| Affiliations: | STEM Research Leadership |
| Project Leader: | Crysthal Alvarez
calvarez@tamu.edu Mechanical Engineering |
| Faculty Mentor: | Guillermo Aguilar, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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TBA |
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Team Size:
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3
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Exploring the field of cryopreservation and possibly attending a conference/ earning co-authorship on publications. Additionally, becoming a part of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC): ATP-Bio (atp-bio.org). This is an opportunity to create new connections and a network from collaborators at the University of Minnesota, Mass General Hospital, Carnegie Mellon University, UC Berkeley, and UC Riverside! Multiple opportunities can come from being a part of this center such as being a part of this project/lab, an REU program, internships, trainee exchanges, and future technician/graduate school opportunities.
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Team Needs:
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At least one skill or knowledge in the following: -Optics/physics: to work with lasers and digital holography setup -Chemistry: to look into different CPA solutions -Nanomaterials: to incorporate nanoparticles in CPAs for rapid rewarming characterization -Thermodynamics/heat transfer: to understand phenomenon occurring while cooling/heating -Biology/Cryopreservation: to culture, hatch, and care for biological specimens (Artemia) -ImageJ (FIJI): to analyze viability of specimens and/or characterize their motion behavior -MATLAB: to image process DHI data and generate plots, images, and videos of temp. over time -SolidWorks/3D printing: to create/ update current droplet holders or any needed parts that arise -Droplet modeling in ANSYS or COMSOL: to compare to real-time DHI measurements |
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Description:
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Vitrification is a rapid approach to cryopreserve biological samples without ice formation, which induces mechanical injury to the specimen. However, developing vitrification technologies for biological systems in the μL – L scale is challenging due to non-uniform cooling/warming and cryoprotectant (CPA) toxicity. Additionally, there are current limitations of monitoring in real-time CPA distribution, temperature, and phase changes to develop cryopreservation protocols. Therefore, real-time monitoring of these parameters is a necessity to make advancements in the field of cryopreservation. This project entails developing and utilizing an optical tool, digital holography interferometry (DHI), to perform in-situ thermal analysis of water, CPAs, and biological systems to improve vitrification protocols which can lead to enhanced specimen viability post preservation. |