Project Photocurable Sealant Use in a Lung Puncture Mouse Model Program DUIRI - Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship Term Fall 2024 Status Accepted Research Area Biomedical Engineering, Materials Description A pneumothorax, or punctured lung, occurs when air leaks from the lung into the chest cavity, causing the lung to collapse. Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously or be a result of an existing respiratory disease or blunt trauma. A punctured lung is a severe medical emergency. Thus, there is a need for a portable, rapid treatment for pneumothorax, especially in areas where access to emergency medical care is limited. The goal of this project is to develop a mouse model of a traumatic pneumothorax. This model will then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a photocurable sealant in repairing the damaged lung. The sealant will be applied to the puncture site, cured, and tested to see if the air leak caused by the puncture has been closed. The wound closure will then be evaluated over time by utilizing intermittent ultrasound imaging at timepoints corresponding to different stages of the inflammatory response. The inflammatory response of the mice to the photocurable sealant will be also evaluated using histology. Evaluating the use of this sealant in a lung puncture mouse model will help to determine if the sealant is a viable and convenient treatment for human pneumothorax. Supervisor Craig J Goergen Mentor Cortland Hannah Johns Type of work required Students assisting with this project would be expected to assist with mouse surgeries and post-operative animal care, learn to perform ultrasound imaging and image analysis independently, and perform histology sample preparation and analysis. Websites https://www.healthline.com/health/punctured-lung
https://engineering.purdue.edu/cvirl
Qualifications Students should be interested in imaging research and mouse work. Previous wet lab experience and coding experience is preferred but not required. A basic understanding of thoracic anatomy will be helpful with imaging. Credit Hours 0 Weekly Hours 5 (estimated)