College of Engineering Biomedical Engineering Department

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Kelly Langert, Ph.D. — BME Fall 2024 Seminar Series

Drug delivery strategies to access inflamed peripheral nerves

Kelly Langert, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Depart of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Loyola University, Chicago, IL

Thursday November 14, 2024 11am-12pm PWEB 150

Abstract: The acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a debilitating autoimmune peripheral neuropathy. Current treatments, focused on nonspecific immune modulation, are often ineffective. Systemic or local delivery of several candidate therapeutics can attenuate the severity of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), an established rat model of AIDP; however, advancing these approaches clinically has been limited by non-translatable dosing and administration routes. While the blood-nerve barrier (BNB) normally restricts access of circulating molecules to the endoneurium, during the acute inflammation associated with some peripheral neuropathies, including AIDP, the BNB exhibits increased permeability and enables immune cell infiltration. These pathological changes contribute to disease, but they may also offer a unique opportunity to access the otherwise restricted peripheral nerve microenvironment for therapeutic delivery. Drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) represent a promising strategy to leverage BNB pathology and deliver therapeutics to affected tissue while avoiding off-target toxicity. We previously showed increased BNB permeability to small molecules at EAN onset and passive accumulation of NPs (138 nm) in nerves during intermediate to peak disease stages. Our current work focuses on the development of active targeting strategies to maximize NP delivery, and one such strategy consists of rat macrophage plasma membrane vesicle coated NPs (mNPs). We isolated plasma membrane vesicles from rat alveolar macrophages using nitrogen cavitation and differential centrifugation and demonstrate retention of key adhesion proteins using western immunoblot. mNPs exhibit specificity for inflamed over quiescent primary BNB endothelial cells in vitro. Further, mNPs accumulate more readily in nerves of EAN rats compared with healthy rats, and labeled mNPs accumulate in inflamed nerves to a greater degree than free dye alone. Our results suggest that BNB permeability enables delivery of NPs to affected nerves during EAN and that macrophage membrane coating imparts further specificity to the inflamed BNB.

Biography: Dr. Langert is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine who is establishing her laboratory at the intersection of neuroscience, pharmacology, and bioengineering. She completed her undergraduate degree with majors in Neurobiology and Psychology at the University of Wisconsin- Madison and went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Loyola in 2012. Her thesis focused on the effects of statins on the endothelial cells that form the blood nerve barrier. She received postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology in the lab of Dr. Eric Brey. She has maintained consistent support for her research from the Department of Veterans Affairs since 2014, including pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, a five-year Career Development Award that facilitated her transition to a tenure track faculty position at Loyola, and starting this fall a four-year VA Merit award. Her lab studies targeted drug delivery to the peripheral nervous system in rat and mouse models of neuropathy that feature inflammation.

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For additional information, please contact Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi or Sarah Dunnack

Jeff Lichtman, Ph.D. — BME Fall 2024 Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series

EXA-SCALE IMAGING OF THE MAMMALIAN BRAIN

Jeff W. Lichtman, M.D., Ph.D.
Jeremy R. Knowles Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Santiago Ramon y Cajal Professor of Arts and Sciences
Dean of Sciences in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard

Thursday November 07, 2024, 11am-12pm, PWEB 150

Biography: Jeff W. Lichtman, M.D., Ph.D. is the Jeremy R. Knowles Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Professor of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of Sciences in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard. His work focuses on uncovering the fine structure of developing and mature neural circuits using new tissue preparation and imaging techniques, that provide synapse-level descriptions of brain structure in a wide variety of animals including Cnidaria, Gastropods, Nematodes, Zebrafish, Rodents, and humans. He is currently involved in a consortium developing the approaches required to obtain a full mouse brain connectome. He will talk about the technical and intellectual advances and obstacles related to making, and making sense, of a full brain connectivity map.” Professor Lichtman is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

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For additional information, please contact Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi or Sarah Dunnack

Shahram Amini, Ph.D.— BME Fall 2024 Seminar Series

Hierarchical Surface Restructuring: The Technology of the Future for Sustainable, High Performing and Multifunctional Neural Interfacing Electrodes and Microelectrode Arrays

Shahram Amini Ph.D.
Vice President of R&D- Pulse Technologies
Gratis Professor- BME University of Connecticut

Thursday October 10, 2024, 11am-12pm, PWEB 150

Abstract: Recent advancements in implantable neural interfacing devices have led to significant breakthroughs in neurostimulation and cardiac rhythm management, enabling precise neural stimulation and signal recording for the treatment of various neurological and cardiac disorders. To enhance the specificity, functionality, and overall performance of these devices, electrodes and microelectrode arrays—the core components of most emerging devices—must be further miniaturized and demonstrate exceptional electrochemical performance with neural tissue. Since the selective and targeted stimulation of small populations of neurons near implantable electrodes is crucial for their success, the trajectory for further refinement of neural interfacing devices largely depends on increasing electrode miniaturization, which enables higher spatial resolution, precision, and reliability. However, challenges remain in optimizing electrode performance, commercial viability, manufacturability, and sustainability. In this presentation, several key areas of innovation will be explored. First, the miniaturization and electrochemical enhancement of femtosecond-laser hierarchically restructured electrodes, which demonstrate unprecedented improvements in performance, will be discussed. Second, the development of multifunctional, high-performing antibacterial electrodes designed to combat post-implantation infections while maintaining superior electrochemical properties will be highlighted. Advancements in ultra-thin, flexible electrodes for invasive nervous system applications will also be presented, with a focus on their enhanced electrochemical properties and mechanical stability. Finally, a sustainable alternative to platinum group metal electrodes will be presented, showcasing how titanium-based electrodes, restructured using a novel reactive hierarchical surface restructuring platform, achieve superior electrochemical performance and provide a low-cost, sustainable solution for long-term neurostimulation and cardiac rhythm management devices.

Biography:  Dr. Shahram Amini is currently the Vice President of R&D at Pulse Technologies Inc., an Integer Holdings company. With over two decades of experience in research management and technology innovation, Dr. Amini has successfully driven the development and commercialization of cutting-edge materials and products across diverse industries, including automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. Additionally, Dr. Amini serves as a visiting professor and sits on the advisory board of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on the design of hierarchical surfaces, coatings, thin films, and hybrid surface solutions for medical devices as well as advanced materials, measurements and manufacturing technologies for extreme and harsh environments. As the founder of several R&D centers, he has led multidisciplinary teams and gained international recognition through numerous patents and scholarly publications. Dr. Amini earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Drexel University in 2008, following his M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in Metallurgy and Materials Science from Sharif University of Technology and Shiraz University, respectively. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Hypersonic Science Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and served as a visiting researcher at the Materials Department of Queen Mary, University of London, England, and a visiting professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rowan University.

Download flyer here

For additional information, please contact Dr. Sina Shahbazmohamadi or Sarah Dunnack