Brian Akselrad

The Tikkun Olam Make-a-thon was a 3 day meeting in Israel, of interdisciplinary teams from around the world for an intense and exciting creative experience. The teams were comprised of engineers, occupational therapists, designers and artists.

Prosthetic Arm – Using 3D printing to make a prosthetic arm that will allow a child that was born without a hand to hold a ball.

• Partnered with Nashville’s Rochelle Center, a NISH-affiliated non-profit agency specializing in the employment of individuals with disabilities
• Collaborated within a team of five to develop a novel systems engineering approach to improve working conditions for employees of the Rochelle Center
• Created a unique Skills Assessment to objectively assess potential employee’s skills in the workplace to reduce any potential bias and increase the employment of people with disabilities
•… Show more

• Partnered with Nashville’s Rochelle Center, a NISH-affiliated non-profit agency specializing in the employment of individuals with disabilities
• Collaborated within a team of five to develop a novel systems engineering approach to improve working conditions for employees of the Rochelle Center
• Created a unique Skills Assessment to objectively assess potential employee’s skills in the workplace to reduce any potential bias and increase the employment of people with disabilities
• Developed a software suite containing an interactive Behavioral Analysis Tool and Skills Assessment Rubric, used to place employees in their ideal positions
• Redesigned the floor plan to improve safety and productivity
• Project selected as a finalist in the Vanderbilt Engineering Design Competition Show less

Brian Akselrad, Michael Irvin, Philip Samson, Ambra Pozzi, John Wikswo

Abstract:

Hypertension and cancer are two very well recognized and intricately correlated diseases. Hypertensive patients are more frequently found to have metastatic cancer than normotensive patients. For this reason, we are testing for a direct correlation between hypertension and cancer metastasis. Hypertension causes significant flow stress to endothelial cells lining vessels and elicits mechanotransduced… Show more

Brian Akselrad, Michael Irvin, Philip Samson, Ambra Pozzi, John Wikswo

Abstract:

Hypertension and cancer are two very well recognized and intricately correlated diseases. Hypertensive patients are more frequently found to have metastatic cancer than normotensive patients. For this reason, we are testing for a direct correlation between hypertension and cancer metastasis. Hypertension causes significant flow stress to endothelial cells lining vessels and elicits mechanotransduced endocrine and paracrine signals. We are investigating whether endothelial cells exposed to hypertensive-like stress are more prompted to secrete molecules able to promote tumor cell migration and invasion. To do this, we are using a microfluidic device to induce and establish a gradient of molecules released from endothelial cells under hypertensive-like stress. Migration of metastatic cancer cells within this gradient will be then analyzed and quantified. We have developed and implemented a whole organ culture bioreactor in order to maintain perfused mice aortas under controlled flow rates to simulate either normotensive or hypertensive conditions. Media containing molecules released in response to hypertensive conditions, induced by the flow, is loaded into the microfluidic device. We expect an increase in tumor cell migration/invasion following exposure of tumor cells to medium collected under hypertensive conditions. Show less