| The close and long-standing collaborative relationship between the Biomedical Engineering Department at Marquette University and surrounding medical institutions offers graduate students a vast assortment of research opportunities and facilities. The Milwaukee County Medical Complex, Medical College of Wisconsin, Veterans Administration Medical Center, and Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital are located within a few miles of campus. Below are descriptions of some of the laboratories that are available to the student.
- Rehabilitation Centers & Labs
- FALK NEUROREHABILITATION ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER (FNERC)
Dr. Robert Scheidt : Dr. Brian Schmit : Dr. Jack Winters
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Marquette University offers over 5,000 sq. ft of research space in its Neurorehabilitation Engineering Research Center. This center serves research and development (R&D) activities in neurorehabilitation, investigating optimal intervention strategies for movement therapy. R&D activities range from basic science (e.g., neuromuscular adaptive mechanisms) to the development and evaluation of innovative therapeutic intervention strategies. Integral to the FNERC are three laboratories run by Marquette University Biomedical Engineering core faculty:
- Neurorobotic and Neuroevaluation Laboratories
- Dr. Robert Scheidt
- Neuromechanics Laboratory
- Dr. Brian Schmit
- Telemonitoring and Teletherapy Laboratory
- Dr. Jack Winters
These labs offer force platforms, EMGs, motion tracking systems, robotic manipulators, a CyberGlove, telehealth technology and numerous instruments and sensors for measuring and assessing human motor and sensory performance. Target populations are stroke and spinal cord injury, and to a lesser extent cerebral palsy and autism.
We are also a member of the Midwest Rehabilitation Network [funded by a R24 grant from NIH, centered at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC)], which also focuses on neurorehabilitation.
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The goal of this center is to evaluate methods and technologies to increase the usability and accessibility of diagnostic, therapeutic, and procedural healthcare equipment for people with disabilities. Researchers work closely with consumers, healthcare practitioners, hospitals and manufacturers to increase access to and utilization of medical instrumentation and services by individuals with disabilities, including technologies that support employment in the healthcare professions. This RERC is one of 22 national RERC Centers of Excellence that are administered through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education. It is the first to specifically address the critical need for new medical instrumentation technologies that move toward the ideal of a society where healthcare is universally accessible to all people.
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ORTHOPAEDIC and REHABILITATION ENGINEERING CENTER (OREC)
Dr. Gerald Harris, Director
Deborah Epps, OREC Administrator
414-288-0696
depps@mcw.edu
- Human Motion Analysis Laboratory
- Dr. Gerald Harris
The human motion analysis laboratory, located at the Medical College of Wisconsin, is designed to support a broad range of clinical and research oriented projects. Clinically, it is structured to evaluate adult, foot and ankle, pediatric, sports medicine and total joint patients during ambulation and other activities. Educational opportunities for students are provided through clinical research project participation and interaction with medical residents. Numerous technical development projects are supported through close collaboration with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Marquette. A full-time engineer and a half-time graduate research fellow from Marquette staff the laboratory.
The resources provided through the Human Motion Analysis Laboratory include a testing area and an examination/preparation area. The Human Motion Analysis Laboratory clinically evaluates between two and five patients per week. Equipment includes seven motion analysis cameras, two force plates, a PC based motion analysis work station, 10 channel EMG system, a foot insole pressure measurement system, PCs for data analysis, and motion analysis software.
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory
- Dr. Mei Wang, Director
This lab is designed and maintained to support basic science and applied research projects in orthopaedic biomechanics. Research methods often encompass in-vitro experiments, mechanical testing and computer modeling.
- Biomaterials Laboratory
- Dr. Jeffrey Toth
This lab complex, directed by Dr. Jeffrey Toth with facilities on both campuses, supports basic science, clinical research and research training in the areas of tissue engineering, bone grafts and substitutes, ceramic biomaterials and histology.
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REHABILITATION ROBOTIC RESEARCH & DESIGN LAB
Dr. Michelle Johnson, Director
The application of robots in the rehabilitation of the upper extremity as therapy is a relatively new application and research area in biomedical engineering, and one with potentially great impact on daily lives of impaired persons. Research studies with robot-assisted therapy environments have indicated that these environments are able to achieve significant reduction in motor impairment and provide objective functional assessment and intensive training in a semi-autonomous environment.
Through the design, development and therapeutic use of novel, affordable, intelligent robotic/mechatronic and domotic assistants, this lab is focused on examining underlying causes of upper limb impairment after neural disease, injury, or cerebral accident, on discovering effective methods to retrain functional recovery on daily living activities, and on developing new ways of facilitating independent living in daily living environments. Equipment include: a 6-DOF robotic system (3 passive and 3 active degrees) called the HapticMaster from FCS Robotics; a Driver's SEAT, a 1 degree of freedom robotic device that incorporates a modified PC-based driving simulator to create simple and motivating steering tasks; and the Thera-Drive, a low-cost, commercially-viable, home-based rehabilitation system that can capitalize on computer-assisted motivating rehabilitation concepts of game therapy and skill training with functional training related to real activity to induce user-dependent CNS plasticity.
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- Imaging Centers & Labs
- KECK CENTER FOR X-RAY MICROFOCAL IMAGING
Dr. Anne Clough : Dr. Robert Molthen
In 1994, Marquette University received a grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to establish and equip a research center for x-ray microfocal imaging within the Biomedical Engineering Department. Led by Drs. Clough and Molthen, the center focuses on physiological and pathophysiological studies of pulmonary circulation. . The x-ray microfocal imaging system, the only one of its kind, enables examination of structures, as small as 10 microns, in either small animals or excised organs. Dynamic angiography at 30 frames/sec and micro-computed tomography are both feasible with this system. Most recently, the center has developed a single-photon emission computed tomography system for imaging regional perfusion and ligand distributions in small animals. The instrumentation is housed in an 11 x 6 x 8 ft. lead-lined inner room housed within the VA physiology laboratory complex with about 2000 square feet of laboratory space.
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FUNCTIONAL IMAGING LABORATORY
Dr. Kristina Ropella
The Functional Imaging Laboratory, directed by Dr. Ropella, received significant support from the Whitaker Foundation via a Special Opportunity Award for Functional Imaging and the Anthony J. and Rose Eannelli-Bagozzi Medical Research Fellowship and is well equipped with Silicon Graphics workstations, Linux-based PC workstations, and image acquisition hardware. These computers are connected to a Biomedical Engineering local area network and have Internet access. These resources are used by graduate students for signal and image processing, finite element analysis, and real-time image acquisition and analysis, and computational fluid dynamics. Specific research projects include functional MRI of the brain, microfocal CT imaging of lung physiology, cardiac arrhythmia studies, stent design for cardiovascular applications and finite element modeling of soft and hard tissues.
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- BIOPHYSICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Dr. Balaraman Kalyanaraman
The Biophysics Department of the Medical College of Wisconsin, is located at the Milwaukee County Medical Complex. The main areas of research are Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) and Electron Paramagnetic (or Spin) Resonance (EPR/ESR). The Biophysics Laboratory is part of the collaborative Functional Imaging Program with the Biomedical Engineering Department at Marquette University. The Department of Biophysics occupies approximately 20,000 sq. ft. The space includes chemical, biochemical, and two tissue culture labs, an engineering complex, a microwave lab, six EPR spectroscopy labs, a machine shop and a lab for MRI and MRS coil fabrication. This area provides space for a GE 3 T long bore MRI scanner, Bruker 9.4 T 30 cm bore MRI scanner, and a Bruker 6 T W-band EPR spectrometer.
3.0 T Long Bore Excite MRI System The long bore GE Signa Excite MRI system is a 55 cm bore whole body MRI system with a high homogeneity, actively shielded magnet with resistive, passive and superconducting shims. This system allows imaging resolutions up to 256 x 256, oblique plane imaging, graphics prescription and automated reconstruction with echo-planar imaging sequences. These features make the system ideal for functional MRI. This scanner is housed in the Department of Biophysics at MCW.
1.5 T GE Signa Horizon LX Echo Speed System The GE Signa Horizon LX Echo Speed is a state-of-the art, whole body MRI system with a high homogeneity superconducting magnet. It is located at Froedtert Hospital in the Department of Radiology. The Echo Speed system allows imaging resolutions up to 256 x 256, oblique plane imaging, graphics prescription and automated reconstruction with echo-planar imaging sequences. These features make the system ideal for functional MRI.
1.5 T GE CVi System The GE CVi is a state-of-the art, whole body MRI system with a high homogeneity superconducting magnet. It is located at Froedtert Hospital in the Department of Radiology. The Echo Speed system allows imaging resolutions up to 256 x 256, oblique plane imaging, graphics prescription and automated reconstruction with echo-planar imaging sequences. These features make the system ideal for functional MRI and DWI.
9.4 T Bruker Biospec 94/30 USR In-vivo Spectroscopy Imaging System The Bruker Biospec system has an actively shielded 9.4 Tesla magnet with a 31 cm warm bore. This collection of hardware will allow gathering of high quality imaging and spectroscopic data, since the shim system should be able to generate extremely uniform fields, and the gradients, in conjunction with the RF transmission and receiver sub-systems, allow collection of data at extremely high rates, necessary for functional magnetic resonance studies.
Mock Scanner This facility mimics the spatial and aural environment of a functioning scanner. It is used for subject training and psycho-physical studies. It is operated by the MCW General Clinical Research Center.
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- CLINICAL NEUROIMAGING FACILITIES
Dr. John Ulmer, M.D.
A 1.5T GE Signa, 1.5T GE Signa LX Echo Speed, and 1.5T GE CVi MRI systems, and a GE PET/CT Scanner, all located within the Department of Radiology at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, are available for patient studies. The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), Allen-Bradley Medical Science Laboratory, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital (FMLH), Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex are all located adjacent to each other on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) campus.
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- FUNCTIONAL IMAGING RESEARCH CENTER (FIRC)
Dr. Jeffrey Binder
In 2002, the Functional Imaging Research Center was founded at the Medical College of Wisconsin to formalize the collaborative efforts of scientists and engineers from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The mission of the center is to unite scientists and engineering of various disciplines to further the development and application of functional imaging in health and disease. Located a few miles from MU, the FIRC Center, focuses on technological advancement of fMRI and using the technique to understand brain systems activated when healthy individuals perform sensory, motor and cognitive tasks in the scanner. Functional neuroimaging (fMRI) is becoming an area of increasing importance in systems (or integrative) neuroscience. More recently, MCW and MU fMRI investigators have begun to apply the technique to diagnose and monitor patients with a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including brain tumors, stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, attention deficit disorder, multiple sclerosis, head injury, visual disorders, gastrointestinal disorders and schizophrenia. Facilities include three dedicated MRI research scanners and related equipment including gradient coils, a mock scanner, unique visual and auditory testing equipment to permit sensory testing during fMRI, and MR compatible EEG and ECG monitoring equipment.
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- Modeling & Computing Labs
- BIOMEDICAL COMPUTING and SIGNAL PROCESSING LABORATORY
Dr. Kristina Ropella, Director
This laboratory, which receives support from the Whitaker Foundation, the Anthony J. and Rose Eannelli-Bagozzi Medical Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation, VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, is equipped with Sun and personal computers and external storage devices. These computers are connected to a Biomedical Engineering local area network and have internet access. These resources are used by graduate students for signal processing, finite element analysis, and acquisition on biomechanical measurements. Specific research projects include cardiac arrhythmia studies, finite element modeling of soft and hard tissues, and lower extremity indentation studies.
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- NEUROSCIENCE BIOMECHANICS LABORATORY
Dr. Frank Pintar (MCW) : Dr. Narayan Yoganadan
This laboratory is housed at the Zablocki VA Medical Center located several miles from Marquette's main campus. Laboratory capabilities include state-of-the-art car crash and mechanical testing apparatus, support research in the areas of impact and trauma biomechanics to the various regions of the human body, the scientific and biomechanical basis of new and established surgical techniques, and the biodynamics of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The laboratory includes various experimental and mathematical modeling capabilities, CT, MRI, fluoroscopy and other related techniques are used to evaluate biomechanics. The laboratory includes comprehensive capabilities from microscopic, injury mechanisms, and cellular and gene level evaluations to vehicle crashworthiness (Froedtert Hospital-MCW CIREN Center. This CIREN Center focuses its activities on brain and spinal cord injuries in motor vehicle crashes.
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- Medical Devices Lab
- IMPLANTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE LABORATORY
Dr. Dean Jeutter
This laboratory is a first rate facility for the design and prototype development of biomedical devices such as multiple channel telemeters and wireless transcutaneous radio frequency powering systems for applications such as auditory prosthesis, artificial heart, nerve regeneration stimulator (Regenerative Electrical Stimulation), and for a variety of monitoring and powering needs in research. The facilities include modern, fully equipped radio frequency capability with a digital spectrum analyzer, s-parameter based network analyzer, CAD circuit analysis and design, printed circuit CAD, high frequency oscilloscopes, power meter, synthesized radio frequency generator, and a precision oven. A darkroom facilitates the complete fabrication of printed circuit boards from photographic negative through chemical etching of the boards. Complete system development from concept through realization of working prototypes is, therefore, available.
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