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Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL)
An NAU Mechanical Engineering Lab
The Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL) is affiliated with the Bioengineering Program and the Mechanical Engineering Department (ME) at Northern Arizona University.
The BDL provides opportunities to Ph.D., Masters, and undergraduate students interested in neurovascular devices such as new microcatheter designs, ischemic stroke systems, and innovative embolic agents for aneurysms (improving on coils, flow diverters, liquid embolics, etc). The lab conducts extensive in vitro cerebrovascular flow model development and simulates patient anatomies with innovative 3D-printed tissue-like biomaterials.
The lab is affiliated with Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI – Phoenix, AZ) and Northern Arizona Healthcare to collaborate on translational medical device research. Undergraduate and graduate researchers from the BDL actively collaborate with small start-ups and large-industry leaders in medical device development, published in internationally renowned journals, and attend annual conferences to present their work. Conferences regularly attended include BMES – Biomedical Engineering Society, Surfaces – Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation, and SNIS – Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery.
BDL research Accordion Closed
The BDL focuses on industry-driven research programs as well as government-funded basic research. Among the lab’s extensive research efforts, it provides engineering students an opportunity to assist with research and year-long capstone projects where student groups design prototype systems for industrial clients. Our goal is to create a new generation of biomedical engineering students with the research expertise to become bioengineering and biomedical engineering industry leaders.
Current research includes:
BDL facility Accordion Closed
The BDL is one of several labs affiliated with the Bioengineering Program that share lab equipment and space in the Wettaw building.
The lab facility:
- The lab has 600 sq. ft. of space with 4 sinks (DI and Milli-Q water), 2 fume hoods, 5 large lab benches/bays, working space, and computer access for up to 12 researchers
- A bench dedicated to the HR2 hybrid rheometer for temperature-controlled rheology and DMA testing:
- Shear and elastic modulus testing
- Tension testing (up to 500º C)
- Tribo-rheometry for wear resistance
- Optics plate – camera for real-time imaging during mechanical testing
- Pull friction testing for vascular devices
- Magneto-rheology for smart materials and nanoparticle testing
- A bench dedicated to formulating biomaterials (polymer constructs, hydrogels, and shape memory polymers – SMPs)
- A bench houses the in vitro vessel model for vascular modeling and endovascular surgical procedure simulations
- ViVitro Superpump: cardiovascular and neurovascular flow modeling
- Superpump heat exchanger and flow reservoir: body temperature flow
- Real-time blood pressure and flow measurement (in-line pressure transducers)
- 16+ channels of pressure, flow, and temperature monitoring (Ni-DAQ and LabView data acquisition)
- Real-time particle detection (Laser Diode, Controller, and CCD camera system)
- A bench that houses surgical supplies and medical devices
- Benches include computer stations (Microsoft Suite, MATLAB, LabVIEW, SolidWorks, Photoshop, DICOM, etc.)
- Sterrad NX plasma sterilizer for low temperature, hydrogen peroxide sterilization for heat-sensitive microcatheter-based systems, sensitive equipment and electronics, and in vitro model supplies
- Stratasys ObJet260 Connex3 3D-printer
- Multi-material and multi-layering 3D-printer (compatible with over 1000 materials)
- PolyJet technology (hot-swappable multiple material layering, UV-cured) to create research prototypes, human tissue-like models, and research components
- Variety of material properties: soft to flexible, transparent to multi-color, and standard use or biocompatible (implantable) applications
- Layer multiple materials on the same build and time (3 nozzles for 3 different materials at one time)
- 16-micron layers to create highly-specific finalized research-grade prototypes, realistic vessel models, implants, and precise components
- Portable manufacturing cleanroom
- ISO Class 7 sterilizable manufacturing cleanroom (6’ x 8’)
- ISO Class 5 sterilizable product protection cabinet (PPC – 2’ x 4’)
BDL personnel Accordion Closed
Senior Research Associates
Holly Berns MS, PhD candidate
Holly received a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2017. She began her career at Globus Medical Inc where she installed, repaired, and maintained the Excelsius® GPS (surgical robot). She then joined Stryker Sustainability Solutions where she worked as a post-market quality engineer to monitor device risk file for reprocessed single-use medical devices and reduce complaint rates. Her educational training, research, and past work with retrospective studies, have provided her with a solid foundation in mechanical engineering and biotechnology. For her graduate training, she has developed technical and professional skills as a bioengineering researcher by focusing on product development, in vitro modeling, and materials testing for a novel size-adaptive aspiration catheter (related to ATI’s ATTAC technology). She has a strong focus on developing new medical devices that eliminate stroke treatment gender disparities, which historically have resulted in less effective outcomes for female patients.
Sophia Robertson MS, PhD candidate
Sophia received degrees in Biomedical Science (BS), Chemistry (BS), and Spanish (BA) from NAU in 2020. She started working in the BDL in 2021 and started her Bioengineering PhD program at NAU in 2022. She received her Master’s of Science in Bioengineering in 2023. Her doctoral research is focused on improving the biocompatibility of metal neurovascular devices by modifying their surfaces using selfassembled monolayers.
Wyatt Clark MS, PhD candidate
Wyatt received a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2022 and a MS in Bioengineering in 2023. Wyatt began his career at the U.S. Naval Observatory working on the construction of single aperture telescopes. He transitioned to Lowell Observatory, where he worked on the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer. He is now a federal civil servant working at the Naval Research Laboratory on a number of optical and robotic based projects. In pursuit of a future professional career in bioengineering, Wyatt is now a researcher at BDL, where his research focuses on a groundbreaking device called Balloon Mesh, designed to support and address challenges in treating brain aneurysms.
Steven Schwartz, PhD candidate
Steven graduated from NAU in 2022 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has extensive expertise in the development, maintenance, and quantification of real-time pressure and flow data from neurovascular vessel models. His previous work in the BDL involved writing LabVIEW© programs, developing experimental setups for the lab’s advanced in vitro flow models, and developing a pumpoperated device to clean and prep 3D-printed in vitro vessel models.
Research Associates
Jesse Wells, Lead Engineer – BDL and ATI Balloon-Mesh device
Jesse graduated from NAU in 2022 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked as the BDL Lead Engineer since August 2022 and is also the Lead Engineer for the Balloon-Mesh device (ATI) since January 2024. Jesse has extensive experience in 3D-print vessel models, development and validation of mechanical testing protocols for medical devices, data analysis and reporting for FDA submissions, simulated surgeries for stroke device testing, cleanroom qualification and device manufacture, grant and manuscript submissions, and development of novel device prototypes and innovative device testing techniques.
BDL Alumni Accordion Closed
Post-doctorate/Adjunct Faculty
Bill Merritt, PhD – VP of R&D Aneuvas Technologies, Inc. (ATI)
Bill received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at NAU in 2021. His academic research during his PhD program was focused on the development, characterization, testing, and optimization of a liquid embolic material for aneurysm treatment (NeuroCURE device pending FDA IDE submission). He has over 7 years of entrepreneurial and R&D experience and have performed in science, engineering, and executive rolesat small and medium-sized medical device and biotechnology companies. He also currently the VP of R&D at ATI – a medical device company developing a liquid embolic for aneurysm treatment (NeuroCURE), a NeuroCURE coating for metal devices, a supportive aneurysm treatment device (Balloon-Mesh), and a novel size-adaptive aspiration catheter (ATTAC). His areas of expertise include biomaterials, polymer science, medical device design, product development, and operations management. described in this grant proposal. As a leading expert on the NeuroCURE material, he was also heavily involved with the development of manufacturing processes/protocols and FDA regulatory submissions for NeuroCURE. During his time as a PhD student, he also played a significant support role as either co-PI or key personnel on a number of NeuroCURE-related funded grants and assisted in their development and submission.
Senior Research Associates
Omid Asgari, PhD – Senior Engineer – Balloon Mesh (ATI)
Omid received his MS in Metallurgy in 2018 and his PhD in Bioengineering program in 2023. His research at BDL and ATI was to develop a supportive medical device for aneurysm treatment (Balloon-Mesh). His work focused on computational simulations, benchtop modeling, acquiring grant funding, and collaborations with medical companies toward obtaining FDA approval for the medical device. (LinkedIn ID: Omid Asgari)
Husain Sodawalla, PhD
Husain received his MS in Biomedical Science (Neuroscience concentration) in 2017. He worked in Norton Thoracic Institute (Phoenix, AZ) as a research technician and received his PhD as part of the BDL team in 2023. Husain is engaged in aneurysm modelling project that aims to create a commercially available predictable rupture model of giant aneurysms for minimizing the chances of delayed aneurysm rupture after treatment. This model could be useful to neurovascular surgeons, researchers and device manufacturers to test long-term efficacy of the latest aneurysm treatments.
Research Associates
Mohammed Alnajrani, MEng – 3D vessel models (ATI)
Mohammed graduated from NAU in 2023 with an MEng degree in Mechanical Engineering. He specializedin 3D-printed CAD design, multi-material printing, and 3D-print cleaning and prep for use in in vitro vessel models. He has expertise in developing models for neuro- and cardiovascular applications (i.e. circle of Willis, large and small aneurysms, heart models, left-atrial appendage models). He currently consults with ATI on benchtop model development for testing endovascular medical devices Kailey Lewis, BS – Lead Engineer – ATTAC catheter (ATI) Kailey graduated from NAU in 2022 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. She worked at Microvention in 2023, gaining expertise in catheter design and manufacture. She currently is the lead engineer at ATI for the ATTAC aspiration catheter and works to advance the use of biomaterials for benchtop blood vessel modeling by providing a foundation for future biomaterial test methods and the potential for biomedical device testing and implementation. She is also highly experienced with mechanical testing (push/pull testing, lubricity, compliance, etc.) aspiration device testing, and maintaining and analyzing 3-D printed blood vessel models within the Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL). She also has experience in histological preparation and analysis, polymer manufacturing, data analysis, and fluoroscopic imaging. She assists with neurovascular research projects, such as manufacturing and testing the mechanical properties of NeuroCURE.
Kailey Lewis, BS – Lead Engineer – ATTAC catheter (ATI)
Kailey graduated from NAU in 2022 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. She worked at Microvention in 2023, gaining expertise in catheter design and manufacture. She currently is the lead engineer at ATI for the ATTAC aspiration catheter and works to advance the use of biomaterials for benchtop blood vessel modeling by providing a foundation for future biomaterial test methods and the potential for biomedical device testing and implementation. She is also highly experienced with mechanical testing (push/pull testing, lubricity, compliance, etc.) aspiration device testing, and maintaining and analyzing 3-D printed blood vessel models within the Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL). She also has experience in histological preparation and analysis, polymer manufacturing, data analysis, and fluoroscopic imaging. She assists with neurovascular research projects, such as manufacturing and testing the mechanical properties of NeuroCURE.
Josette Vigil, BS
Josette graduated from NAU in 2023 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. She has experience in mechanical testing, histological preparation, polymer manufacturing, data analysis, fluoroscopic imaging, and image processing using Invesalius. She acquired undergraduate funding and assisted with several neurovascular research projects, such as manufacturing and testing the mechanical properties of NeuroCURE and characterizing the effects of mechanical testing on human vascular tissue. She was a lead author on a manuscript on the properties of unique 3D-printed scaffolds for bone regrowth (Advances in Polymer Technology, January 2024). She is currently a PhD candidate at Cornell University, working on modeling of the advanced mechanical properties of human tendon.
Olivia Fisher, BS
Olivia graduated from NAU in 2023 with a BS degree in Exercise Physiology. Olivia worked in the BDL for two years prior to graduating. She acquired and led several undergraduate grant-funded projects for BDL. She has experience in vessel modeling, development and optimization of the advanced comprehensive neurovascular flow model, and stroke rehabilitation. She is currently a PhD candidate in NAU’s Physical Therapy program.
BDL published Accordion Closed
BDL related publications:
Recently-published journal articles (2020-21):
- Merritt WC, Berns HF, Ducruet AF, Becker TA. Definitions of intracranial aneurysm size and morphology: a call for Surgical Neurology International. 12:506, 2021. DOI: 10.25259/SNI_576_2021
- Norris NG, Merritt WC, Becker TA. Application of nondestructive mechanical characterization testing for creating in vitro vessel models with material properties similar to human neurovasculature. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 1-11, 2021. DOI:1002/jbm.a.37314
- Huckleberry A, Merritt W, Cotter T, Settanni C, Ducruet AF, Becker TA. Application of a rabbit elastase aneurysm model for preliminary histology assessment of the PPODA-QT liquid embolic. Surgical Neurology International, 12:330, 2021. DOI:25259/SNI_163_2021
Pending publications:
- Vigil J, Lewis K, Norris N, Becker TA. Design, fabrication, and characterization of 3D-printed multi-phase scaffolds based on triply periodic minimal surfaces. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B. In review, 10/21
- Merritt W, Norris N, Ducruet AF, Becker TA. Large, wide-neck aneurysm canine model treated with NeuroCURE® liquid embolic: 12-month survival study. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, pending
- Settanni CE, Merritt WC, Becker TA. Flow properties of liquid PPODA-QT polymer injected through medical microcatheters for aneurysm embolization. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. pending
Recently-published conference proceedings (2020-21):
- Lewis K, Vigil J, Norris N, Becker TA. P-060 Application of non-destructive mechanical characterization testing for creating in vitro vessel models with material properties similar to human neurovasculature. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A61-A62, 2021
- Fennell B, Schwartz S, Becker TA. Long-term radiopacity of a polymer aneurysm treatment device: Neurocure® liquid embolic. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A57-A58, 2021
- Merritt W, Ducruet AF, Becker TA. Investigation of a novel poly(propylene glycol) material for use as a protein-resistant, bio-inert coating. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A44-A45, 2021
- Schwartz S, Fennell B, Settanni C, Norris N, Becker TA. Voxel-based calculations of intrasaccular aneurysm and device volume fill. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A42-A42, 2021
- Becker TA, Merritt W, Norris N, Ducruet AF. Large, wide-neck aneurysm canine model treated with NeuroCURE® liquid embolic – 12-month Survival. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A58-A58, 2021
- Sodawalla H, Merritt W, Becker TA. A novel ex-vivo model to simulate delayed aneurysm rupture after flow-diverter treatment. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A55-A55, 2021
- Asgari O, Berns H, Arzani A, Becker TA. Prototyping a balloon stent for minimally invasive temporary aneurysm occlusion and embolization. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A3-A4, 2021
- Lewis K, Norris N, Settanni C, Ducruet AF, Becker TA. Comprehensive in-vitro neurovascular model assessment for implant simulation. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 13 (Suppl 1), A141-A141, 2021
- Asgari O, Sodawalla H, Becker TA. E-228 A novel stent-balloon device for treatment of sidewall intracranial aneurysms. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A153-A154, 2020
- Sodawalla H, Merritt W, Becker TA. E-204 Novel blood analogue for in-vitro neurovascular modeling. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A139-A140, 2020
- Merritt W, Koppisch A, Kellar R, Ducruet A, Becker TA. E-010 Investigation of a novel poly (propylene glycol) material for use as a protein-resistant, bio-inert implant. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A30-A31, 2020
- Norris N, Smith I, Settanni C, Merritt W, Becker TA. E-006 Tuning of innovative in-vitro model materials to mimic tissue properties. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A28-A29, 2020
- Settanni C, Becker TA, Merritt W. E-217 Voxel based calculation of aneurysm volume and morphological characteristics, Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A147-A147, 2020
- Becker TA, Merritt W, Settanni C, N Norris, Ducruet AF, Preul MC, E-202 Creation of a large animal aneurysm model for NeuroCURE® liquid embolic assessment. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A138-A139, 2020
Additional BDL lab resources Accordion Closed
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- High-performance computing cluster (HPC) Monsoon and multiple computer labs with specialty software – can be networked to the lab (NAU)
- C-Arm Fluoroscope – digital image transfer (DICOM) to the BDL (Biological Sciences Annex)
- MakerLab (Cline Library) and RAPIDLab (Mechanical Engineering) 3D-printing facilities
- SEM, TEM, confocal, atomic force, light microscope imaging and histology facilities (Imaging and Histology Core Facility)
- Machine shop and CNC lab (Mechanical Engineering)
- Sterile laminar flow hood and cGMP cleanroom facilities (NAU and Moonshot AZ incubator facilities)
- Neurosurgery research facilities (surgical, fluoro, CT, MRI – Barrow Neurological Institute)
- Surgical supplies and device sterilization (Northern Arizona Healthcare)
- Refrigerators, freezers (up to -80 ºC), scales, centrifuge, incubator, tissue culture hood, spectrophotometer, holography, etc.