Education
- PhD, Biomedical Engineering – Neural Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, May 2009, GPA: 3.83/4.0
- MS, Biomedical Engineering – Neural Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, May 2003
- BE, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, May 2001, Magna Cum Laude, GPA: 3.65/4.0
Ongoing Research Experiences:
Project 1: Long-term restoration of tactile and kinesthetic sensation in human amputees using electrical nerve stimulation delivered through multi-channel nerve cuff electrodes with percutaneous leads
Associate Investigator 35-40 hours/week 07/14-Present
Post-doctoral Researcher 40+ hours/week 07/12-06/14
Accomplishments:
- Authored or co-authored 11 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings
- Gave 5 public platform presentations
- Authored or co-authored 2 book chapters appearing in Sunderland’s Nerves and Nerve Injuries
- Authored 1 encyclopedia entry in the Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience
- Developed real-time closed-loop sensory feedback for prosthetic control
- Developed a novel method of nerve stimulation that transformed paresthesia (“tingling”) into a natural sensation of pressure at multiple locations around the phantom hand
- Worked with the Technology Transfer Office to secure a patent for the novel stimulus waveform
- Worked with biomedical engineers and regulatory personnel to produce, submit, and receive approval on an FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE)
- Worked with regulatory experts on VA and DoD Investigational Review Board (IRB) approval
- Developed novel experiments that demonstrated that restored sensation increased object detection and object manipulation with a myoelectric prosthetic hand
- Served as a point-of-contact for collaborations with Medtronic for the development of input requirements documents for implantable multi-channel stimulators
- Worked with engineers, therapists, and clinicians to develop a battery of tests to assess the ability to restore natural sensation using electrical nerve stimulation and to assess the effects of sensory restoration on prosthetic control
Supervisory Roles:
- Managed three graduate students, overseeing experimental design, experiments, and data analysis
- Managed two undergraduate students, overseeing data collation and analysis
- Managed one high school student, overseeing data collation and analysis
Grants & Funding:
- Career Development Award – Level 1 (CDA-1), Department of Veterans Affairs (PI)
- HAPTIX, DARPA (Associate Investigator)
Research Awards, Honors, & Recognitions:
- Featured on the cover of Science Translational Medicine
- Featured in various popular media
Supervisor(s): Holly Henry
Research Advisor(s): Dustin Tyler, PhD
Advanced Platform Technology & Functional Electrical Stimulation Centers of Excellence
Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (LSCDVAMC)
Cleveland, OH, 44106
Project 2: Quantify vagal and splanchnic nerve response to stomach distension in chronically obese animals. Develop novel biomimetic stimulus waveforms using computer simulations. Evaluate the effect of stimulus on loss of excess body weight.
Principal Investigator 10 hours/week 06/15-Present
Accomplishments:
- Assembled and managed a research team consisting of biomedical engineers, a bariatric surgeon, and a bariatric surgical technician from three research institutions (Case Western Reserve University, LSCDVAMC, Cleveland Clinic)
- Used project-tracking software to set timelines and milestones (Gantt charts) for training, ordering supplies, conducting experiments, and publishing
- Coordinated study across two Institutional Animal Care and use Committees (IACUCs)
Supervisory Roles:
- Managed research technician
- Managed two independent budgets that funded different parts of the study
Grants & Funding:
- Pilot Grant, Veterans Affairs Foundation (PI)
- Clinical & Translational Science Collaborative Pilot Grant, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (PI)
Supervisor(s): Holly Henry
Research Advisor(s): Kenneth Gustafson, PhD, Stacy Brethauer, MD
Advanced Platform Technology & Functional Electrical Stimulation Centers of Excellence
Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (LSCDVAMC)
Cleveland, OH, 44106
Project 3: Design and analyze nerve cuff electrodes for use on lower extremity nerves to provide control over lower extremity musculature in individuals with impaired gait.
Associate Investigator 5-10 hours/week 07/12-Present
Post-doctoral Fellow 40+ hours/week 05/09-06/12
Graduate Research Assistant 40+ hours/week 05/05-04/09
Graduate Research Fellow 40+ hours/week 12/03-08/05
Accomplishments:
- Authored or co-authored 21 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings (see Publications and Presentations)
- Gave 7 public platform presentations
- Developed and analyzed computer simulations to optimize neural interfaces for the femoral, sciatic, tibial, and peroneal nerves using histology-derived, 3D FEM models
- Conducted the largest probability analyses of neural population responses to electrical stimulation with ~6x1012 neuron simulations using a combination of parallel computing on graphics processing units (GPUs) and high performance cluster computing
- Simulated expected mechanical outputs resulting from selective stimulation of the target nerves to guide novel nerve cuff electrode development
- Developed a 12-channel, mobile, intraoperative neuromodulation setup capable of real-time closed-loop control of nerve stimulation, representing a 200% increase over previously developed intraoperative systems
- Developed a graphical user interface (GUI) for the intraoperative setup
- Developed intraoperative protocols for nerve cuff degassing with an ultrasonic cleaner
- Developed intraoperative protocols for nerve cuff evaluation
- Coordinated experimental teams consisting of biomedical engineers, surgical nurses, surgeons, clinicians, therapists, and regulatory personnel
- Evaluated the ability of the CWRU spiral and flat interface nerve cuff electrode (FINE) to selectively recruit individual muscles or sets of muscles in the lower extremity through a series of acute intraoperative experiments requiring real-time collection and analysis of electromyograms (EMGs)
- Expanded nerve cuff electrode evaluation from EMG-based to moment/torque-based
- Worked with the Technology Transfer Office to secure a patent for a novel nerve cuff electrode
- Worked with biomedical engineers and regulatory personnel to produce, submit, and receive approval on an FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE)
- Developed input requirements documents for implantable multi-channel stimulators
- Used project-tracking software to s...
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