People

Current members, from left to right:

Michael Entz, Anja Higgins, Niloo, Nosheen Khan, John Skousen,

Ben Christensen, Christian Andersen, Nicholas Nolta, Fan-Wei Meng, Patrick Tresco

MS and Ph.D. Alumni:

Brent Winslow, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2010

Thesis title: The brain tissue response to central nervous system implants.

Presently Post Doctoral Fellow at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, WA.

Jeff Wolchok, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2009

Thesis title: Engineering a human derived extracellular materials

Presently Senior Senior Scientist at the National Center for Voice, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kang, Wen Kuo, MS in Materials Science and Engineering, 2009

Thesis title: The influence of parylene C surface coating oof silicon microelectrode on the brain tissue response

Xioayu Chen, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2008

Thesis title: Studies on the Role of Inflammation in the Foreign Body Response to Planar Silicon Microelectrode Arrays

Presently employed by the US Department of Defense.

Braden Leung, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2007

Thesis title: Evaluating Surface Chemistries to Reduce the Presence of Brain-derived Macrophages Adjacent to Implanted Silicon Microelectrode Arrays

Presently employed by Kinetics Concepts, Inc. in San Antonio, TX.

Danica Nelson, MS in Technology, 2007

Internship Project Title: State Funding of Technology Commercialization in the Biosciences: A Best Practices Analysis

Presently employed by the State Office of Economic Development.

Amanda Pollock, MS in Bioengineering, 2006

Thesis title: Early Brain Tissue Reaction Surrounding Michigan-Style Microelectrode Arrays Indicates That Extensive Remodeling of Glial and Neuronal Populations Occurs During The Foreign Body Response

Presently employed as a Research Scientist as Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Williamson, Tracy, MS in Bioengineering, 2006

Thesis title: Characterization of Tissue Reactivity to Microelectrode Arrays as a Function of Depth in the Rat Cerebral Cortex

Presently employed as a Graduate Research Assistant in the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

Brokopp, MS in Bioengineering, 2006

Thesis title: Development of a Bioreactor for Imposing Equibiaxial Strain and Vibrational Stresses to Cultured Cells

Presently employed in a cardiac biomedical device firm as a product engineer.

Mike Bridge, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2005

Thesis title: Laboratory and in vivo Transport Characterization of Hollow Fiber Membranes and Adjacent Scar Tissue that Forms Following Their Implantation in the CNS

Presently employed as a post-doctoral Research Associate in the Keck Center for Tissue Engineering, University of Utah.

Ryan Moehle, MS in Bioengineering, 2004

Project title: Feasibility of a Coil Reinforced Hemodialysis Catheter

Presently employed at CR Bard, Salt Lake City, UT.

Young Tae Kim, PhD in Bioengineering, 2004

Thesis title: The Development of a Cell Encapsulation Device for studying the influence of soluble factor derived from cells Transplanted in the Central Nervous System

Presently employed as Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, Arlington, TX.

Roy Smeal, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2004

Thesis title: Constraining Neurite Outgrowth Using Substrate Curvature for Use in Therapeutic Implants

Presently employed as a post-doctoral Research Associate in the lab of Dr. K. Wilcox at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

Ning Zhang, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2003

Thesis title: The Adult Brain Tissue Response to Hollow Fiber Membranes of Varying Architecture with or without Co-transplanted Cells

Presently employed as a tenure track Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

Xuejun Wen, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2003

Thesis title: Studies in the Development of a Bridging Device for Guiding Regenerating Axons

Presently employed as a Tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

Darin Messina, Ph.D. in Neuroscience, 2003

Thesis title: Studies of Human Neural Precursor development in vitro and Following Transplantation in the Adult Rat Brain

Presently employed as a Scientist at Johnson & Johnson Corporate Center for Biomaterials Research, NJ.

Mike Manwaring, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2002

Thesis title: Characterization of rat meningeal cells on materials of differing physical and chemical properties

Presently employed as a Senior Scientist at Kinetics Concepts, Inc. of San Antonio, TX.

Clay Underwood, Ph.D. in Oncological Sciences, 2002

Thesis title: Studies on Astrocyte Maturation and Cytokine Expression

Presently employed as a post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Utah.

Juan Herrera, Ph.D. in Oncological Sciences, 2002

Thesis title: Characterization of Radial Glia and Glial Resticted Precursor Cell Populations Involved in Gliogenesis of the Rodent Central Nervous System

Presently employed as a post-doctoral research associate working for Ray Grill, Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas, Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX.

Eunah Kang, MS in Bioengineering, 2001

Project title, The Influence of Spinneret Annulus Size and Flow rate on the Structure and Permeability of PAN-PVC Hollow Fiber Membranes

Presently a Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University working for Kinan Park.

Kelly Broadhead, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2001

Thesis title: Elucidating the Structural and Functional Properties of Poly(acrylonitrile- vinylchloride) Phase Inversion Membranes and Their Influence in Cell Encapsulation

Presently employed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah.

Robert W. Hitchcock, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 2001

Thesis title: Hollow Fiber Implants: Creating Space Within Living Tissue for Diagnosis and Therapy

Formerly Vice President of Research at Sorenson Biomedical in Sandy, UT, presently tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah.

Stroup, Catherine, MS in Bioengineering, 1999

Project title: The Use of Chondrocyte Transplantation in Cartilage

Presently employed by the US federal government as a specialist in intellectual property specializing in biotechnology and medical devices, Bethesda, MD.

Ken Webb, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 1999

Thesis title: Anchorage-dependent Cell Behavior on Model Surfaces

Presently employed as a Tenure-track Assistant in Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

Mary M. Mulder, Ph.D. in Bioengineering, 1997

Thesis title: Studies in the Development of a Skeletal Muscle Tissue Equivalent

Presently employed as a Senior Cardiac Project Specialist with W.L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ.

Wang, Z., MS in Bioengineering, 1995

Thesis title: Cell Encapsulation Membranes: Fabrication and Characterization

Died in a car accident 1998.

Postdoctoral Alumni:

Mike Bridge, Ph.D. (2005-2009)

Presently Post Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Utah