Research

The BioElectroChemical Engineering Laboratory (BECEL) conducts multiple interdisciplinary research studies encompassing the fields of: bioelectrics, biomaterials, cell biology, nanotechnology, and electrochemical characterization of solutions and surfaces.

Currently, BECEL is focused on elucidating fundamental bioeffects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and other directed energy stimuli for translation to biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, treatment of cancer, and neural interfacing. We also have projects exploring food technology and manufacturing, electrochemical energy sources, and chemical analysis of food and pharmaceutical products.

Undergraduate students join BECEL primarily through Jr./Sr. Engineering Clinics and volunteering throughout the year.

RESEARCH THEMES & PROJECTS

Mechanobiology & Pulsed Electric Fields

An electric field (EF) exerts force on charges.
Capacitors (i.e. biomembranes) have a characteristic charging time, and when 1 V is reached across a biomembrane, electroporation occurs as pores form.
Mammalian cells have multiple mechanisms to actively repair damaged biomembranes. When the phospholipid bilayer and the underlying actin cortex rupture, and calcium rushes in, microtubules direct intracellular vesicles to patch the pore.
Microtubules (green from tubulin tagged with green fluorescent protein) apparently depolymerize when calcium ions flow through pulsed electric field-induced nanopores.

Tissue Engineering using Electrokinetic Extraction

Implantable scaffolds and patches from native cartilage tissue are created by decellularizing and extracting immunogenic molecules with pulsed electric fields.

Food Safety & Bioprocessing

Microorganisms are either stimulated or inactivated by physical agents such as pulsed electric fields.

Jr./Sr. ENGINEERING CLINICS

2022 - 2023

Food Decontamination

Short Description: Inactivate bacteria on leafy green food products using pulsed electric field processing (sponsored by USDA NIFA AFRI)

Skills and tasks emphasized include:

Microbial cell culture
Pulsed electric fields
Bioanalysis (viability, colorimetry, permeabilization)

Elemeat

Short Description: Incorporate pulsed electric field processing into precision fermentation to engineer 'alternative proteins'

Skills and tasks emphasized include:

Bioprocessing (precision fermentation)
Pulsed electric fields (process intensification)

PowerGum

Short Description: Develop a biodegradable, pre-workout gum or gummy containing essential amino acids to build muscle

To develop a product to fill this need and feel a better burn, materials will be researched to make PowerGum. The polymer chemistry will be developed. The transport of supplements will be modeled. Experiments to characterize physical properties and biocompatibility will be designed. And a manufacturing process that strictly adheres to food safety guidelines will be planned to make PowerGum.

Xenograft Tissue Engineering using Electrokinetics

Short Description: Model and analyze electrotransport in cartilage to accelerate decellularization processes

Skills and tasks emphasized include:

Literature search and technical writing
Solidworks and COMSOL modeling
‘Maker’ skills, such as 3D printing
Electrotransport modeling and experimental methods
Microscopy and image analysis

2021 - 2022

Switching Off Cancer Cells

Short Description: Does exposure of breast cancer cells to pulsed electric fields switch-on or -off genes?

Pulsed electric fields (PEF) have been used to ablate soft tissues in humans. The goals of this Clinic are to determine molecular pathways by which PEF exposure can ‘switch-off’ cancer cells, especially via epigenetic and genetic alterations.

Skills and tasks emphasized include:

Literature search and technical writing
Microscopy image analysis
Cytological signal transduction mechanisms and cascades mapping

Cold Plasma Sterilization

Short Description: Prototype a cold plasma device to decontaminate leafy green food products

Cold plasma is a low-temperature, low-energy state of matter that has been shown to kill microbes attached to a variety of surfaces. Plasma achieves decontamination by producing charged ions in the surrounding air and nearby liquids. These ions disrupt biomembranes and intracellular pathways of yeast and bacteria. Although the general mechanism of how cold plasma decontaminates surfaces is well-known, plasma-based decontamination technology is in its early stages. There is ample room for research, device development and optimization to meet industrial needs. This entrepreneurial Clinic will start to bring a cold plasma decontamination device from idea to prototype and ready a marketable technology.

2020 - 2021

Lunar Dust Mitigation Strategies (SLED-TIPS)

Development and experimentation of handheld microplasma nanogenerators for dust mitigation in microgravity environments
Produce triboelectric plasma via breakdown of argon/xenon gas mixture
Generate high voltage output using fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film
Discharge plasma through various capillary geometries

Tumor-Treating Fields

Short Description: Determine potential biomolecular signal transduction mechanisms by which electromagnetic fields can control tumor cells

Skills and tasks emphasized include:

Literature search and technical writing
Experimental methods in non-ionizing radiation and electrophysiology
Cytological signal transduction mechanisms and cascades mapping
Systems biology modeling
Design of experiments (especially Taguchi methods)

Food Storage for Safety & Quality

Short Description: Model cold storage of semi-solid foods in alternative restaurant containers for correlative prediction of microbial growth

Complex, semi-solid foods (such as stews or saag dishes) must be cooled for storage in smaller containers to avoid excessive growth of hazardous microbes. Refrigerating such foods in the large pots often used for preparation at restaurants is a common violation cited during retail food inspections. Specific guidelines for storage of such foods has been difficult to provide due to the complex geometries of solids in the food mixtures. Modeling of heat and mass transport in these mixtures will be investigated using COMSOL. Dynamic temperature profiles will be correlated with microbial growth kinetics to predict bioburden following refrigeration of specific combinations of foods and containers.

Knowledge, skills and tasks to be emphasized include:

Laws and guidelines regarding food handling and processing
Literature search and technical writing
COMSOL modeling

Flow Batteries with Eutectic Solvents

Short Description: Explore conductive eutectic mixtures as electrolytes for use in flow batteries

More efficient thermochemical methods to store energy are needed to meet rising demand for electric cars and various hybrid power generation technologies. New battery technology is necessary. Flow batteries are promising alternatives that generate current across an ion selective membrane during a redox reaction in electrolyte mixtures. Conductive deep eutectic solvent (DES) mixtures are excellent candidates to be the electrolytes in flow batteries. DES are less prone to dendrite formation, which harms battery efficiency and eventually causes short-circuiting, destroying the battery unit.

Knowledge, skills and tasks to be emphasized include:

· Renewable energy storage

· Battery electrochemistry, architecture & construction

· Eutectic materials

· Design processes

· Cost-benefit analysis

High Performance Liquid Chromatography of Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Short Description: Design a liquid chromatography column using phase change materials for thermally-tuned elution of basic compounds with pharmaceutical applications

Knowledge, skills and tasks to be emphasized include:

· Interfacial phenomena

· Chromatography for pharmaceuticals

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