Dr. Tyrrell Conway - The human genome and the genomic inventory of the microflora that human life depends on are complete yet the essence of how commensal E.coli colonizes the intestine is not understood. In this NIH-funded laboratory, researchers use DNA microarrays and genetics to unravel the carbon nutrition of E. coli colonized in the mouse intestine. It has recently been shown that gastrointestinal pathogens are able to infect healthy individuals by competing for a different set of nutrients than do the harmless members of our normal commensal microbiota.
Dr. Andrew H. Fagg - Associate Professor of Computer Science. Dr. Fagg's research foci are centered on the following themes: machines as models of how biological systems represent and learn motor and cognitive skills; primates as inspiration for new robot control and learning techniques; and the interaction of humans with machines. Current projects include the design of learning and control systems for robot reaching, grasping, and manipulation; robot learning through human interaction; brain-machine interfaces; and interactive art spaces.
Dr. Rong Zhu Gan - Charles E. Foster Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Adjunct Professor of Physiology. The research activities in Dr. Gan’s Biomedical Engineering Lab are centered on basic research to understand structures and functions of living systems and applied research to develop new and improved devices and products for medicine and biology. Her current research projects include measurement of sound transmission in normal, diseased, and implanted ears, computational modeling of auditory system, design of implantable hearing devices, and biomechanics of tissues and organs.
Dr. Randy Hewes - Dr. Hewes' laboratory focuses on the mechanisms by which cells acquire, maintain and regulate neuropeptides, and how changes in neuropeptide signaling controls animal behavior. This research exploits the powerful molecular, genetic, and genomic techniques available in a model organism, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Research is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology.
Dr. Dean Hougen - Robotics, Evolution, Adaptation, and Learning Laboratory (REAL Lab) concentrates on intelligently connecting sensing to action. This connection is the essence of modern robotics and allows robots to expand their horizons beyond tightly controlled environments such as factories, to find uses in space exploration, military endeavors, medical and assistive applications, and elsewhere in our everyday lives. Dr. Dean Hougen's research is funded by the Army Research Office and the DEPSCoR program.
Dr. Tamer S. Ibrahim - Assistant Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Center for Bioengineering. Dr. Ibrahim's areas of research include design and analysis of high field magnetic resonance imaging radio frequency probes and biological sensors, computational electromagnetics, and interactions between electromagnetic fields and biological tissues.
Dr. Cecil M. Lewis Jr. - Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Lewis's Molecular Anthropology Laboratory and Ancient DNA laboratory addresses questions concerning the distribution and evolution of human genetic variation. To address these questions, he has collected and/or analyzed ancient DNA, genetic data from hypervariable mitochondrial regions, from autosomal functional regions, and a genome-wide survey of Short Tandem Repeats. Research topics include human population history, the evolution of disease associated genetic variation, and the relationship between cultural, environmental and genetic variation.
Dr. Hong Liu - Charles and Jean Smith Chair in Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Adjunct Professor of Medicine. Dr. Liu’s research interest is in medical imaging. His current projects include phase and phase contrast x-ray imaging, digital mammography, digital radiography, stereo fluoroscopy, and optical and fluorescent imaging devices. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and a fellow of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). He is also the Chief Editor of the Journal of X-ray Science and Technology.
Dr. Peter McFetridge - Research Assistant Professor, School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. From vision and hearing implants to an artificial heart, biomedical engineering has become a crucial component as we strive to improve the quality of life in our aging society. Dr. McFetridge's research aims to develop medical devices that improve the quality of life of those afflicted with cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Amy McGovern - Assistant Professor of Computer Science. Dr McGovern's research foci are machine learning, robotics, and knowledge discovery/data mining. She is particularly interested in developing and applying new techniques to real-world problems. Current projects include the developing new knowledge discovery techniques to improve our understanding and prediction of severe weather (specifically focusing on tornadoes), autonomous development of relational representations for reinforcement learning agents, and optimizing scanning strategies in the newly developed CASA radars.
Dr. Henry Neeman - OU Supercomputing Center for Education and Research (OSCER) supports the OU education and research community - undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff - by providing supercomputing expertise, education and resources. OSCER is user friendly, supporting not only computing experts but also novices: researchers and educators with strong skills in their own field of science or engineering, but modest computing background. OSCER currently has three Supercomputers that are capable of a total of approximately one and one-half trillion calculations per second.
Dr. Matthias Nollert - Associate Professor, School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. Dr. Nollert's research in the area of biomedical engineering seeks to understand the role of fluid mechanics in modulating the biology of blood cells and the cells of the blood vessel wall. There is good evidence that changes in blood flow characteristics may lead to the development of vascular disease. Only by studying vascular cells in a flowing system that closely mimics the environment found in the blood vessels can we understand how these cells behave in the body and why vascular disease occurs. Dr. Nollert is currently examining alterations in protein production in blood vessel wall cells that are exposed to fluid flow. He is also investigating how the response of cells to certain hormones may change if the cells are exposed to flow. In collaboration with investigators at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences center, he is looking at the influence of fluid mechanics on the interaction between white blood cells and the blood vessel wall. These studies will determine the molecular mechanism of this interaction and may indicate new approaches for the development of drugs to prevent an inappropriate immune response.
Dr. Edgar A. O'Rear III - Director of Oklahoma Bioengineering Center, and Francis W. Winn Professor for Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. Dr. O'Rear's research interests are in the two principal areas of surfactant science and biomedical engineering. Using an interfacial polymerization process very similar to emulsion polymerization, these researchers are modifying the surfaces of commercially important materials and also exploring the technique as a means of forming unusual polymers. Their efforts focus on learning the range of versatility of the method and on characterizing these thin polymer films. Within biomedical engineering, Dr. O'Rear and his students are interested in biotransport phenomena and particularly in biorheology. They are investigating thrombolysis or the dissolution of blood clots by plasminogen activators. Aspects of this research include developing a rheologic test for the study of thrombolysis and examining another possible mechanism for the so-called "no-reflow" phenomenon. This work will be important in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular disorders.
Dr. Bruce Roe - The Advanced Center for Genome Technology (ACGT) at the University of Oklahoma's Chemistry Department has been a designated Genome Center by the National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH-NHGRI) since 1990 and is one of the first three laboratories involved in the world-wide Human Genome Project. Since then the ACGT has mapped (sequenced) the first completed human chromosome, human chromosome 22, discovering the genes involved in several forms of mental retardation, brain cancer, leukemia and schizophrenia. ACGT's research presently is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture and the Noble Foundation.
Dr. David Schmidtke - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. Dr. Schmidtke's research interests are in the design and development of new analytical devices and technologies for medical therapy, and lie at the interface of medicine and engineering. His current research can be divided into three research directions: 1. Cell Adhesion; 2. Microfabrication; and 3. Biosensors.
Dr. Vassilios Sikavitsas - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. Dr. Sikavitsas's research interests include the use of molecular and cell biology approaches together with engineering principles in developing cellular and tissue engineering strategies for organ regeneration and assessment of human health risk. His research objectives can be categorized into three major areas: 1. Orthopedic Tissue Engineering 2. Biosensors 3. Cell Therapies for Tissue Regeneration 4. Tissue Engineering Bioreactors.
Dr. Han Wang - Dr. Wang uses the zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study molecular genetics and genomics of circadian rhythmicity, embryogenesis, retinal and blood development as well as human diseases. The laboratory is also interested in studying evolution of development and vertebrate genomes. The research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Whitehall Foundation.
Dr. Jizhong Zhou - Presidential Professor,
Department of Botany and Microbiology,
Institute for Environmental Genomics. Dr. Zhou is a distinguished R&D staff scientist in microbial genomics and ecology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. He and his research group are joining OU at the Stephenson Research and Technology Center to form the new Institute for Environmental Genomics. Dr. Zhou is an international research leader in functional genomics analyses of microbial stress responses, energy metabolism, and regulatory networks in several environmentally important microorganisms.