BMED Project
McKenzie Barlow
ENGL 149-12
Table of Contents
Interview Memo 2
Research Proposal 4
Progress Report 5
Recommendation Report 7
MEMORANDUM
To: Cal Poly BMED Professor
From: McKenzie Barlow
Date: February 2, 2015
Subject: Research Proposal Regarding Personal Interests
Statement of Purpose
In order to make certain that I want to have a concentration in tissue engineering, I need to gain more knowledge of what tissue engineering entails and what sort of careers I can take with such a concentration. I am hoping that after our discussion last Thursday, I will be able to be a part of your tissue engineering lab team in the near future. In order to be a part of this team, as you suggested, I will need to shadow some of your lab team members while working on the projects to get a sense of the lab and what sort of things tissue engineering entails.
Proposed Interest in Biomedical Engineering
The field of biomedical engineering, as you know, has a wide range of different paths for careers related to the field. One common example used to describe biomedical engineering that I’ve come across as a student at Cal Poly is to design prosthetics. Of course that is not all that biomedical engineers do. After having the interview with you last week, my interest in tissue engineering has grown and I would like to pursue my education in biomedical engineering with a concentration in tissue engineering.
Personal Goals
Being a member of your team will be a great opportunity to understand the aspects of tissue engineering, and in order to do so, there are a few goals I have set for myself:
1. Look at the schedule you sent me to see when your lab team members are working on projects.
2. Shadow for at least one hour every week.
3. Take notes and be observant while shadowing.
4. Take electives focused on tissue engineering in order to understand more of what the lab team is doing for the projects.
5. Ask questions and do personal research on current tissue engineering topics.
I hope that some day as a student at Cal Poly I will be able to be a part of your lab team in order to get a better feel for what tissue engineering is and if I want to concentrate in tissue engineering.
CC: None
MEMORANDUM
To: Cal Poly BMED Professor
From: McKenzie Barlow
Date: February 4, 2015
Subject: Progress Report as of Feb. 4
Work Completed
In the hour of research, I have found three secondary sources and have started creating a graphic for one of my primary sources. My other primary source is the interview that I have already conducted with you.
Summary of Research Findings
Secondary Sources
Source 1: Stem Cell Technologies Boost Regenerative Medicinei by James Netterwald, Ph.D.
Stem cells have led to revolutionary advances in treatment of diseases by reverting or preventing the disease from worsening. They help build new tissues that slow the disease.
Source 2: The Impact of Biomechanics in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicineii by David L. Butler and other authors
Explains the importance of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to induce tissue growth in vitro.
Source 3: How Do You Grow a Heart? iii
Describes how tissue engineering helps to decrease the chance of transplants being rejected form a patient’s body because the organ is grown from the patient’s own cells.
Primary Sources
Source 1: Graphic of Industries that hire biomedical engineers (Work in progress)iv
Source 2: Interview with Dr. Kristin O’Halloran Cardinalv
Work Remaining
I need to finish my graphic as described above and finish reading the sources I mention above.
This project is on schedule and will be completed by the deadline on February 10, 2015.
CC: None
MEMORANDUM
To: Cal Poly BMED Professor
From: McKenzie Barlow
Date: February 10, 2015
Subject: Recommendation Report
The purpose of this memo is to recommend to you that I should be a part of your tissue engineering lab team. I should be on your Cal Poly tissue engineering lab team because I have a passion for biomedical engineering and I am curious to know more about the field of tissue engineering as a possible concentration.
Research Project Goals
In order to decide if I want to concentrate in tissue engineering for my biomedical engineering degree, I have a few goals that will help me with the decision:
· Learn more about the field of tissue engineering by researching and reading journal articles
· Shadow your lab team members while they work on tissue engineering related projects (at least one hour per week)
· Take courses that relate to tissue engineering for my technical electives
My Progress in Research
So far I have read and analyzed multiple articles, which have added to my knowledge of tissue engineering and how the importance of the field.
For example, in an article I read called Stem Cell Technologies Boost Regenerative Medicine[i] from Genetic Engineering News I read about the importance of growing stem cells to slow the damaging effects of disease. As stated in the article, Dr. Taylor from University of Minnesota says, “stem cell treatments for such diseases function by repairing or replacing pathologic organ vasculature and parenchyma, which slows or “cures” the disease by building new tissues, vasculature, and organs.”
Another article I read, The Impact of Biomechanics in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine[ii], tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are going to revolutionize implants by making them more “biologically interactive” and long-lasting. The article mentions, “tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TE/RM) are the emerging disciplines invoking strategies involving cells and/or bioregulatory factors, often in combination with polymeric materials, to create a tissue in vitro (tissue engineering) or induce tissue growth in vivo (regenerative medicine).” From reading this article, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are very important in the medical world to study, which makes my potential to learn more about the field more exciting.
From the last article I read, I learned about how a new heart can grow from using a deceased patient’s heart as a scaffold. Below is a diagram[iii] from the article called How Do You Grow a Heart?[iv]. By growing a new heart, transplants can be easier since the new heart will be biocompatible, making it less likely to be rejected by the user’s body.
Plans for Project
I plan to read more articles such as the ones I have already mentioned to gain more insight into tissue engineering and I also plan to take electives that are tissue engineering related. As you suggested during our interview[v], I am planning on taking both anatomy classes, one of which I hope to take next quarter during the spring. I am also looking forward to shadowing your lab team members and hopefully to become one of your lab team members in the near future.
I hope that you see that I am making an effort to expand my knowledge in tissue engineering and I hope that I will be able to visit you at your office and lab. If you have any other recommendations for me or if you have any interesting articles you come by that you think I’d like to read, I hope that you can pass them my way. Feel free to reach me through my Cal Poly email, mlbarlow@calpoly.edu.
Sincerely,
McKenzie Barlow
CC: Sean Green
[i] Netterwald, James, Ph.D. "Stem Cell Technologies Boost Regenerative Medicine." Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
[ii] Butler, David L., et al. "The Impact of Biomechanics in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine." Tissue Engineering, Part B: Reviews 15.4 (2009): 477+. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.
[iii] Customized Organs. Digital image. 33rd Square. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
[iv] "How Do You Grow A Heart?" 33rd Square. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
[v] O'Halloran Cardinal, Kristin, Dr. "Interview with Dr. Kristin O'Halloran Cardinal." Personal interview. 22 Jan. 2015.