The growing obesity epidemic in the United States has led to a cascade of health problems throughout the population. One of the most prominent side effects of obesity is loss of proper adipose tissue (AT) function, which then leads to increasing levels of leptin production, overexpression of inflammatory cytokines, insulin resistance, and ultimately debilitating conditions…

Due to the unreliable nature of visual identification of deer mice in the field, we aimed to use a species-specific gene (cytochrome b) to characterize Peromyscus species within the Santa Catalina mountains of the Madrean Sky Islands. By extracting DNA using ear tissue, amplifying the cytochrome b gene, and ensuring its presence using gel electrophoresis,…

My project consists of an in-vitro model of encapsulated JAR Trophoblast cells cultured with excised NOD mouse splenocytes post-diabetic onset for 72 hours used to mimic pregnancy in mice prone to spontaneous autoimmune diabetes onset. The inspiration for this project stems from pregnancy in animals which induces a tolerogenic immune environment that could potentially be…

Several studies have demonstrated that certain types of noise exposure have a significant impact on an individual’s cognitive performance. This study aims to quantify the effect of different noise exposures on cognitive performance. A total of 15 young subjects participated in the study in a calm, relaxing environment, to prevent other stress factors from interfering…

Wearable ultrasound emitters are used to power implanted devices or modulate neuronal function. Variation in placement of an external wearable can result in reduced efficiencies, improper stimulation of a biotarget, or inaccurate sensor readings. Using the K-Wave Toolbox in MATLAB a 10 kHz pulse was simulated to test different linear ultrasound emitter configurations were tested…

This paper presents the design, development, and experimentation of a wireless, battery-free neural stimulation system utilizing an intraoral pathway for power delivery to deep brain targets for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Traditional neuromodulation systems require implantable pulse generators and wired leads. This introduces surgical risks and hardware complications. To address these limitations, a resonant…

Dipole antennas are being widely used in ultra-high field (UHF) MRI systems due to their deeper penetration depth of the transmit magnetic field (B1). However, traditional rigid dipole designs do not conform well to the highly curved anatomical regions such as neck, wrist, shoulder, etc., resulting in reduced electromagnetic coupling in tissues, increased localized electric-field…

Diabetic foot ulcers are difficult to heal due to impaired blood circulation, chronic inflammation, and the strong barrier function of the stratum corneum, which limits the effectiveness of topical therapies. Histamine is a vasodilatory and immune-active molecule with potential to enhance local perfusion and support tissue repair, but its therapeutic use requires a formulation capable…

Home-based rehabilitation post orthopedic lower-extremity interventions is difficult to monitor objectively, as clinic-based gait labs are expensive, inaccessible for frequent use, and impractical for everyday settings. Patients also often have no clear feedback on whether they are performing prescribed exercises correctly, which may slow recovery and increase the risk of re-injury. This study aims to…

Tissue marking, or tattooing, is used during endoscopic procedures to identify lesions for follow-up and surgical resection. However, existing tattoo inks diffuse extensively, reducing the accuracy of later localization. Tissue-Adhesive Tattoo, Generation 2 (TAT2) is a novel mucoadhesive ink that improves spot containment by more than 90% compared with current clinical inks. Although TAT2 enables…