The Humanities Gifts Registry is hosting this annual event honoring the individuals who donated their bodies to medical education and research. All Philadelphia medical schools participate in this memorial event attended by the family members and loved ones of the donors. The Celebration of Remembrance is made possible by Philadelphia’s medical students and Drexel’s very own medical students will be among the events volunteers.

Dornsife's Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program invites first-year MPH students to meet faculty and local partners (community & government) with maternal and child health research interests to learn more about their work and discuss potential summer APE projects.

Topic
Translating the Complex Role of Antiretrovirals in the Brain

BIOMED Master's Thesis Defense

Title:
Exploring Biokinetics of Metal-Ion Release in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Modeling Approach

Speaker:
Hope Seybold, Master's Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University
 
Advisor:
Steven Kurtz, PhD
Research Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Details:
Total knee arthroplasty is a common treatment option for patients suffering from degenerative osteoarthritis. However, the patient satisfaction rate of this procedure remains a concern. The release of metal ions from the metallic implant materials can lead to adverse health effects in patients. Investigating this release of metal ions into the body may help assess health risks associated with these implants. The aim of this study is to further understand the kinetics of chromium ion release following total knee arthroplasty implantation through the development and validation of a biokinetic model. The biokinetic model developed in this study is a first-order compartmental model that outlines the transfer of chromium ions from the total knee arthroplasty implant into the body through transfer coefficients and derived equations. The transfer coefficients implemented in this model are based on existing literature and experimental data.

The model was calibrated by adjusting dosing parameters to optimize the model predictions in comparison to empirical measurements of chromium concentrations in the joint capsule tissues and the blood. Verification testing of this model was conducted to assess the model’s ability to predict chromium concentrations over a 15-year period following total knee arthroplasty surgery. The development of the biokinetic model provides insights into the kinetics of chromium ions in the body following total knee arthroplasty and can serve as a tool for assessing the health risks associated with orthopedic implants. Future research directions are identified to enhance the model’s predictive capabilities and clinical utility.

BIOMED PhD Thesis Defense

Title:
Design of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Device and Applicator to be Used in an at-Home Setting – A Holistic Approach

Speaker:
Karissa Barbarevech, PhD Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University
 
Advisor:
Peter A. Lewin, PhD
Richard B. Beard Distinguished University Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Details:
The primary purpose of this work was to design and implement a compact, battery-powered, fully wearable applicator for delivering therapeutic low-frequency (20-40kHz), low-intensity (100mW/cm2 ISPTP) (LFLI) ultrasound to enable treatment of chronic wounds in home setting. Such a device does not currently exist, and in addition to engineering aspects associated with electromechanical design, its implementation requires a novel approach involving consideration of feedback received not only from healthcare professionals, but also caregivers. One strong motivation for the novel design approach is to enable individuals with chronic wounds to enhance self-care management of wounds in the home setting instead of a hospital or outpatient clinic environment. In the home setting, the device may be exposed to physical maltreatment, requiring precautions with respect to its sturdiness.

Although the holistic approach presented has been applied to the design of an applicator for chronic wounds, the design considerations and execution are transferable to any device targeted for home use. The implementation exemplified here examines transformation of an early, relatively fragile design into a robust, time-programmable, safe tool. The modification, which includes comprehensive reconfiguration and redesign of the electronics driving a piezoelectric transducer is presented along with methodology devised with the field feedback obtained from focus groups. This feedback evinced that in addition to electrical engineering, an extensive background in mechanical engineering, material science, biology, and clinical practice is needed to fabricate an end-user friendly, quality-of-life improving, ergonomic device.

COVID From the Translational Science/Pre-clinical/Clinical Care Research Perspectives

Topic
Neurobiology of Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Drug Development

Topic
The Exploration of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Impact on Adolescent Sexual Behaviors