Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL)

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:

• Benchtop blood flow modeling
• Biomaterial designs and material characterization
• Computational blood flow modeling
• Medical device development and testing
• Medical imaging, analysis, and modeling
• 3D-print biomaterials for human modeling

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 represent a diverse and multidisciplinary group of collaborators, faculty, students and researchers. Expertise include industry medical device leaders, clinical stroke physicians, and academic research experience in engineering (Mechanical, Biomedical, Electrical), Materials Science, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Math. The team represents current medical research experts combined with a new generation of biomedical industry and academic leaders.

Bill Merritt, PhD

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 5 years of entrepreneurial and R&D experience and have performed in science, engineering, and executive roles at small and medium-sized medical device and biotechnology companies. 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.

Omid Asgari, PhD candidate

Omid received his MS in Metallurgy in 2018 and started his PhD in Bioengineering program in 2019. His research at BDL is to develop a medical device to increase the effectiveness of stroke treatment. His work focuses on computational simulations, benchtop modeling, and collaborations with medical companies toward obtaining FDA approval for the medical device.

(LinkedIn ID: Omid Asgari)

Husain Sodawalla, PhD candidate

Husain received his MS in Biomedical Science (Neuroscience concentration) in 2017. He worked in Norton Thoracic Institute (Phoenix, AZ) as a research technician before joining the BDL team in Fall 2019 as a PhD student. Husain is engaged in aneurysm modelling project that aims to create a commercially available predictable rupture model. This model could be useful to neurovascular surgeons, researchers and device manufacturers to test long-term efficacy of aneurysm treatments.

Holly Berns, 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 switched jobs and joined Stryker Sustainability Solutions where she worked as a post-market quality engineer to monitor device risk files 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 the graduate training, she has developed technical and professional skills as a bioengineering researcher by focusing on product development, in vitro modeling, and materials testing of novel aspiration catheter technologies.

Nicholas Norris, PhD candidate

Nicholas graduated from NAU in 2019 with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked in the BDL and contributed to numerous BDL projects since then, and also began his Bioengineering PhD program at NAU in 2022. His work at BDL is focused on developing in vitro models that simulate patient-specific neurovascular anatomy in order to verify optimal brain aneurysm treatment options.

Sophia Robertson, 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. Her work at BDL is focused on developing polymer coatings to improve the biocompatibility of metal neurovascular devices.

Mana Alyami, MS

Mana graduated from NAU in 2021 with a MS degree in mechanical engineering. His work in the lab is focused on creating medical device prototypes, mechanical testing, and computer and benchtop stroke modeling. He has worked on projects involving hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as a blood mimicking fluid with similar viscosity and shear effects. Additional project included analyzing fluoroscopic images to determine the long-term radiopacity of a polymer device for the treatment of aneurysms. He transfers CT images of patients to 3D printed models, creates 3D-printed blood clots, and optimized methods for cleaning the BDL’s 3D printed tissue-like vessel models.

LinkedIn: Mana Alyami

Josette Vigil, BS candidate

Josette is an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student who will be graduating in May 2023. She has experience in mechanical testing, histological preparation, polymer manufacturing, data analysis, fluoroscopic imaging, and image processing using Invesalius. She assists with neurovascular research projects, such as manufacturing and testing the mechanical properties of NeuroCURE®. She has also helped to characterize the effects of mechanical testing on human vascular tissue. She is a lead author on a pending manuscript on the properties of unique 3D-printed scaffolds for bone regrowth.

Kailey Lewis, BS

Kailey graduated from NAU in 2022 with a BS degree in mechanical engineering. She has worked 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 currently assists 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®.

Steven Schwartz, BS candidate

Steven is an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering student who will be graduating in December 2022. His work in the BDL involves writing LabVIEW© programs and developing experimental setups for the lab’s in vitro models. His Senior design project is a pump-operated device that cleans the lab’s in vitro vessel models after completing their print jobs.

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

• • 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.