Biomedical Research Areas
Research within the school of biomedical engineering is categorized into three areas: biomechanics and biomaterials; molecular, cellular, and tissues engineering; and medical diagnostics.
Within these areas, faculty and students are collaborating on cutting-edge research in cancer, orthopaedics, cardiovascular disease, nanotechnology, biosensors, and more.
Biomechanics and Biomaterials
Biomechanics and biomaterials research at CSU covers a broad field encompassing four primary focus areas:
Kinematic analyses:
Kinematic analysis of patients with neurological disorders, orthopaedic procedures, or pharmacological treatments allow biomedical engineers to develop ways to improve patient function and independence. Motion analysis is used to quantify displacements during ex-vivo testing of implants and bone/implant interfaces during biomechanical testing.
Musculoskeletal implant design and analysis:
Biomechanical, histological, and microscopic techniques are used to evaluate orthopaedic implants and allograft bone retrievals from clinical patients. The retrieval analysis identifies problems with the current technology, mechanisms of failure, and approaches to improve longevity of reconstructions. Similarly, analysis of implant/bone interfaces using mechanical and histological assays provide insight into tissue ongrowth and ingrowth for biological implant fixation.
Biomaterials Development:
New materials are currently being developed in the laboratory include polymers with greater wear resistance and lubricity and composites for bone grafting and fracture fixation.
Computer Modeling:
Computer modeling from computer tomography scans and surface digitizations are used to reconstruct in-vivo structural healing and joint surface contours. These 3-D models can be used for rapid prototyping or finite element models.
Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering
Development of effective medical therapies for the future requires an understanding of the disease or injury at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and whole body levels. Several faculty within the program are directing their research efforts towards this goal. Ongoing research projects include tissue engineering and growth factor therapy for cartilage and bone repair, bioreactors for cardiovascular tissue engineering, the role of shear stress and cytokines on vascular endothelial cells, immune responses to biomaterials and engineered tissues, tissue engineering of heart valves, tissue plasminogen activator production, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling.
Medical Diagnostics, Devices, and Imaging
Advances in the medical sciences require the concomitant development of new, rapid and accurate diagnostic tools as well as a new generation of medical devices which are able to monitor and control patients' vital functions. A major focus at CSU revolves around blood processing. In the blood banking industry, it is essential to ensure minimization of the risk of transmission of pathogens to patients through donated blood
Current research at CSU involves designing new methods to inactivate pathogens in donated blood such as highly specific viral filters, design of more efficient blood oxygenators that could eliminate the need for blood transfusions during open heart surgery and new efficient centrifuges that may be used purify 'shed' blood for rapid reinfusion during surgery, again minimizing the need for blood transfusions. Other research projects involve the development of a new generation of highly specific biosensors and the development of better control and image analysis systems.