Student Research

The following links lead to a profile, research description, and publication list for each graduate student:

Research Areas : Student List

Neural Instrumentation & VLSI
Medical Imaging
Computational Neuroengineering
- Sensory Systems
  - Luke Johnson
- Motor Systems
Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering

Research Summaries

Heather Benz Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student NETI President: 2008 - 2009 Grant Years: 2007-2008 Adviser: Dr. Nathan Crone, Dr. Nitish Thakor Cognitive Neurophysiology Email: hrlbenz@gmail.com Office: Traylor 715	Research Description: Dexterous movement is being studied using ECoG recordings from epilepsy patients. The goal is to decode a variety of grasps from ECoG activity in order to create a brain computer interface that allows for prosthesis control. Previous Rotations: Sept 2007 - Jan 2008 Epilepsy Research Lab - Gregory Bergey M.D. Feb 2008 - May 2008 Computational Sensory-Motor Systems Lab - Dr. Ralph Etienne-Cummings
Nasir Bhanpuri Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2006-2008 Adviser: Dr. Amy Bastian Motion Analysis Laboratory Email: nbhanpuri@jhu.edu Office:	Research Description: Developing training paradigms to aid ataxic patients regain coordinated movement. Previous Rotations: Sept 2006 - Dec 2006 Laboratory for Computational Motor Control - Dr. Shadmehr Developing a computational model of saccade control and adaptation based on optimal control theory Jan 2007 - May 2007 Neurophysiology of Tactile Shape and Texture Perception - Dr. Steven Hsiao Investigating the role of hand conformation in shape processing.
Andrew Cassidy Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2005-2007 Adviser: Dr. Andreas Andreou VLSI Sensory Systems Lab Email: acassidy@jhu.edu Office: 400 Barton Hall Personal Website	Research Description: Asynchronous, analog, and mixed-signal VLSI circuit design for neuromorphic applications and neural interfaces. Additional related interests include: neural signal processing, neural spike codes, and machine learning theory applied to neural systems Neuroengineering Publications Andrew Cassidy, Susan Denham, Patrick Kanold, and Andreas G. Andreou. "FPGA Based Silicon Spiking Neural Array" IEEE International Workshop on Biomedical Circuits and Systems (BIOCAS'2007), Montreal, Nov 2007. Andrew Cassidy and Ralph Etienne-Cummings. "Non-Linear Neural Spike Train Decoding Via Polynomial Kernel Regression." 29th IEEE EMBS Annual International Conference, August 23-26, 2007, Lyon, France. Andrew Cassidy and Virantha Ekanayake. "A Biologically Inspired Tactile Sensor Array Utilizing Phase-Based Computation." IEEE International Workshop on BioMedical Circuits and Systems (BIOCAS'2006), London, Dec 2006.
Debbie Castillo Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student NETI President: 2005 - 2006 Grant Years: 2004-2006 Adviser: Dr. Lawrence Schramm Autonomic Regulation & Spinal Cord Injury Lab Co-Adviser: Dr. Ronald Schnaar Glycobiology Lab Email: dcastil1@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: Currently working on perfecting an in vitro assay using thoracic spinal cord sections, which will allow real time visualization of axonal growth and possible synaptic connections. I have worked with a range of reagents to proceed in this assay including Q-dots, DiI, and SMI-32. The assay will later be coupled with electrical stimulation, enzymatic treatments, and target-induced regeneration to test if their individual affects or synergistic affect promotes efficiently directed axonal growth and synaptic contacts.
Gabriel Colon Electrical Engineering M.S. Student Grant Years: 2006-2007 (Alumni) Adviser: Dr. Nitish Thakor Neuroengineering & Biomedical Instrumentation Lab Email: gabr_col@yahoo.com Office:	Research Description: Interested in biomedical instrumentation, currently doing research in the area of sensors (such as tempreture and touch), to study neural basis to sensory perception, and then develop an interface to prosthetic limbs. Previous Rotations: Sept 2006 - May 2007 Neuroengineering & Biomedical Instrumentation Lab - Dr. Nitish Thakor
Natan Davidovics Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2006-2008 Adviser: Dr. Charles Della Santina Vestibular Neuroengineering Lab Email: natan1d@gmail.com Office:	Research Description: Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) and developing a vestibular prosthesis to restore the sense of balance to those with vestibular disorder. Previous Rotations: Sept 2006 - 2007 Neuroengineering and Biomedical Instrumentation Lab - Dr. Nitish Thakor
Sarah Hemminger Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2004-2006 Adviser: Dr. Reza Shadmehr Laboratory for Computational Motor Control Email: sarah.hemminger@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: Time course of spontaneous recovery from extinction following the acquisition of a motor memory Journals 1. Diedrichsen J, Criscimagna-Hemminger SE, and Shadmehr R (2007) Dissociating timing and coordination as functions of the cerebellum. Journal of Neuroscience, 27:6291-6301. 2. Shadmehr R, Donchin O, Hwang EJ, Hemminger SE, Rao A (2005) Learning dynamics of reaching. Motor Cortex in Voluntary Movements: A distributed system for distributed functions, A. Riehle and E. Vaadia (eds), CRC Press, pp. 297-328 3. Criscimagna-Hemminger SE, Donchin O, Gazzaniga MS, and Shadmehr R (2003) Learned dynamics of reaching movements generalize from dominant to non-dominant arm. Journal of Neurophysiology, 89:168-176. Conference Proceedings 1. S.E. Criscimagna-Hemminger and R. Shadmehr. The multiple timescales of acquisition and forgetting of motor memories. Johns Hopkins University. Society for Neuroscience Meeting. San Diego, CA, November 2007. 2. S.E. Hemminger, J. Diedrichsen and R. Shadmehr. Learning and Generalization to Visual Rotations with and Without Online Corrections. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Neural Control of Movement 16th Annual Meeting. Key Biscayne, FL, May 2006. 3. S.E. Hemminger, J. Diedrichsen and R. Shadmehr. Dissociating timing and coordination of movements. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Human Brain Mapping. Florence, Italy, June 2006. 4. S.E. Hemminger, O. Donchin, G.D. Ariff, E.D. Young, R. Shadmehr. Intermanual Generalization of Arm Dynamics in Extrinsic Coordinates. Johns Hopkins University. Society for Neuroscience. San Diego, CA, October 2001.
Suneil Hosmane Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2007-2009 Adviser: Dr. Nitish Thakor Neuroengineering & Biomedical Instrumentation Lab Co-Adviser: Dr. Arun Venkatesan (Neurology) Email: hosmane@jhmi.edu Office: 710 Traylor Building	Research Description: I develop microfluidic platforms to investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease in the central nervous system (CNS). In particular, attention is given to neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) Previous Rotations: Aug 2006 - Dec 2006 BioMEMS Lab - Dr. Jeff Wang Developing a protocol for ultra sensitive RT-qPCR utilizing QD-FRET Jan 2007 - Feb 2007 Calcium Signals Lab - Dr. Henry Colecraft Performing confocal microscopy on beta-subunit construct of Cav1.2 Channels Journals: Yang IH, Siddique R, Hosmane S, Thakor N, Hoke A, “Compartmentalized microfluidic culture platform to study mechanism of paclitaxel-induced axonal degeneration,” Experimental Neurology 2009, [Adv Publication]. Conference Proceedings: S. Hosmane, I.H. Yang, A. Ruffin, N. Thakor, and A. Venkatesan, “Neural open culture system reveals cellular mechanisms of axon degeneration and microglial response,” Institute for Nanobiotechnology Symposium, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, May 18, 2009 (Poster) – 3^rd Place Prize for Best Poster Presentation. S.Hosmane, S. Patel, A. Venkatesan, and N. Thakor, “Axonal Biochemistry Chip”, Biomedical Engineering Society Conference, St. Louis, MO, October 1-4, 2008. (Talk) S. Hosmane, A. Venkatesan, A. Ruffin, A. Nath, and N. Thakor, “CNS Axonal Degeneration In A Microfluidic Platform”, Institute for Nanobiotechnology Symposium, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, May 1-2, 2008. (Poster)
Luke Johnson Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student NETI Co-President: 2007 - 2008 Grant Years: 2006-2008 Adviser: Dr. Xiaoqin Wang Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology Email: lukejohnson07@gmail.com Office: 412 Traylor Building	Research Description: Studying how the auditory cortex processes electric stimulation (via a cochlear implant) compared to normal acoustic sounds. Investigations into how the central auditory system processes acoustic and electric signals could be instrumental in guiding new cochlear implant technology improvements. Conference Proceedings: Johnson, LA, Wang, X. “Characterization of the marmoset monkey temporal bone: A cochlear implant feasibility study.” Association for Research in Otolaryngology Annual Midwinter Meeting, Baltimore, MD February 2009 Johnson LA, Della Santina CC, Wang, X. "Developing a new non-human primate model for cochlear implant research." Conference on Implantable Prosthesis (CIAP) July 2009, submitted Johnson LA, Della Santina CC, Wang, X. "Developing a new vocalizing non-human primate model for cochlear implant research." Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, October 2009, submitted Previous Rotations: Jan 2007 - Jun 2007 Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab - Dr. Nathan Crone Sept 2006 - Dec 2006 Laboratory for Computational Motor Control - Dr. Shadmehr
Issel Anne Lim Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student NETI President: 2006 - 2007 Grant Years: 2005-2007 Adviser: Dr. Peter van Zijl F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging Email: issel@jhu.edu Office: Kennedy Krieger Institute / JHMI 707 N. Broadway St., Room G-25 Baltimore, MD 21205 Personal Website	Research Description: Developing magnetic resonance imaging techniques to visualize the spinal cord. Previous Rotations: Nov 2005 - Jun 2005 Central Autonomic Regulation Laboratory - Dr. Lawrence Schramm Visualizing axonal growth in YFP mice Jun 2005 - Aug 2005 Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology - Dr. Xiaoqin Wang Recording neuronal firing in the auditory cortex of deaf marmosets to determine neuroplasticity Conference Proceedings: Seth A. Smith, Issel Anne L. Lim, Jeff W.M. Bulte, Peter C.M. van Zijl. "Direct Saturation MRI: Theory and Application to Imaging Brain Iron." NIH/NIBIB Trainee Meeting, June 2008.
Joseph Lin Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2007-2009 Adviser: Dr. Andreas Andreou VLSI Sensory Systems Lab Email: jlin17@gmail.com Office: 400 Barton Hall	Research Description: I am currently working on event based architectures for cortical models of neural computation and single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) imagers for in-vivo and in-vitro fluorescence imaging.
Laura Malone Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2007-2009 Adviser: Dr. Amy Bastian Motion Analysis Laboratory Email: lmalone3@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: My interests are in clinical neuroengineering, particularly relating to cerebellar disorders. Previous Rotations: Sept 2007 - Dec 2007 Laboratory for Computational Motor Control - Dr. Shadmehr Jan 2008 - May 2008 Motion Analysis Lab - Dr. Amy Bastian
Misti Malone Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2005-2007 Adviser: Dr. John McDonald International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute Co-Adviser: Dr. Lawrence Schramm Email: mmarr1@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Proliferation, Differentiation, and Myelination of Neural/Glial progenitors Previous Rotation: Aug 2005 - Jun 2006 Central Autonomic Regulation Laboratory - Dr. Lawrence Schramm Generating methodology for spinal cord co-culture preparation to aid in axonal growth and regeneration
Jeffrey Pompe Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2008-2009 Email: jpompe1@jhu.edu	Research Description: Computational Neuroscience, Cognitive Systems Modeling, Machine Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Hierarchical Temporal Memory, Artificial Intelligence, Proprioception Rotations: Spring 2009 Somatosensory Lab - Dr. Steven Hsaio (MBI) Fall 2008 Computational Neuroscience Laboratory - Dr. Ernst Niebur & Dr. Alfredo Kirkwood (MBI) Conference Proceedings: J.W. Pompe, A.J. Suminski, and R.A. Scheidt. 2006. Neural Correlates of Wrist Stabilization Guided by Time-Varying Visual Feedback. Proceedings of the 2006 Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Fall Meeting.
Christina Randall Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2004-2006 Adviser: Dr. David Gracias (ChemBE Dept) Email: rchris10@jhu.edu Office:	Research Description: Currently, I am finishing up a collaboration between Thakor and Gracias lab in which I am working on nanowire electrodes for neurochemical detection. My next project is working on developing nanoporous boxes and looking at how the nanosurface interacts with glial cells and how loading the boxes with various growth factors alters the cell responses. Journals 1. Moxon KA, Randall CL, Khair A, Michaels A, and Gizter S (In Progress). Thin Film Carbon Surfaces for Multisite Voltammetry In-Vivo 2. Leong TG, Randall CL, Benson BR, Call EK, Gracias DH (2008). Biologically-Inspired Tetherless Microgrippers, Submitted. 3. Randall CL, Leong TG, Bassik N, and Gracias DH (2007). 3D Lithographically fabricated nanoliter containers for drug delivery, ADDR, 59:1547-1561. 4. Ye H, Randall CL, Leong TG, Slanac DA, Call EK, and Gracias DH (2007). Remote radio-frequency controlled nanoliter chemistry and chemical delivery on substrates, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 46:4991-4994. Conference Proceedings 1. Leong TG, Randall CL, Bassik N, and Gracias DH (2007). 3D Self-Assembled Microdevices for Cell Therapy and Chemical Delivery, AICHE Annual Meeting: Micro- and Nanodevices for Targeted Therapeutics, presented abstract. 2. Randall CL, Chiang CS, Murari K, Gu Z, Thakor NV, and Gracias DH (2007). Nanowire-Based Electrochemical Recordings of Catecholamines, ALCHE Annual Meeting: Micro- and Nanofabricated Sensors, presented abstract. 3. Leong TG, Randall CL, and Gracias DH (2007). Nanoliter Containers for Biomedical Applications, Abstract and poster submitted to MEMS Alliance Mid Conference. Recieved Best Poster Award. 4. Chiang CS, Randall CL, Murari K, Gu Z, Thakor NV, and Gracias DH (2007). Nanowire-based Electrochemical Recordings, IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, presented abstract. 5. Randall CL, Leong TG, Singh S, and Gracias DH (2007). Biocompatibility Characterization of 3D Microcontainers for Cell Encapsulation Therapy, IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, presented abstract. 6. Randall CL, Leong TG, and Gracias DH (2007). Remote-Controlled Nanoliter Containers for Medical Applications, Abstract and poster submitted to Institute for NanoBioTechnology conference. 7. Randall CL, Murari K, Thakor N and Gracias DH (2006). Nanosensors for Neural Electrochemistry, Abstract and poster submitted to MEMS Alliance Mid Atlantic and The Greater Washington Nanotech Alliance: Micro- and Nano- Technologies in Biology and Medicine Special Topics Symposium. Abstract and poster submitted to the NIBIB T32 Training grant meeting, 2006, Washington DC. 8. Leong T, Randall CL, Gu Z and Gracias DH (2006). Porous nanoliter scale 3D containers for cell encapsulation and chemical delivery, Abstract and poster submitted to MEMS Alliance Mid Atlantic and The Greater Washington Nanotech Alliance: Micro- and Nano- Technologies in Biology and Medicine Special Topics Symposium. Received Best Poster Award. 9. Khair A, Randall CL, and Moxon KA (2006). Multi-site Analysis of Dopamine Uptake in the Somatosensory Cortex, 28th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, pp. 6681-6684, doi:10.1109/IEMBS.2006.260920.
Rezina Siddique Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2007-2009 Adviser: Dr. Nitish Thakor Neuroengineering & Biomedical Instrumentation Lab Email: rsiddiq2@jhmi.edu Office: 710 Traylor Building	Research Description: Understanding the basic mechanisms behind axon myelination in the peripheral nervous system. Previous Rotations: Aug 2006 - Dec 2006 BioMEMS Lab - Dr. Jeff Wang (Mechanical Engineering)
Christopher Smith Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2006-2008 Adviser: Dr. Andre Levchenko Signal Transduction and Cell-Cell Communication Lab Co-Adviser: Dr. Alfred Quiones-Hinojosa Email: cls@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: Interested in adult neuronal precursors, stem cells, and the environments affecting these two cell types. Approach includes microfluidic technologies. Previous Rotations: Sept 2006 - Sept 2007 Institute for Cellular Engineering - Dr. Song
Francesco Tenore, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Graduate Grant Years: 2005-2006 Adviser: Dr. Ralph Etienne-Cummings Computational Sensory-Motor Systems Laboratory Email: Office: Personal Website	Research Description: Analog VLSI neural networks for locomotion Publications: 1. Tenore, F., Vogelstein, R.J., Etienne-Cummings, R., Lewis, M.A., Hasler, P., 2005. A spiking silicon Central Pattern Generator with floating gate synapses accepted for presentation at the International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, Kobe, Japan - May 2005 (Full text in PDF) 2. Lewis, M.A., Tenore, F. , Etienne-Cummings, R., 2004. CPG design using Inhibitory Networks, accepted for presentation at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Barcellona, Spain - April 2005 (Full text in PDF) 3. Tenore, F. , Etienne-Cummings, R. and Lewis, M.A., 2004. A Programmable Array of Silicon Neurons for the Control of Legged Locomotion, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Circuits and Systems Vancouver, Canada 2004. (Full text in PDF) 4. Tenore, F. , Etienne-Cummings, R. and Lewis, M.A., 2003. Entrainment of silicon Central Pattern Generators for legged locomotory control, Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 16 Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Full text in PDF) 5. Vogelstein, R.J., Tenore, F., Philipp, R., Adlerstein, M.S., Goldberg, D.H. and Cauwenberghs, G., 2002. Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity in the Address Domain, In Becker, S., Thrun, S., and Obermayer, K. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 15. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Full text in PDF).
Aaron Wong Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2006-2008 Adviser: Dr. Mark Shelhamer Vestibular/Eye Movement Testing Lab Email: aaron.wong@jhu.edu Office: Pathology 2-210	Research Description: Motor prediction and adaptation in the oculomotor system. Previous Rotations: Sept 2006 - Dec 2006 Psychology and Brain Sciences Laboratory - Dr. Yantis Conference Proceedings 1. Roberts D, Shelhamer M, and Wong AL. A new "wireless" search-coil system. Proceedings of the 2008 symposium on eye tracking research and applications, Savannah, GA, 2008. Received Best Paper award.
Minnan Xu Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Student Grant Years: 2005-2006 Adviser: Dr. Reza Shadmehr Laboratory for Computational Motor Control Email: manon@jhmi.edu Office:	Research Description: History dependent motor learning of unimanual and bimanual reaching Journals 1. Raval AN, Karmarkar PV, Guttman MA, Ozturk C, Sampath S, DeSilva R, Aviles RJ, Xu M, Wright VJ, Schenke WH, Kocaturk O, Dick AJ, Raman VK, Atalar E, McVeigh ER, Lederman R. (2006) Real-time magnetic resonance imaging-guided endovascular recanalization of chronic total arterial occlusion in a swine model. Circulation, 113:1101-1107. Conference Proceedings 1. Minnan X, and Shadmehr R, Using two hands to hold a tool: integration of proprioceptive information from both arms, Society for Neuroscience Abstract, Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C., 2007.