Biomedical Engineering

By Jamie Oberdick

When patients undergo reconstructive surgery for devastating injuries, one of the biggest obstacles surgeons face is restoring blood supply to the repaired tissue. Without a functioning vascular system, new grafts cannot survive. With a new $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, researchers at Penn State are taking on this challenge by combining advanced 3D bioprinting with a novel surgical method, known as micropuncture.

Microrobots modeled in simulations communicate via sound to form ‘acoustic swarms’ and move collectively

By Adrienne Berard

Collaborating with orthopedic surgeons, a team led by biomedical engineering researchers at Penn State created CitraBoneQMg, an implantable biodegradable scaffold to support bone regrowth made by combining magnesium and glutamine with citric acid. They published research on their implant, for which they filed a U.S. patent application, in Science Advances.

By Sarah Small

Proof-of-concept, at-home device can detect biomarker for endometriosis — a debilitating uterine disease — in 10 minutes; advancement makes early detection easier, more accessible, researchers say

By Ashley WennersHerron

By Jamie Oberdick

A new skin-like sensor developed by an international team led by researchers at Penn State could help doctors monitor vital signs more accurately, track healing after surgery and even help patients with bladder control issues. 

The sensor, which can be worn on the skin or implanted inside the body, can measure both physical movement and electrical signals. It is made from soft, stretchable materials that mimic human skin and is designed to work for long periods of time without losing performance. 

By Adrienne Berard

Saying one thing while feeling another is part of being human, but bottling up emotions can have serious psychological consequences like anxiety or panic attacks. To help health care providers tell the difference, a team led by scientists at Penn State has created a stretchable, rechargeable sticker that can detect real emotions — by measuring things like skin temperature and heart rate — even when users put on a brave face.

By Mariah Lucas

By Mariah Lucas

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In the COVID-19 pandemic era, at-home, portable tests were crucial for knowing when to wear a mask or isolate at home. Now, Penn State engineering researchers have developed a portable and wireless device to simultaneously detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and vitamin C, a critical nutrient that helps bolster infection resistance, by integrating commercial transistors with printed laser-induced graphene.  

By Mallorie McIlwain and Adrienne Berard