ECM-sequestering peptides incorporated in the hydrogel acted as a scaffold for ECM deposition mimicking the fibrous structure of native ECM. Towards restoration of ovarian endocrine function in adolescent pediatric cancer survivors we developed the first generation of a hydrogel-based immuno-isolating capsule that supported survival and function of murine allografts in immune competent hosts. Further, human ovarian tissue encapsulated and implanted in ovariectomized NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice responded to circulating follicle stimulating hormone and secreted ovarian hormones in a physiological process of follicle maturation. In conclusion, we demonstrated that biomimetic hydrogels can support the development of ovarian follicles cultured in vitro or transplanted in vivo.

Bio: Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan.

February 19, 2025

Bioprinting for Regenerative Medicine and Cancer: a tool to interrogate and engineer intracellular pathways

Thomas Boland, University of Texas at El Paso

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Inkjet bioprinting (TIB) holds immense promise for regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and fundamental biological research, enabling the engineering of functional living tissues. While characterization of bioprinted structures has been a focus of TIB development since its introduction in 2003, this approach inherently limits our understanding of cell behavior within the printing apparatus and immediately post-printing. This presentation explores recent discoveries regarding cell behavior during and shortly after inkjet bioprinting, illuminating previously hidden biological processes.

The mechanical stress exerted by many bioprinting modalities, potentially causing cellular deformation, raises questions about their role in mechanotransduction. Since integrins and cytoskeletal proteins mediate this process—the exchange of physical forces between cells and their extracellular matrix (ECM)—we investigated whether the mechanical stress of bioprinting could be used to model and influence cell behaviors such as reprogramming, vasculogenesis, and drug resistance in cancer cells.

This study examines the effects of TIB on both healthy fibroblasts and breast cancer cells. Bioprinted triple-negative breast cancer cells exhibited more aggressive behavior, including increased proliferation, migration, and drug resistance, compared to non-bioprinted controls. Hormone-responsive breast cancer cells displayed a hormetic response to bioprinting, with low doses exhibiting a beneficial effect (e.g., cell death) and high doses an inhibitory effect. These behaviors are characteristic hallmarks of cancer.

Analysis of TIB-treated fibroblasts revealed several hallmarks of cellular reprogramming, including the expression of pluripotency markers OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28B. Bioprinted cells exhibited transient overexpression of lamin A/C in the early hours post-printing, suggesting mechanical stress within the nucleus. Additionally, YAP/TAZ expression in the nucleus was significantly elevated and was not inhibited by WZ4003, a NUAK2 inhibitor known to prevent YAP/TAZ nuclear entry in normal cells. This suggests that alternative pathways, such as YAP Ser128 phosphorylation or pore deformation, may be involved in facilitating the nuclear entry of YAP/TAZ in bioprinted cells.

In conclusion, bioprinting is emerging as a valuable engineering tool for investigating intracellular responses to mechanical stress. This study demonstrates the transformative potential of TIB technology for creating robust models in cancer and stem cell research, enabling the study of drug resistance mechanisms and other biological processes.

Bio: Thomas Boland is a Professor in the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso. He also serves as the director of UTEP's Biomedical Engineering Program. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Ecole Nationale Sup‚rieure d'Ing‚nieurs de Genie Chimique in Toulouse, France in 1990, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA in 1995. In 1994, he was a finalist for the Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award. Following his Ph.D., he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Materials Science at the Pennsylvania State University from 1995-1997, and at the Naval Research Laboratory from 1997-1999. In 1999, he joined Clemson University as Assistant Professor, where he received tenure in 2005. Prior to heading up the UTEP BME program, Thomas was the Director of a NSF/NIH funded Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Summer Institute, whose primary mission is to introduce senior undergraduate and junior graduate students with science and engineering backgrounds to the interdisciplinary research projects in the bioengineering and bioinformatics areas. Thomas' research interests are applying engineering principles to automate, predict and build three dimensional structures that show biological function. He has received numerous awards and was featured on CNN and the Discovery Channel for his groundbreaking innovations using inkjet printers to assemble cells and biomaterials into viable and functioning structures. He is the author of more than 45 publications, including 3 invited reviews and chapters, and he has delivered more than 25 invited presentations. He is a member of the AVS, MRS, the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T) and the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS).

February 12, 2025

Selective Catalytic Transformations of Polyolefins

Aaron Sadow, Ames National Lab and Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: We are investigating catalytic materials and methods that regulate the cleavage of C–H bonds or C–C bonds in polyolefins, to introduce functional groups at selected positions or to create narrow distributions of shorter, partially deconstructed chains. This approach involves the design and synthesis of 3D porous inorganic metal oxide architectures which contain catalytic sites in well-defined positions in the material, along with spectroscopic investigations and theoretical models of polymer adsorption and translocation in the pores. In parallel, we are developing catalytic sites and reactions that break C–C and C–H bonds in aliphatic hydrocarbon polymers. As these catalytic sites are incorporated into 3D architectures and studied in polyolefin deconstruction reactions, our team is developing theoretical, kinetic models and in situ spectroscopic methods for studying the ‘macromolecular’ mechanisms that influence the average chain lengths of products and the dispersity of product distributions.

Such approaches using micro or mesoporous materials can lead to processive catalysis, whereby a polymer chain is adsorbed into the pores of the inorganic oxide and is successively cleaved into smaller fragments without release of the ever-shortening polymer chain. Nanoparticles, responsible for C-C cleavage, localized in the pores at uniform distances from the pore mouth, then cleave polyolefin chains into semi-regular smaller chain lengths. We will present our studies of these architectures and catalytic reactions in the selective deconstruction of polyolefins.

February 5, 2025

Membraneless Intracellular Organization: Role of Nucleic Acid Phase Separation

Anisha Shakya, UNM

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Compartmentalization of the cellular interior allows organization of the numerous biochemical processes that cells need for proper function. This can occur with or without lipid membranes. Condensation of biological macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids through phase separation into liquid-like droplets (biomolecular condensates) has emerged as a central feature of membraneless compartmentalization in cells. Phase separation can allow organization across multiple length scales; ranging from large organelles, such as the nucleolus, to small functional compartments such as transcription “hubs”. Misregulation of this physical phenomenon in cells has also been linked to diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. My research has involved elucidating the formation, dynamics, and maintenance of biomolecular condensates, both in vitro and in cells, using modern optical microscopy techniques and a range of biophysical, biochemical, cell biology tools. In this talk, I will summarize my work on understanding the formation and dynamics of nucleic acid-based biomolecular condensates, the effect of the mechanical properties of nucleic acids on tuning condensate properties, and the role of phase separation of DNA-binding proteins such as histones in chromatin organization in the cell nucleus.

Bio: My research program seeks to understand how the multitude of biochemical processes occurring inside a cell are organized in absence of lipid membranes, and how the mis-regulation of such membraneless organization lead to diseases. To achieve this, my program employs a range of interdisciplinary skills such as thermodynamic analysis, database mining and computation, novel optical imaging methods along with in-vitro reconstitution assays and cell biological techniques.

I was born and raised in Nepal, a small beautiful landlocked nation with some of the tallest mountains in the world. I have a B.Sc. in microbiology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and a B.Sc. in chemistry from McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA. I obtained my Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI and did postdoctoral trainings at the Institute for Basic Science, South Korea and Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

At UNM, I am assembling a team of passionate scientists from diverse backgrounds to help expand our knowledge of chemistry and solve some of the challenging problems in human health and diseases.

Currently, outside of science, I love to spend time with my 11-month-old and two Korean cats.

January 29, 2025

High Throughput Free Energy Methods in Drug Discovery

Xiaorong Liu, UNM

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Computational tools have become increasingly indispensable in drug discovery. In particular, physics-based free energy methods have become increasingly practical and effective in structure-based drug design. However, a major bottleneck for current free energy approaches is the computational cost and thus limited throughput, especially when substantial conformational flexibility exists for the receptor and/or the ligand. To address this bottleneck, we have developed multisite lambda dynamics (MSLD)-based methods for rigorous, high-throughput free energy predictions. In this talk, I will discuss the principles of MSLD, and share one of our recent works demonstrating that MSLD is an effective strategy for large-scale free energy calculations to guide the optimization of TSSK1B kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, I will present our recent development to more efficiently sample conformational dynamics and greatly improve the efficiency and robustness of MSLD free energy calculations. Continual development of enhanced sampling in MSLD will be critical for further extending its applicability to traditionally challenging cases in the design of drug molecules, biologics, and functional proteins.

Bio: I grew up in Hubei, China, and obtained my B.Sc. degree in Applied Chemistry from Wuhan University. In 2019, I obtained a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and my Ph.D. study was focused on developing and applying advanced computational methods to study intrinsically disordered proteins, which play important roles in cellular signaling and regulation and are associated with many human diseases. I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan before joining UNM, and my main effort was to develop highly accurate and high-throughput computational methods to design drug molecules. I have been an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at UNM since August 2024.

January 22, 2025

Innovations in microfluidic systems and nanotechnology for biomedical applications

Xiujun James Li, University of Texas at El Paso

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Recently, fast-growing microfluidic lab-on-a-chip and nanotechnology have caused significant impacts on various disciplines including modern analytical chemistry. Herein, I will highlight several paper/polymer hybrid microfluidic devices and nano-biosensing technology that we recently developed for biochemical and environmental analysis, with a focus on low-cost disease diagnosis, especially for resource-poor settings. Difference chip substrates have different advantages as well as limitations. Paper/polymer hybrid microfluidic devices can draw more benefits from both substrates. We for the first time developed a low-cost photothermal biosensing method for quantitative biochemical analysis using a common thermometer. Integrated graphene oxide nano-biosensors, on-chip DNA amplification, and nanoparticle-mediated photothermal immunosensing will also be introduced toward their applications in point-of-care infectious disease diagnosis and cancer biomarker detection.

Bio: XiuJun (James) Li, Ph.D., is a Full Professor with early tenure in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), USA. He is also the Director of Forensic Science Program at UTEP. After he obtained his Ph.D. degree in microfluidic lab-on-a-chip bioanalysis from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada in 2008, he pursued his postdoctoral research with Prof. Richard Mathies at University of California Berkeley and Prof. George Whitesides at Harvard University, while holding a Postdoctoral Fellowship from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. Dr. Li’s current research interest is centered on the development of innovative microfluidic lab-on-a-chip and nanotechnology for bioanalysis, biomaterial, biomedical engineering, and environmental applications, including but not limited to low-cost diagnosis, pathogen detection, nano-biosensing, genetic analysis, 3D cell culture, tissue engineering, and single-cell analysis, supported by NIH, NSF, CPRIT, DOT, UT System, Philadelphia Foundation, AAFS, and MCA Foundation multiple funding agencies. His lab has extensive experience in point-of-care detection. He pioneered the novel concept of paper/polymer hybrid microfluidic devices; he, for the first time, developed photothermal biosensors for low-cost quantitative analysis using a common thermometer.

Dr. Li has coauthored about 123 scientific publications and 24 patents, including three books from Elsevier on microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. He is an Editorial Board member of multiple journals including Microsystems & Nanoengineering and Scientific Reports from the Nature Publishing Group, Micromachines, Future Science OA, Journal of Analysis and Testing, etc, and an Advisory Board member of Lab on a Chip, Analyst and Sensors & Diagnostics. He is the recipient of the “Bioanalysis New Investigator Award” in 2014, UT STARS Award in 2012, NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow Award in 2009, Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Graduate Student Abroad (2004), Outstanding Faculty Dissertation Research Mentoring Award (2016 & 2018, twice), NIH BUILDING Scholar Mentoring Award for Excellence in Student Research Mentoring in 2017, and so on.