Northeastern University View Institution's Website 14 articles published in JoVE Biology Assembly and Operation of a Cooling Stage to Immobilize C. elegans on Their Culture Plates Yao L. Wang1, Noa W. F. Grooms1, Claire W. Ma1, Samuel H. Chung1 1Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University This paper describes protocols for constructing and operating a cooling stage to immobilize C. elegans on their original cultivation plates en masse. Biology Single-Cell Proteomics Preparation for Mass Spectrometry Analysis Using Freeze-Heat Lysis and an Isobaric Carrier Aleksandra A. Petelski*1, Nikolai Slavov1,2,3, Harrison Specht*1 1Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 2Barnett Institute, Northeastern University, 3Department of Biology, Northeastern University In this protocol, we describe how to prepare mammalian cells for single-cell proteomics analysis via mass spectrometry using commercially available reagents and equipment, with options for both manual and automatic pipetting. Bioengineering Synthesis of Graphene-Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposites for Potential Use in Bone Tissue Engineering Sougata Ghosh1,2,3, Tanay Bhagwat3, Rohini Kitture4, Sirikanjana Thongmee1, Thomas J. Webster3,5,6,7 1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 2Department of Microbiology, School of Science, RK. University, 3Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, 4Defence Institute of Advanced Technology Campus, Navyukti Innovations Pvt. Ltd., 5Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, 6Department of Chemistry, Saveetha School of Engineering, Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Saveetha University, 7UFPI - Universidade Federal do Piauí Novel nanocomposites of graphene nanoribbons and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were prepared using solution-phase synthesis. These hybrids when employed in bioactive scaffolds can exhibit potential applications in tissue engineering and bone regeneration. Bioengineering Characterization of Intra-Cartilage Transport Properties of Cationic Peptide Carriers Armin Vedadghavami1, Shikhar Mehta1, Ambika G. Bajpayee1,2 1Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 2Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University This protocol determines equilibrium uptake, depth of penetration and non-equilibrium diffusion rate for cationic peptide carriers in cartilage. Characterization of transport properties is critical for ensuring an effective biological response. These methods can be applied for designing an optimally charged drug carriers for targeting negatively charged tissues. Engineering Low-cost Custom Fabrication and Mode-locked Operation of an All-normal-dispersion Femtosecond Fiber Laser for Multiphoton Microscopy Kai Zhang1,2, Nima Davoudzadeh1,2, Guillaume Ducourthial1,2, Bryan Q. Spring1,2,3 1Translational Biophotonics Cluster, Northeastern University, 2Department of Physics, Northeastern University, 3Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University A method is presented to build a custom low-cost, mode-locked femtosecond fiber laser for potential applications in multiphoton microscopy, endoscopy, and photomedicine. This laser is built using commercially available parts and basic splicing techniques. Chemistry Elemental-sensitive Detection of the Chemistry in Batteries through Soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Jinpeng Wu1,2, Shawn Sallis2,3, Ruimin Qiao2, Qinghao Li2,4, Zengqing Zhuo2,5, Kehua Dai2,6, Zixuan Guo2,7, Wanli Yang2 1Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, 2Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Binghamton University, 4School of Physics, National Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, 5School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, 6School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, 7Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California-Santa Barbara Here, we present a protocol for typical experiments of soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS) and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) with applications in battery material studies. Bioengineering Synthesis of Functionalized 10-nm Polymer-coated Gold Particles for Endothelium Targeting and Drug Delivery Ming J. Cheng1, Priya Prabakaran1, Rajiv Kumar2,3, Srinivas Sridhar1,2,3, Eno E. Ebong1,4,5 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, 2Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, 3Department of Physics, Northeastern University, 4Departments of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 5Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine We describe a method of synthesizing biocompatible 10-nm gold nanoparticles, functionalized by coating poly-ethylene glycol onto the surface. These particles can be used in vitro and in vivo for delivering therapeutics to nanoscale cellular and extracellular spaces that are difficult to access with conventional nanoparticle sizes. Bioengineering Patterning Bioactive Proteins or Peptides on Hydrogel Using Photochemistry for Biological Applications Taylor B. Dorsey1,2,3, Alexander Grath1,2, Cancan Xu4, Yi Hong4, Guohao Dai1,2,3 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 3Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 4Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington In this method, we use photopolymerization and click chemistry techniques to create protein or peptide patterns on the surface of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels, providing immobilized bioactive signals for the study of cellular responses in vitro. Behavior fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task J. Adam Noah1, Yumie Ono2, Yasunori Nomoto2, Sotaro Shimada2, Atsumichi Tachibana3, Xian Zhang1, Shaw Bronner1, Joy Hirsch1,5 1Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 2Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, Meiji University, 3Department of Histology and Neurobiology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 4ADAM Center, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, 5Department of Neurobiology, Yale School of Medicine We present a method to compare functional brain activity recorded during a naturalistic task using fNIRS with activity recorded during fMRI. Engineering Sputter Growth and Characterization of Metamagnetic B2-ordered FeRh Epilayers Chantal Le Graët1, Mark A. de Vries1,2, Mathew McLaren1,3, Richard M.D. Brydson3, Melissa Loving4, Don Heiman5, Laura H. Lewis4, Christopher H. Marrows1 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, 2Institute of Materials Research, University of Leeds, 3School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, 4Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, 5Department of Physics, Northeastern University A method to prepare epitaxial layers of ordered alloys by sputtering is described. The B2-ordered FeRh compound is used as an example, as it displays a metamagnetic transition that depends sensitively on the degree of chemical order and the exact composition of the alloy. Neuroscience Designing and Implementing Nervous System Simulations on LEGO Robots Daniel Blustein1, Nikolai Rosenthal2, Joseph Ayers1 1Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 2Fachrichtung Bionik, Bremen University of Applied Sciences An approach to neural network modeling on the LEGO Mindstorms robotics platform is presented. The method provides a simulation tool for invertebrate neuroscience research in both the research lab and the classroom. This technique enables the investigation of biomimetic robot control principles. Bioengineering Therapeutic Gene Delivery and Transfection in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells using Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-targeted Gelatin Nanoparticles Jing Xu1, Mansoor Amiji1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University Type B gelatin-based engineered nanovectors system (GENS) was developed for systemic gene delivery and transfection in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. By modification with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) specific peptide on the surface of nanparticles, they could target on EGFR receptor and release plasmid under reducing environment, such as high intracellular glutathione concentrations. Medicine In vivo Near Infrared Fluorescence (NIRF) Intravascular Molecular Imaging of Inflammatory Plaque, a Multimodal Approach to Imaging of Atherosclerosis Marcella A. Calfon1, Amir Rosenthal1,2, Georgios Mallas1,3, Adam Mauskapf1, R. Nika Nudelman2, Vasilis Ntziachristos2, Farouc A. Jaffer1 1Cardiovascular Research Center and Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 2Institute for Biological and Medical Imaging, Helmholtz Zentrum München und Technische Universität München, 3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University We detail a new near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) catheter for 2-dimensional intravascular molecular imaging of plaque biology in vivo. The NIRF catheter can visualize key biological processes such as inflammation by reporting on the presence of plaque-avid activatable and targeted NIR fluorochromes. The catheter utilizes clinical engineering and power requirements and is targeted for application in human coronary arteries. The following research study describes a multimodal imaging strategy that utilizes a novel in vivo intravascular NIRF catheter to image and quantify inflammatory plaque in proteolytically active inflamed rabbit atheromata. Bioengineering Fluorescent Nanoparticles for the Measurement of Ion Concentration in Biological Systems J. Matthew Dubach1, Mary K. Balaconis1, Heather A. Clark2 1Bioengineering Department, Northeastern University, 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University Fluorescent nanoparticles produced in our lab are used for imaging ion concentrations and ion fluxes in biological systems such as cells during signaling and interstitial fluid during physiological homeostasis.