Nebraska Section
sections.asme.org/Nebraska
University of Nebraska Lincoln Bio-Engineering Laboratories & Facilities Tour &
Joint Meeting with UNL ASME Student Section
Open to all ASME members, families, friends and colleagues.
Wednesday 6:00 PM, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
90016th Street, 17th Street & North Antelope Valley Parkway NEBRASKA HALL, meet at main entrance, UNL City Campus.
Next to the New EAST MEMORIAL STADIUM ADDITION, UNL City Campus.
We will meet in the main (west) entrance to Nebraska Hall.While in the City Campus engineering buildings we will visit the Lim Lab (SEC129) directed by Dr. Jung Yul Lim where graduate student Brandon Rieh will provide a introduction on cell culture and mechanotransduction research.
Our group aims to regulate cell function and fate via applying biomaterial cues (chemical and topographical micro/nano substrates, surface energy tuning) and mechanical signals (fluid shear, mechanical stretch, impulsive pressurization) and through co-regulation from biomaterials and mechanical signals. Further, by integrating molecular engineering (RNA interference or overexpression) of key signaling molecules, including FAK, ROCK, Cadherin, and NF-κB, we aim to reveal therole of focal adhesion, cytoskeletaltension, cell-cell interaction, and immune response in cells sensingand responding to biomaterials and mechanical signals. The crosstalk between engineered extracellular environments and molecular signaling cascades in cell-biomaterial interaction and cell mechanotransduction will provide high impact mechanistic data for biomaterials science, mechanobiology, and regenerative medicine.
Dr. Ruqiang Feng will then give us a brief tour of the Blast Simulation Lab (SEC127).
The research in the Blast Simulation Laboratory at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln mainly focuses on the simulation and measurement of blast waves. In the trauma mechanics research initiative, the blast simulation laboratory focuses on the engineering of the shock tube. This device is the primary means of testing the mechanics of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the first step for assessing how damage occurs and ways to mitigate it
Then we will visit the Terry Research Lab (SEC360) directed by Dr. Ben Terry wheregraduate studentWanchuanXie will provide a short tour.
The objectives of the Terry Research Lab are to solve essential biomedical challenges through exceptional research and engineering, provide industry-relevant research opportunities for UNL engineering students, andcollaborate with local primary education to enhance K12 interest in STEM. Their expertise include: Medical therapeutics, devices, and surgical tools; Intuitive, ambulatory biosensors; Biomechanical behavior of tissues and organs; Commercial applications of biomedical technology.
Next we will visit Dr. Shane Farritor’s lab where graduate student Walter Bircher will discuss current projects the lab is involved in. As well as Dr. Carl Nelson’s lab (SEC359) where a couple researchers will talk about their projects. These include a surgical training simulator, surgical tool haptic force measurement, modular robots,and a surgical robot.Robotics & Mechatronics Lab.
From creating robotic safety markers for highways and tiny surgical instruments to sophisticated mechanisms for future planetary exploration, our faculty and students are on the cutting edge of the robotics field. We partner with NASA, the Federal Railroad Administration, the National Science Academy, private industries and others to analyze and solve intriguing issues and challenges.
We will then move onto the Bio-Mechanics Lab directed by Dr. LinxiaGu where Dr. Shijia Zhao will give a short tour.
Research focuses include: Experimental/computational mechanics of soft materials (Artery, Brain, Polymers, Composites, etc) with focus on the interface mechanics; Multiscale/multiphysics modeling; Material/microstructure characterizations of soft tissue/cell; Structure-function relationships within non-disease and diseased tissues; Vascular remodeling; Image-based tissue quantification; Blast-structure interaction, traumatic brain injury; Device design, optimization and evaluation; Micromechanics
Finally we will move to the new East Stadium addition, see map. Here we will end with a tour of the Nebraska AthleticPerformance Lab (NAPL) directed by Judy Burnfield, PT, PhD. Where a number of lab team members will be present to speak about the different facilities available and projects that a currently being worked on.
The East Stadium Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab comprises approximately 23,000 square feet on the second and third floors of East Memorial Stadium. This cutting-edge facility allows the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to establish a center for excellence in sports science that provides a unique link between UNL's prestigious Athletics program, various academic departments within the University, and private partners with a shared interest in improving the health, safety and welfare of our student athletes and the general community.
The Nebraska Athletic Performance Lab allows researchers space to conduct advanced research on everything from the biomechanics of elite athletes to athletic and nutrition supplements to biomarkers that measure saliva and recovery time to cardiovascular research to athletic equipment issues such as helmet and footwear design. This research will allow for innovative solutions that will benefit athletes in terms of their safety and athletic performance which will also scale to the benefit of the general public.
Please direct any tour questions or help with directions to Chase Pfeifer. (850) 591-0112,
Following the Tour (8:30 PM) we will meet at Brewsky’s, 201 N 8th Street, Haymarket Lincoln NE, 402-328-2739. For a recap of tour, brief section meeting with UNL ASME Student Section, Socializing with Happy Hour and Dining (off the menu) available.
Reservations required by Monday, February 23, 2015. Please indicate Tour only or Tour and Meeting with Happy Hour & Dinner to: Bill Redinger or 402-496-2006.
As for parking, being in the early evening there is typically a good amount of parking metered space (might suggest everyone brings $2 in quarters to be safe). There is a parking lot just north of Nebraska Hall which we can use to see the robotics/bio-materials on city campus. There are East Stadium Research Lab visitor spots right next to East Stadium we can use, and a metered parking lot next to Chase Hall we can use as well.