Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Seminar
Dr. Bryan J. Pfister
Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering Director, Center for Injury Biomechanics, Materials and Medicine
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Will present a talk titled:
The Mechanics of Living Tissues
Abstract: Forces and displacements play essential roles in the development and maintenance of all living organisms, but at the extremes, can induce pathological cellular responses. The biomechanics in living systems includes traction in cell motility, motor proteins driving cellular transport, tensegrity of the cytoskeleton, mechanotransduction of signal pathways as well as the initiation of secondary injury processes. Our overall research objectives encompass how mechanical forces affect the nervous system – spanning from stretch-induced growth during development to the biomechanical loading parameters in various types of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). To address specific questions, the laboratory engineers systems that recapitulate the mechanical environment surrounding neural tissues, exploring the relationship forces play in modifying neurons and their processes and to exploit these processes to enhance regeneration and repair. Using in vitro and animal models, we aim to specifically elucidate biological mechanisms, electrophysiological function, and behavior in the nervous system under normal and injurious conditions as well as conditions that induce axon growth and regeneration. In this seminar, we will explore a mechanism termed extreme axon stretch-growth, the effects of trauma biomechanics on pathological and behavior in brain injuries and how we are investigating how the rate, magnitude, duration and impulse of the mechanical perturbation (such as a blast injury vs. a blunt trauma from a fall) leads to differing alterations in neuronal function.
Date: November 4, 2022, Time: 11:00 am
Location: CAMP 176
ZOOM Link for virtual attendance
https://clarkson.zoom.us/j/99234191973?pwd=MkcvM1ZKYW85cWZrN0FOM3lTc3VxQT09
Bio: Bryan Pfister received his BS from Clarkson University, earned his PhD in Material Science and Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in 2002 and did his post-doctoral study in the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania. Bryan joined the NJIT Biomedical Engineering Department in January 2006 where he now serves as Department Chair. He played a leading role in the department’s initial ABET academic accreditation in 2006 and recently chaired the accreditation visit in 2019. His commitment to teaching and mentorship earned him the 2009 Educator of the Year Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of NJ. Dr. Pfister is proud of consistently providing extracurricular experiences at the undergraduate level including a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates program, enhanced capstone design program and clinical observerships. Dr. Pfister’s research encompasses how mechanical forces affect the nervous system – spanning from stretch induced growth during development to axonal stretch injury in traumatic brain injuries. As director of the Center for Injury Biomechanics, Materials and Medicine his research focuses on the biomechanics of brain injury from blunt and blast injuries using both animate models and full scale inanimate models of the human brain. He is funded by the Army Research Laboratory, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research. Currently Dr. Pfister is seeking UG training programs including the T34 U RISE program
