Engineering.rice.edu

My research experiences began early in my undergraduate training, as soon as I chose to major in Biomedical Engineering. I participated in internships during each of the summers between years in college and I also did research during my last two years of college. I made sure to exposure myself to different specialties of research in various research environments in order to gain a breadth of knowledge in choosing my research focus for graduate school. I have been exposed to both team-based collaborative studies as well as my own independent research projects. These research experiences have give me the knowledge and experience necessary to develop new hypotheses and approaches, design and execute experiments in the laboratory, and present my findings publicly to my colleagues. Furthermore, I have found my passion in translating basic science to engineering and clinical applications. In the summer after my first year at University of Virginia, I participated in a summer research program at the University of Maryland where I worked in a team of four with Drs. Lourdes Salamanca-Riba and Mohamad Al-Sheikley (Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD). This team-based project investigated the attachment of single stranded DNA to the semi conductor gallium arsenide in order to create a large-capacity biochip. I optimized the existing attachment procedure so that the team could statistically test the amount of DNA attachment and alignment to gallium arsenide using multiple methods, including atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectric spectroscopy, RAMAN spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. After presenting my work at the University of Maryland summer research symposium, I realized that I have a passion and talent for scientific research. During my second and third years at UVA, I worked with Dr. Jason Sheehan (Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA) to determine the interaction of antisecretory medication, specifically Bromocriptine, and radiosurgery in prolactinoma cells in order to find the optimal treatment for secretory adenoma patients. I used three methods to examine cell behavior including cell counts, measurements of intracellular calcium, and measurements of apoptosis using flow cytometry. I really appreciated visiting the Gamma Knife center at UVA so that I could relate my work at the bench to the patients whom I saw receiving chemo- and radio-therapeutic treatments. This bench to bedside approach allowed me to realize that I have a passion for translational research. Following my time spent in academic research labs, I wanted to expand my horizons to compare how research is conducted in a university setting with that in a research institute. I worked in Dr. Paul Martin’s lab (Center for Gene Therapy, Columbus Children’s Research Institute, Columbus, OH), which focused on the causes and possible treatment options for muscular dystrophy. I studied different mouse models of muscular dystrophy, and particularly, the role of glycosylation of key proteins such as dystroglycan on the progression of the disease. The current mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the mdx mouse, has the same symptoms as human patients, but the symptoms are not as drastic and lifespan is not shortened. I examined alternative mouse models, which could more accurately resemble the human progression of muscular dystrophy, such as a shortened lifespan, as a result of changes in glycosylation. Again, I was motivated by the potential immediate clinical application to patients with currently untreatable muscular dystrophy in the adjoining hospital while enjoying my first exposure to animal models of disease. As a 4th year undergraduate at UVA, I culminated my undergraduate training experience with a thesis project under the mentorship of Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler (Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA). With my team-mate, I designed a procedure to label and dynamically track human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) in vivo. hASCs are currently receiving much attention for their putative therapeutic abilities in enhancing revascularization in ischemic and diseased tissues, including heart disease, peripheral limb ischemia, and diabetic retinopathy. Tracking the injected cells by transfecting them with reporter-genes, such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) and luciferase, enables researchers to evaluate whether cells migrated to the desired location and to better understand the cell-based mechanisms underpinning their therapeutic effect. I established an innovative protocol to transfect the cells with green fluorescence to enable in vivo imaging using a small animal model. I presented my work in the University of Virginia Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium competition, and won the team projects category. This experience allowed me to learn how to present my work not only to scientific experts but also to educated non-specialists. Furthermore, I completed the research development of a new technology from cells to animals, and now the technique is being applied in a human clinical trial. Based on these research experiences, I chose Dr. Jennifer West’s lab at Rice University for graduate school. The lab’s expertise in translational research on angiogenesis matched perfectly with my interests. In continuing with translational research, I have been working with a cornea micropocket mouse model of angiogenesis. With collaborators in Mary Dickinson’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine, I designed a novel procedure to create disc shaped poly (ethylene glycol) hydrogels 200 µm in diameter—small enough to fit in a mouse cornea. I can design the hydrogels to release growth factors, specifically vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or the combination of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). These growth factors are significant in stimulating angiogenesis, and have demonstrated their effectiveness in our novel mouse model. The mouse cornea is avascular, so any vascular development is a result of our treatment. Using VEGF, I demonstrated that I can show a significant neovascular response. By incorporating the PDGF/FGF combination, I can create more stable and organized vessels. I hope to continue this research to examine the effect of pegylated growth factors and cell encapsulation, as outlined in my research proposal. My extensive research experiences have given me a breadth of knowledge about biomedical engineering research. Knowledge of the differences between academic organizations and research institutes has allowed me to make a more informed and confident decision to attend graduate school. The various research areas I have worked in have helped me to determine that I desire to focus on translational angiogenesis research. I look forward to applying my interests and skills to a prolific career that spans basic and applied biomedical engineering research. JL West, ME Dickinson. “Flk1-myr::mCherry mouse as a useful reporter to characterize multiple aspects of ocular blood vessel development and disease.” Developmental Dynamics. (submitted) (Poster) RA Poche, ML Scott, IV Larina, JL West, and ME Dickinson. “Flk1- mry::mCherry Mice as a Useful Reporter Line to Monitor Neovascular Responses.” Gordon Research Conference in Visual Systems Development. August 2008. Newport, RI. (Poster) AJ Bailey, and SM Peirce. “Labeling and Dynamically Tracking Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.” University of Virginia Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium. May 2007. Charlottesville, VA.

Source: http://engineering.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/School_of_Engineering/Current_Students/Graduate_Students/NSFGRFP_2009/exampleD%20research%20experience.pdf