Dr. Jeffrey Johnson’s lab is involved in computational neuroscience. Specific interest is the role of nigrastriatal dopamine (via D1 and D2 receptor subtypes) on corticostriatal pathways during the acquisition of a learned behavior. However, the technology by which we implement the model allows us to collaborate with neuroscientists investigating many other aspects of basal ganglia function, including motivation, cocaine addiction, and Parkinson’s disease.

We have a recursive, top-down modeling approach. We create virtual instances of classic behavioral experiments, such as multiple T-mazes and shuttle-boxes. We then develop biologically-plausible neural network (mathematical) models that are capable of replicating the whole-animal behavioral characteristics of rats that are trained in these experiments. Finally, we map the individual terms of the model to components and pathways within the basal ganglia. The mappings form a set of experimentally testable hypotheses as to their information processing functions of the basal ganglia components. Finally, each term is itself a model and can be further expanded using our object-oriented programming technology. Research Interests: Role of nigrostriatal dopamine (via D1 and D2 receptor subtypes) on corticostriatal pathways during the acquisition of a learned behavior. Links of Interest

• Division of Biomedical Informatics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
• Aronow Group
• Meller Group
• Courses Details
• Additional Details on Courses

Ultrasound Research
Dr. Christy Holland's research interests include ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis for stroke therapy, ultrasound-mediated drug delivery, bioeffects of diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound, and acoustic cavitation. She is the principal investigator of an NIH RO1 grant entitled, "Ultrasound-Assisted Thrombolysis for Stroke Therapy." Successful completion of these studies will contribute significantly to her long-term goal to develop an ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis system that delivers and enhances thrombolytic therapy in the cerebral vasculature and rapidly restores perfusion after ischemic stroke. Dr. Holland is also principal investigator of two subcontracts to NIH RO1 grants entitled, "Targeted Liposomes for Acoustic Cardiovascular Imaging" and "Echogenic Targeted Liposomes for Transfection/Drug Delivery" in collaboration with investigators at Northwestern University in Chicago , IL . The goal of these projects is to develop echogenic liposomes to highlight and enhance vascular pathology, to determine, quantitate, and characterize the stage, extent, and pathophysiologic development of atherosclerosis. This research will aid in directing therapy to improve physiologic flow following clinical intervention. As a result of her research, Dr. Holland has gained wide recognition at UC, nationally and internationally for her excellence and contributions in ultrasound research.

Research Interests: interaction of ultrasound with tissue, either for diagnosis or therapy.
Website: http://www.ultrasound.uc.edu

Biomedical Acoustics Laboratory
The Biomedical Acoustics Laboratory, led by Dr. T. Douglas Mast, studies ultrasound technology for improving image-guided, minimally- invasive and noninvasive treatments of cancer and other disease. Current research includes image-guided cancer treatment by minimally- invasive, miniaturized ultrasound arrays capable of both imaging and tissue ablation. Related work on ultrasound ablation includes a study of blood vessel occlusion by high-intensity focused ultrasound, with potential neurosurgical applications for noninvasive treatment of vascular malformations. An area of major effort in the Biomedical Acoustics Laboratory is development of new imaging methods for quantitative ultrasonic mapping of therapeutic tissue heating. These new imaging methods are based on ultrasound-tissue interactions not captured by conventional ultrasound imaging, including heat-induced changes in acoustic properties, random variations in ultrasound echoes due to tissue coagulation and vaporization, and acoustic emissions from cavitating microbubbles.

Website: http://homepages.uc.edu/~masttd/

Steven Boyce, Ph.D., serves as Professor of Surgery at UC and Director of the Department of Tissue Engineering at the Shriner’s Burns Hospital. Dr. Boyce and his collaborators have developed national and international reputations for designing and testing cultured skin substitutes for use in patients. To achieve near normal epidermal anatomy and physiology they first combined human skin cells and natural biopolymer substrates both in vitro and after transplantation into athymic mice. Their preclinical results show they can control and predict functional properties including epidermal barrier, mechanical pliability and skin color. Efficacious prototypes from animal studies have been tested clinically, resulting in new materials for wound closure that benefit patients. However, they also recognize the low mechanical strength of the cultured skin substitutes at the time of grafting requires increased immobilization time of patients and specialized clinical protocols. Their experiments are studying the delivery of mechanical tension during specimen preparation by the use of customized biaxial mechanical loading devices. The goal is to mimic the in vivo signals in normal skin to stimulate cells to synthesize appropriate matrices that oppose applied forces (much like orienting fibroblasts to uniaxial loading in normal skin and enthothelial cells to uniaxial fluid flow in vessels). Their group also has active studies to incorporate: a) human dermal fibroblasts from younger and older donors into separate papillary or reticular layers to affect tissue structure and function; b) microvascular endothelial cells of skin to mimic their presence in normal skin and to accelerate engraftment; c) collagen crosslinking agents (non-enzymatic glycation) to promote greater mechanical maturation of skin substitutes before grafting; and, d) genetic modifications to cells in grafts to express proteins with specific biological activities. Trainees may participate in these programs by culturing multiple human cell types, integrating these cells into biopolymers, developing new bioreactors and protocols that ensure perfusion and simulated mechanical signals, and evaluate the effects of these mechanical stimuli on biaxial visco-elastic and failure properties in animal studies. Ultimately, the goals of Dr. Boyce and his group are to directly commercialize the most promising technologies that will result in substantial improvement of skin lesions, including burns, chronic wounds and birth defects.

Applying nanoscience and nanotechnology to biological systems and medicine, including the bottom-up assembly of nanodevices and nanomotors for the treatment and diagnosis of disease.

The BME Department serves as the host for both the NIH National Nanomedicine Development Center (NDC) on Phi29 DNA Packaging Motor (http://www.eng.uc.edu/nanomedicine/), and the Nanobiomedical Center of the University of Cincinnati. Nanomedicine research is the application of nanotechnology in medicine. Faculty research in BME includes three major areas:

1. Nano- or single molecule imaging for detection and diagnosis of diseases and biological systems (Peixuan Guo, Bill Ball, Jing-Huei Lee, and Christy Holland);
2. bottom-up assembly of nanomaterials for tissue engineering, wood repair, cancer therapy, and disease control (Peixuan Guo, David Butler, Daria Narmoneva, Balakrishna Haridas);
3. construction and manipulation of cellular machines and the application of RNA nanotechnology for medical application (Peixuan Guo, David Butler, Daria Narmoneva, Balakrishna Haridas).

Dr. Strakowski serves as the Director of the Center for Imaging Research and as the Director of the Bipolar and Psychotic Disorders Research Program at the University of Cincinnati COM. This program uses MRI neuroimaging, neurocognitive measures, and longitudinal outcome and treatment methods to study the neurophysiology and course of bipolar disorder. He receives support from the NIMH, NIDA, the Stanley Medical Research Institute, NARSAD and several pharmaceutical companies in this effort. Dr. Strakowski is also the Director of Clinical Research and the General Clinical Research Center at the Cincinnati VAMC. He has received a number of awards, most notably the Gerald L. Klerman Award from the NDMDA and the Best Doctors in American, 2001-2002 and 2003-2004 editions. He has over 130 peer-reviewed publications and a number of chapters, published abstracts and solicited reviews.