Biological engineering

Dr. Song works with organ-on-chip systems and leads investigations on artificial implantable organs through engineering approaches and biomaterials that manipulate cell behavior. Her work has helped applications in neural regeneration, muscle rehabilitation, diabetes treatment, and bone tissue engineering. Her goals are to contribute to the fundamental scientific knowledge at the intersection of biology, engineering, and medicine. She aspires to advance new diagnostics and therapeutics that better serve the patients in need, help the physicians, as well as improve the public health outcome. Dr. Song completed her PhD from University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She received her postdoctoral training on neural repair and neuromuscular recovery techniques through electrical stimulation on stem cell functions at Stanford University. Dr. Song obtained her BS with honors in biomedical engineering from Brown University. Dr. Song is the recipient of multiple academic awards and fellowships from the National Institute of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein Research Service Awards (NIH NRSA F32), the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP), Forbes Magazine 30 Under 30, Gates Millennium Foundation, amongst many others.

Jeong-Yeol Yoon, PhD, is Associate Professor in Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, with joint appointment in Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Arizona. Dr. Yoon obtained his first PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from Yonsei University, South Korea, and his second PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Yoon’s research is focused on the design and the development of micro- and nanotechnology-based biosensors, which can be applied to medical diagnostics, veterinary diagnostics, food safety and environmental monitoring. He is equally interested in designing better biomaterial surfaces with micro- and nanotechnology, which can be used for medical implants and tissue engineering applications.Dr. Yoon has published over 50 original peer-reviewed journal articles and authored a textbook “Introduction to Biosensors” published by Springer. He serves as associate editor or editorial board member for several journals, including Journal of Biological Engineering, Biological Engineering Transactions, and Resource Magazine.

Xiaoyi Wu, PhD, works with biomechanics and biomaterials extensively. Tissue engineering is a primary focus of his work. In addition, he applies computational analysis to his studies of biomaterials.

Judith Su is an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering and an Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. She is also an Associate Member of the University of Arizona Cancer Center. Judith received her B.S. and M.S. from MIT in Mechanical Engineering and her Ph.D. from Caltech in Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics. Her background is in imaging, microfabrication, and optical instrument building for biological and medical applications. In general, her research interests are to develop new imaging, sensing, and rheological techniques to reveal basic biological functions at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Recently her work has centered on label-free single molecule detection using microtoroid optical resonators with a focus on basic research, and translational medicine through the development of miniature field portable devices.

Public Relevance Statement: Can you imagine having a mouthful of canker sores and cavities? Thousands of head and neck cancer patients suffer these consequences from radiation treatment. The Limesand lab works to prevent these side effects thereby improving patients' quality of life. Clinical Relevance: Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer causes adverse secondary side effects in the normal salivary gland including xerostomia, oral mucositis, malnutrition, and increase oral infections. Although improvements have been made in targeting radiation treatment to the tumor, the salivary glands are often in close proximity to the treatment site. The significant destruction of the oral cavity following radiation therapy results in diminished quality of life and in some cases interruptions in cancer treatment schedules. Research Interests: My research program has its foundation in radiation-induced gland dysfunction; mechanisms of damage, clinical prevention measures, and restoration therapies. Evidence suggests that salivary acinar function is compromised due to apoptosis induced by these treatments and temporary suppression of apoptotic events in salivary glands would have significant benefits to oral health. We utilize a number of techniques in my laboratory including: genetically engineered mouse models, real-time RT/PCR, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, primary cultures, siRNA transfections, irradiation, and procedures to quantitate salivary gland physiology. Current project areas: 1. Radiation-induced apoptosis 2. Mechanisms of preserving salivary gland function 3. Identifying the radiosensitivity of salivary gland progenitor cells 4. Restoration of salivary gland function 5. Role of autophagy in radiation-induced loss of function

Dr. Farrell-Poe is the head of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Her work focuses on developing extension education programs in cooperation with county faculty and their clientele including county, state, and federal agency staff, local public officials, elementary and secondary teachers, farmers, and ranchers.

Joel Cuello, PhD, focuses his research on applying engineering to put biological systems to work. His collaborative research projects, which have been sponsored by DOE, NASA and USDA, among others, are divided into two major thrusts: Bioprocess Engineering and Controlled-Environment Engineering.With bioprocess engineering, Dr. Cuello’s concentrations are on design and scale up of bioreactors for production of biofuels and biochemicals from algae, plant cells and organs. Also, he explores the optimization of algae and cell-culture productivity through biochemical and environmental strategies. Also, he attends to wastewater treatment using algae, microbial mat and hydroponics.In regard to controlled-environment engineering, Dr. Cuello’s concentrations -- for both Earth and Space applications -- are on design of novel lighting systems, including hybrid solar-electric lighting systems, light-emitting diode arrays, and water-cooled high-intensity discharge lamps. He complements this work with trying to design bioproduction systems, including a hybrid hydroponics-and-aquaculture system.