The overall goal of this project is testing the toxicity of siloxane on INS-1E transfected cells. The concentrations that it was tested at are 40%, 20%, 10% and 8% with a control of no siloxane. It was found that even at 40% siloxane was not toxic to the INS-1E transfected cells. Video Research poster View…

This project explores how physiological stress varies across the four phases of the menstrual cycle using wearable heart rate variability (HRV) data. By analyzing LF/HF ratios over 90 days from 18 participants, the study identiJies distinct circadian stress patterns unique to each hormonal phase. The results suggest that wearables can reveal real-time, hormone-driven shifts in…

This project explores how performing a cognitive task affects a person’s ability to regain balance after a physical perturbation. Using motion capture, force plates, and a joystick-controlled game, we measured key gait metrics such as step length, and margin of stability in healthy individuals. Our goal is to establish a pipeline that can be used…

 This project aims to better understand the path dependence of stochastic cell fate determination. This is done through the creation of a stochastic model of cell differentiation governed by a trigene network to identify the frequencies of various path types taken by simulated cells. This model attempts to elucidate the mechanisms by which evolution biases…

The Barbara Smith Lab’s Fluorescence-Guided Electrophysiology (FGE) System was created to identify neuronal subtypes inside the brain, an ongoing goal due to the imaging constraints of current systems caused by light attenuation. One area of improvement for the FGE system is the common misalignment of the optics port during fiber replacements. To mitigate this issue,…

This project investigates the physiological effects of wearing exoskeletal boots (exoboots) during extended walking in fit individuals. By measuring heart rate and oxygen consumption across different walking conditions—flat vs. incline terrain and with vs. without exoboots—the study aims to assess whether exoboot use contributes to increased fatigue. The findings are intended to inform the potential…

Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy is known for its ability to produce sharper, more resolved peaks compared to traditional liquid chemical extraction NMR. The broad, poorly resolved peaks typically observed in liquid NMR average out in solid-state MAS, resulting in higher quality data, especially when applied to complex samples such as…

Multisensory integration is a complex integration of multiple senses used to form percepts that are critical for interacting with one’s surroundings. Mixed reality platforms are a way to study multisensory integration. In a recent study from the lab, a mixed reality platform was used to examine effects of different tactile cues and arm visual feedback…

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical treatment that uses electrical stimulation to targeted portions of the brain to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Tourettes, OCD, and obesity. The current Leksell frame Adjuster is an antiquated device that neurosurgeons have been using that is very tedious and outdated for them. I will be…

Assessing the data quality and overall presence of current excited signal is an important stage of screening and processing the data produced from Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography (MREIT) experiments. To do this, Signal to Noise (SNR) analysis and two methods of subtractive comparison were utilized. The data analyzed consisted of previously collected MREIT scans…