tag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:/newsCoMMaND Lab | News2023-09-06T16:49:00-04:00tag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1559632023-09-06T16:49:00-04:002023-09-06T16:49:48-04:00CoMMaND Lab and collaborators receive R01 to study astrocytes in cortical folding<p>The CoMMaND Lab has been awarded an R01 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the role of astrocytes in cortical folding.  Astrocytes, along with oligodendrocytes and microglia, are glial cells, which are the most numerous cells in the brain by far.  However, neurons have long been the primary focus of both experimental and computational investigations.  With this funding, we aim to provide mechanistic insights into the spatiotemporal interactions between astrocyte behavior and tissue morphology.  To do this, we draw on our own computational expertise, particularly in simulations of the developing brain, alongside the experimental capabilities of our collaborators, led by Prof. Hiroshi Kawasaki at Kanazawa University in Japan.  The Kawasaki group is also funded to work on this project by the Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications, via the Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience program.  …</p><p>The CoMMaND Lab has been awarded an R01 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the role of astrocytes in cortical folding. Astrocytes, along with oligodendrocytes and microglia, are glial cells, which are the most numerous cells in the brain by far. However, neurons have long been the primary focus of both experimental and computational investigations. With this funding, we aim to provide mechanistic insights into the spatiotemporal interactions between astrocyte behavior and tissue morphology. To do this, we draw on our own computational expertise, particularly in simulations of the developing brain, alongside the experimental capabilities of our collaborators, led by Prof. Hiroshi Kawasaki at Kanazawa University in Japan. The Kawasaki group is also funded to work on this project by the Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications, via the Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience program. </p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1494922022-11-28T16:19:00-05:002022-11-28T17:21:14-05:00German major helps CoMMaND Lab understand foundational neuroanatomy paper from nearly a century ago<p>In the fields of neuroscience and neuroanatomy, scholars often cite a 93-year-old paper that examines the thickness of cortical folds. The problem, at least for an English-reading audience, is that this knowledge has always been hiding in plain sight. The article was written in German but never fully translated — until now, thanks to a Notre Dame College of Engineering professor and a Class of 2022 graduate with a deep understanding of the language.</p><figure class="image-right"><img alt="Maria Holland" height="366" src="https://al.nd.edu/assets/494612/300x/maria_holland.jpg" width="300">
<figcaption>Maria Holland</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the fields of neuroscience and neuroanatomy, scholars often cite a 93-year-old paper that examines the thickness of cortical folds.</p>
<p>The problem, at least for an English-reading audience, is that this knowledge has always been hiding in plain sight. The article was written in German but never fully translated — until now, thanks to a Notre Dame <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/">College of Engineering</a> professor and a Class of 2022 graduate with a deep understanding of the language.</p>
<p><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/faculty/maria-holland/">Maria Holland</a>, an assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, recently bought the rights to the paper, “The Influence of the Curvature Occurring in the Folds and Turns of the Cerebral Cortex on Cortical Architecture,” which is one of the signature works of the Dutch neuroanatomist Siegfried Bok.</p>
<figure class="image-right"><img alt="Andrew Fulwider" height="366" src="https://al.nd.edu/assets/494613/300x/andrew_fulwider.jpg" width="300">
<figcaption>Andrew Fulwider ’22</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“This is an important paper that has influenced a lot of work and could influence more work, but a lot of people weren’t able to read it,” she said.</p>
<p>The 1929 paper assists Holland’s ongoing research, supported by a National Science Foundation grant, to examine the brain’s cortical thickness.The effort could identify evolutionary, developmental, and pathological changes in brain morphology that could inform new ways for early diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders.</p>
<p>The project began in 2019 when Holland asked Notre Dame’s <a href="https://germanandrussian.nd.edu/">Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures</a> for recommendations of students who could do translation work. Andrew Fulwider ’22 was on the list, and when Holland noticed he was majoring in German and engineering, she knew he was the ideal candidate.</p>
<p>The translation process was extensive. Fulwider worked through about 100 pages of German text during his sophomore and junior years. The translation sessions spanned a year and more than 100 hours.</p>
<p>“I feel like I’m contributing to the dissemination of knowledge which would otherwise not be disseminated,” said Fulwider, who is now pursuing a master’s degree in sustainable energy supply at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. “These texts weren’t lost, per se, but people didn’t really have access to them. They just had access to what other people said about them.”</p>
<figure class="image-left"><img alt="Fulwider German Article" height="366" src="https://al.nd.edu/assets/494614/300x/fulwider_german_article.jpg" width="300">
<figcaption>“The Influence of the Curvature Occurring in the Folds and Turns of the Cerebral Cortex on Cortical Architecture,” by Siegfried Bok</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As for how he was able to complete the project, Fulwider credits his <a href="https://youtu.be/iBs_Mwj4Q8I">German-learning experience</a> at Notre Dame.</p>
<p>“I can’t praise Notre Dame’s <a href="https://germanandrussian.nd.edu/german-program/">German program</a> enough. It’s a really well-run department with professors who are deeply invested in the success of their students,” said Fulwider, who earned both a BA in German and BS in engineering through the <a href="https://reilly.nd.edu/undergraduate/dual-degree/">Reilly dual-degree program</a>. “Without the German program, I wouldn’t have a shot to do this. I wouldn’t have studied German past a high-school level.”</p>
<p>The fact that the project involves the brain and language seems fitting, given that Fulwider has a handle on language to a point that he can now think in German. </p>
<p>“That ability helps you open different pathways in your brain and helps you think in different ways period,” he said. “It definitely helps with mental flexibility.”</p>
<p>With the translation complete, the journal <em>Brain Multiphysics</em> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666522022000144?via%3Dihub">published</a> the English version in November.</p>
<p>“Most scientific publications focus on original research or on many papers published on a single topic. Our paper was neither of those, but I wanted to make it accessible to other researchers,” Holland said. “In the end, I’m just so pleased that we made this nontraditional publication happen.”</p>
<p class="attribution">Originally published by <span class="rel-author">Pat Milhizer</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://al.nd.edu/news/latest-news/german-major-uses-language-skills-to-help-notre-dame-engineering-professor-unlock-93-year-old-brain-research/">al.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">November 28, 2022</span>.</p>Pat Milhizertag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1486512022-09-28T14:04:00-04:002022-10-18T15:04:37-04:00Maria Holland receives Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) from NIH<p><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/faculty/maria-holland/">Maria Holland</a>, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has received the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health.</p>
<p>The award, which provides up to $250,000 annually for five years, will enable Holland and her Computational Mechanics of Morphology (<a href="https://commandlab.nd.edu/"><strong>CoMManND</strong></a>) lab to expand work on the mechanical implications of inflammatory swelling.</p><p><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/faculty/maria-holland/">Maria Holland</a>, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has received the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health.</p>
<p>The award, which provides up to $250,000 annually for five years, will enable Holland and her Computational Mechanics of Morphology (<a href="https://commandlab.nd.edu/">CoMManND</a>) lab to expand work on the mechanical implications of inflammatory swelling.</p>
<p>Swelling and inflammation are related to immune activity, but the relationship is by no means straightforward. Dramatic swelling could reduce the effectiveness of immune cells, according to Holland. Her MIRA-funded research will look at the ways in which swelling both indicates and affects immune activity.</p>
<p>“A pediatrician friend told me that ear infections get worse at night because the pressure in your ears increases when you lie down,” said Holland, when explaining the inspiration for her MIRA research. </p>
<p>“I started thinking about inflammation and how tissues swell. If they’re constrained physically by surrounding tissues, they might not be able to expand, and the inflammation would generate pressure, which could cause pain.” </p>
<p>Holland’s research group will develop novel computational models of inflammation and swelling that allow for variations in cell behavior and type and account for mechanical interactions between the swelling tissue and surrounding tissues.</p>
<p>Holland joined Notre Dame faculty in 2017 after completing her Ph.D. at Stanford University. In 2022, she received the National Science Foundation <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/news/maria-holland-receives-nsf-career-award-to-advance-understanding-of-the-role-of-mechanics-in-the-human-brain/">CAREER award</a> to advance her biomechanics-informed research on variations in cerebral cortex thickness. </p>Karla Cruisetag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1469812022-07-28T15:40:00-04:002022-07-29T15:40:53-04:00CoMMaND Lab zoo trip!<p>To celebrate our recent CAREER award and get inspired to study mammalian brains, we took a trip to the Potawatomi Zoo.  We were able to see two species from our recently-submitted paper (white-faced saki and colobus) as well as the ring-tailed lemur, which undergraduate summer researcher Lydia Csaszar is currently working on!   …</p><p>To celebrate our recent CAREER award and get inspired to study mammalian brains, we took a trip to the Potawatomi Zoo. We were able to see two species from our recently-submitted paper (white-faced saki and colobus) as well as the ring-tailed lemur, which undergraduate summer researcher Lydia Csaszar is currently working on! </p>
<figure class="image-default"><img alt="" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/479119/2022_07_28_zoo_group_pic.jpg">
<figcaption>CoMMaND Lab with the colobus monkey (long, elegant tail pictured)</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="image-default"><img alt="2022 07 28 Primate Group" height="635" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/479116/2022_07_28_primate_group.jpg" width="600">
<figcaption>
<p>Lorcan, Lydia, and Nagehan (the main primate brain researchers)</p></figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="image-default"><img alt="" height="567" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/479118/2022_07_28_picture_frame_pic.jpg" width="600">
<figcaption>Lydia and Lorcan, our visiting summer undergrad researchers</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="image-default"><img alt="2022 07 28 Lydia Lemur" height="567" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/479117/2022_07_28_lydia_lemur.jpg" width="600">
<figcaption>Lydia with the ring-tailed lemur, the species she's currently working on</figcaption>
</figure>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1467052022-06-08T15:02:00-04:002022-07-13T15:02:37-04:00Maria Holland featured on Biomechanics On Our Mind podcast<p>Dr. Holland talked about her research on the brain, including her recent CAREER award,  and the wide range of biomechanics with hosts Melissa Boswell and Hannah O'Day on the podcast BOOM (Biomechanics On Our Minds)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bSw3QNA9ib4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>…</p><p>Dr. Holland talked about her research on the brain, including her recent CAREER award, and the wide range of biomechanics with hosts Melissa Boswell and Hannah O'Day on the podcast BOOM (Biomechanics On Our Minds)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bSw3QNA9ib4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1467042022-04-04T14:52:00-04:002022-07-13T14:53:36-04:00Undergraduate researcher John Sayut awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship!<p>Established in 1952, the NSF GRFP offers financial support to graduate students in the form of a $34,000 annual stipend and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance, as well as professional development and international research opportunities.</p><p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">The National Science Foundation has selected 11 University of Notre Dame students and alumni for its 2022 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), which supports students in NSF-backed STEM disciplines to pursue research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Another 10 Notre Dame students and alumni were singled out for honorable mention for the program.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Established in 1952, the NSF GRFP offers financial support to graduate students in the form of a $34,000 annual stipend and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance, as well as professional development and international research opportunities.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">The application process is extensive. Applicants work in conjunction with their advisers to create compelling personal statements and research plans. Notre Dame students can also consult experts with the <a href="https://cuse.nd.edu/">Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE)</a> or the <a href="https://graduateschool.nd.edu/graduate-training/research-communication/the-office-of-grants-and-fellowships/">Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships</a>.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify"><a href="https://cuse.nd.edu/about/team/">Jeffrey Thibert</a> is the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">“As every fellowship applicant knows, preparing an application is a team effort, and so in addition to congratulating the 21 Notre Dame students and alumni recognized by the NSF this year, I would also like to thank the many mentors and advisers who worked with them along the way,” Thibert said. “I would especially like to thank the CUSE NSF GRFP adviser, Emily Hunt, for her outstanding work. I encourage any current undergraduates planning to apply to a research-based graduate program in an NSF-supported STEM field (including the social sciences) to visit cuse.nd.edu/nsf and learn more about the advising services that CUSE offers.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify"><a href="https://www.nd.edu/about/leadership/council/laura-carlson/">Laura Carlson</a>, vice president, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School, highlighted the ongoing success that Notre Dame students have had in applying for these programs.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">“We’re so proud to see our students continue to be recognized by the NSF year after year,” Carlson said. “Their success truly reflects the sustained excellence of our graduate programs and our graduate students, and these fellowships empower our students to follow their intellectual curiosity and passion to pursue research that matters in the world.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">The 11 fellows are:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Thomas Best, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Robert Frei, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Jessamine Kuehn, chemistry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Andrew Langford, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Meredith Lochhead, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Lauren McGiven, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Maria Pope, psychology</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">John Sayut, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Emily Selland, life sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Helen Streff, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Ethan Williams, engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">The 10 honorable mentions are:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Samantha Barlock, chemistry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Gabriel Brown, computational science and engineering</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Andrew Burke, mathematical sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Luke Piszkin, chemistry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Charlotte Probst, life sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Theodore Reed, life sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Nico Robalin, chemistry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Mika Schievelbein, life sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Timothy Seida, social sciences</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">Simon Weaver, chemistry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:14px; text-align:justify">For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, email <a href="mailto:gradgrants@nd.edu">gradgrants@nd.edu</a> (graduate students) or visit <a href="https://cuse.nd.edu/">cuse.nd.edu</a> (undergraduate students and alumni).</p>
<p class="attribution">Originally published by <span class="rel-author">Erin Blasko</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://news.nd.edu/news/eleven-notre-dame-students-alumni-awarded-nsf-graduate-research-fellowships/">news.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">April 18, 2022</span>.</p>Erin Blaskotag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1433412022-02-10T12:00:00-05:002022-02-10T12:23:28-05:00Maria Holland receives NSF CAREER award to advance understanding of the role of mechanics in the human brain<p><strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/faculty/maria-holland/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Maria Holland</a>,</strong> Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of <a href="http://ame.nd.edu/"><strong>aerospace and mechanical engineering</strong></a>, has received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award to advance her biomechanics-informed research on variations in cerebral cortex thickness. </p><p><strong><a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/faculty/maria-holland/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Maria Holland</a>,</strong> Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of <a href="http://ame.nd.edu/"><strong>aerospace and mechanical engineering</strong></a>, has received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award to advance her biomechanics-informed research on variations in cerebral cortex thickness. </p>
<p>The prestigious CAREER award supports young faculty who have demonstrated their potential to serve as academic role models in research and education.</p>
<p>Holland’s project, “Unfolding the cortex: Biomechanics-informed analysis of cortical thickness,” focuses on the outer layer of the brain, which varies in thickness because of forces generated during the process of cortical folding. These variations make it difficult to compare stages of human brain development or divergences among species.</p>
<p>By investigating a new metric, called modified cortical thickness, Holland seeks to remove the effect of folding on cortical thickness so that more precise and meaningful comparisons can be made. This will help identify evolutionary, developmental, and pathological changes in the brain.</p>
<p>Holland’s analysis will complement other research on neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, potentially leading to early diagnosis and effective treatment.</p>
<p>In addition, Holland will develop the <a href="https://sites.nd.edu/biomechanics-in-the-wild/"><strong>Biomechanics in the Wild</strong></a> project to foster science literacy and communication among undergraduates and promote interest in the field of biomechanics.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SIhlO5887CQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p>Holland joined Notre Dame faculty in 2017 after completing her Ph.D. at Stanford University. She directs the <a href="http://commandlab.nd.edu/"><strong>CoMMaND</strong></a> (Computational Mechanics of Morphology at Notre Dame) Lab.</p>
<p><em>— Karla Cruise, College of Engineering</em></p>Karla Cruisetag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1370252021-03-29T13:00:00-04:002021-05-03T11:39:23-04:00Undergraduate researcher Mia Hoffman awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship!<p>Mia Hoffman, who has worked in the CoMMaND Lab for three years as an undergraduate researcher, <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/news/engineering-students-receive-2021-nsf-graduate-research-fellowships/">was recently awarded</a> a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.  This award will support her graduate studies at the institution of her choice for three years.  The GRFP is designed to identify and support promising researchers who have the potential to make positive advances in the areas of both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.…</p><p>Mia Hoffman, who has worked in the CoMMaND Lab for three years as an undergraduate researcher, <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/news/engineering-students-receive-2021-nsf-graduate-research-fellowships/">was recently awarded</a> a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. This award will support her graduate studies at the institution of her choice for three years. The GRFP is designed to identify and support promising researchers who have the potential to make positive advances in the areas of both Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1370292020-06-18T13:00:00-04:002021-04-20T13:25:47-04:00CoMMaND Lab has continued to make progress on Zoom!<p>Despite the pandemic, we've continued to work, discuss, and celebrate milestones together!  Graduate student Mohsen Darayi and postdoc Shuolun Wang submitted first-author papers for publication,</p>
<p class="image-default"><img alt="Zoom screenshot of Mohsen and Maria while submitting a paper" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/427592/2020_04_28_nlm_submission.png"></p>
<p class="image-default"><img alt="Zoom screenshot of Shuolun, Nagehan, and Maria while submitting a paper" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/427593/2020_04_29_jmbbm_submission.png"></p>
<p>while graduate student Nagehan Demirci passed her qualifying exam (right)!…</p><p>Despite the pandemic, we've continued to work, discuss, and celebrate milestones together! Graduate student Mohsen Darayi and postdoc Shuolun Wang submitted first-author papers for publication,</p>
<p class="image-default"><img alt="Zoom screenshot of Mohsen and Maria while submitting a paper" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/427592/2020_04_28_nlm_submission.png"></p>
<p class="image-default"><img alt="Zoom screenshot of Shuolun, Nagehan, and Maria while submitting a paper" src="https://commandlab.nd.edu/assets/427593/2020_04_29_jmbbm_submission.png"></p>
<p>while graduate student Nagehan Demirci passed her qualifying exam (right)!</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1370242019-08-14T13:00:00-04:002021-04-20T13:01:08-04:00CoMMaND lab and collaborators at Notre Dame and Purdue have been awarded pilot funding to study the growth of the dura mater<p>The CoMMand Lab, along with collaborators <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/matthew-ravosa/">Dr. Matt Ravosa</a> at Notre Dame and <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/BME/Academics/Graduate/CurrentResearchOpportunities/goergen">Dr. Craig Goergen</a>'s <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/cvirl">Cardiovascular Imaging Research Laboratory</a>…</p><p>The CoMMand Lab, along with collaborators <a href="https://biology.nd.edu/people/matthew-ravosa/">Dr. Matt Ravosa</a> at Notre Dame and <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/BME/Academics/Graduate/CurrentResearchOpportunities/goergen">Dr. Craig Goergen</a>'s <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/cvirl">Cardiovascular Imaging Research Laboratory</a> at Purdue, was awarded pilot funding from the <a href="https://indianactsi.org/">Indiana CTSI</a>. This project, titled "Mechanobiology of dura mater growth: an in vivo and ex vivo longitudinal study", aims to understand the growth of the dura mater, a tough connective tissue that surrounds the brain. Through longitudinal MRI imaging, cell culture and stretching, and accompanying mechanical models, we aim to characterize the growth of the dura mater throughout time. This is particularly relevant because the dura mater plays an important role in signaling between the growth of the brain and skull, and thus a deeper understanding of the dura mater's properties is expected to contribute to advances in certain disorders that involve pathologies of brain and skull growth, such as Zika-associated microcephaly.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1020362019-07-02T17:00:00-04:002019-07-18T17:48:24-04:00Welcome to Shuolun Wang and Nagehan Demirci!<p>We're so excited to have the group grow!</p><p>Shuolun comes from New Jersey Institute of Technology via UIC, where he was a postdoc, and Nagehan joins us from Turkey after earning her Masters at Middle East Technical University. We're so excited to have the group grow!</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1018022019-05-24T14:25:00-04:002019-07-08T14:25:38-04:00CoMMaND laboratory receives $172K to continue studying brain development <p>The CoMMaND team received a National Science Foundation grant for $172,870 to continue its work modeling and analyzing cortical thicknesses as an indicator of healthy brain development.</p><p class="image-right"><img alt="Braindevelopment" src="https://conductorshare.nd.edu/assets/321647/braindevelopment.jpg"></p>
<p>One of the most complex and least understood organs in the human body is the brain. Playing a major role in every body system, the brain processes sensory information; regulates breathing, body temperature, and blood pressure; releases hormones; and so much more. But how it forms, specifically how physical and biological forces affect healthy growth and development of the brain, remains largely a mystery.<br>
<br>
Since its inception, the <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command" href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command" target="_blank" title="">Computational Mechanics of Morphology at Notre Dame (CoMMaND) lab</a> has focused its activities on the brain, studying its form, development and function. Recently, the CoMMaND team received a National Science Foundation grant through the Computer Information Science and Engineering Research Initiation Initiative for $172,870 to continue its work modeling and analyzing cortical thicknesses as an indicator of healthy brain development.</p>
<p class="image-left"><img alt="Mholland" src="https://conductorshare.nd.edu/assets/300553/mholland.jpg"></p>
<p>The CoMMaND team will develop and use a novel open-source computational tool to analyze the cortical thickness of two large data sets of neuroimages containing more than 500 <span class="caps">MRI</span> scans. “This will allow us to generate a baseline for cortical thickness variations throughout the development of a healthy brain,” says <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="../../profiles/mholland" href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/mholland" target="_blank" title="">Maria Holland</a>, the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="http://AME.ND.EDU" href="http://AME.ND.EDU" target="_blank" title="">Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering</a> and CoMMaND director.<br>
<br>
During its most recent project, the team conducted an experimental study of the gyri (outer folds) and sulci (inner folds) of the brain, in which they confirmed that brain development is not exclusively the result of genetic patterns but can also be affected by mechanical forces that follow the laws of physics. The new study will build upon that work to characterize the effect of cerebrospinal fluid pressure, neuronal apoptosis and synaptic pruning on cortical thicknesses and to characterize regional and temporal patterns of cortical thicknesses in healthy adults.<br>
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As Holland’s team continues to develop the computational tools and simulations from this and future studies, its findings will be made available to other researchers to use in conjunction with other existing open-access databases of neuroimages, opening the possibility of further insights into neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and autism spectrum disorder.<br>
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In conjunction with this research, Holland and her team are also developing a <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://sites.nd.edu/biomechanics-in-the-wild/" href="https://sites.nd.edu/biomechanics-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" title=""><span class="external-link">student-written blog</span> for the general public</a> that shares information on the field of biomechanics, including descriptions from some of their investigations.<br>
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For more information on this research, visit <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command." href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command." target="_blank" title="">ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command.</a><br>
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<p class="attribution"><em>Originally published by <span class="rel-author">Nina Welding</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://conductorshare.nd.edu/news/command-laboratory-receives-172k-to-continue-studying-brain-development/">conductorshare.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">May 22</span>.</em></p>Nina Weldingtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017852018-12-10T10:55:00-05:002019-07-08T12:01:53-04:00Notre Dame-led team unlocks key information on the development of the brain<p>The brain, one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body, is about the size of a grapefruit. Yet it contains more than 100 billion nerves and numerous folds and creases. It is the “folds” of the brain, called gyri and sulci, that were the focus of a University of Notre Dame-led study recently published in <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.228002" href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.228002" target="_blank" title="">Physical Review Letters</a>…</p><p>The brain, one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body, is about the size of a grapefruit. Yet it contains more than 100 billion nerves and numerous folds and creases. It is the “folds” of the brain, called gyri and sulci, that were the focus of a University of Notre Dame-led study recently published in <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.228002" href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.228002" target="_blank" title="">Physical Review Letters</a>.<br>
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Gyri, the bumps on the surface of the brain, and sulci, the groves in the brain, create the folds of the brain. They perform two important functions: expanding the surface area of the cerebral cortex, which increases the brain’s ability to process information, and creating the boundaries between the lobes of the brain.<br>
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<p class="image-left"><img alt="Mholland" src="https://conductorshare.nd.edu/assets/300553/mholland.jpg"></p>
<p>According to <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="../../profiles/mholland" href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/mholland" target="_blank" title="">Maria Holland</a>, the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="http://ame.nd.edu" href="http://ame.nd.edu" target="_blank" title="">Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering</a> and director of the <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command" href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command" target="_blank" title="">Computational Mechanics of Morphology at Notre Dame lab</a>, the team studied the role of physics in gyrification, the folding process that the brain undergoes during development. More specifically, they examined the geometric and physical factors that impact cortical thickness patterns. The information they found could begin to provide answers to fundamental questions about how an organ knows when and where to grow, as well as insights into alterations in cortical thicknesses that have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as lissencephaly and polymicrogyria, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.</p>
<p>Holland and team members — Silvia Budday in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Alain Goriely in the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford and Ellen Kuhl in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stanford — were able to confirm through their study that brain development is not exclusively the result of genetic patterns. They showed that it also follows physics-based laws by demonstrating that geometric and physical factors alone could lead to these cortical thickness patterns. Through an analysis of more than 500 human brain scans, the team also found that gyri in the brain are typically thicker than sulci, and that this asymmetry is a universal phenomenon with implications in physical, engineering and biological systems.<br>
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This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (<span class="caps">NSF</span>), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council, an <span class="caps">NSF</span> Graduate Research Fellowship and the Stanford Graduate and <span class="caps">DARE</span> Fellowships. It is being continued in conjunction with <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/" href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/" target="_blank" title="">Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics</a> at Notre Dame. For more information, visit <a class="external-link" data-mce-href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command." href="https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command." target="_blank" title="">https://ame.nd.edu/research/faculty-research-labs/command.</a><br>
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<p class="attribution">Originally published by <span class="rel-author">Nina Welding</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://conductorshare.nd.edu/news/notre-dame-led-team-unlocks-key-information-on-the-development-of-the-brain/">conductorshare.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">December 10, 2018</span>.</p>Nina Weldingtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017862018-12-04T14:35:00-05:002019-07-08T12:08:19-04:00Dr. Holland visits high school alma mater<p>Over Thanksgiving, Dr. Holland visited two high schools near her hometown of Coon Rapids, MN, to talk to students about academia and engineering. In addition to visiting her alma mater, Coon Rapids High School, now home of a Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, she also visited Blaine High School's Center for Engineering, Mathematics and Science. After introducing her research, she took questions, which touched on her favorite teachers, her travels abroad, and her planned career when she was younger.…</p><p>Over Thanksgiving, Dr. Holland visited two high schools near her hometown of Coon Rapids, MN, to talk to students about academia and engineering. In addition to visiting her alma mater, Coon Rapids High School, now home of a Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, she also visited Blaine High School's Center for Engineering, Mathematics and Science. After introducing her research, she took questions, which touched on her favorite teachers, her travels abroad, and her planned career when she was younger.</p>
<p>The visit to CRHS was covered by the Anoka-Hennepin School District <a href="https://bit.ly/2DUcxkg" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017872018-11-13T00:00:00-05:002019-07-08T12:13:09-04:00Dr. Holland attends DARE@10 Homecoming<p>As a Stanford graduate student, Dr. Holland was supported by a DARE (Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence) fellowship from the Stanford Vice Provost for Graduate Education. She was in the 8th cohort of a program now welcoming its 11th cohort. To recognize the 10th anniversary of this successful program, over 150 alumni returned to Stanford for a three day conference and celebration that included social events, a professional development conference, research talks, and opportunities to share their experiences with current Stanford grad students.…</p><p>As a Stanford graduate student, Dr. Holland was supported by a DARE (Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence) fellowship from the Stanford Vice Provost for Graduate Education. She was in the 8th cohort of a program now welcoming its 11th cohort. To recognize the 10th anniversary of this successful program, over 150 alumni returned to Stanford for a three day conference and celebration that included social events, a professional development conference, research talks, and opportunities to share their experiences with current Stanford grad students.</p>
<p>For more information about the program, see <a href="https://vpge.stanford.edu/fellowships-funding/dare" target="_blank">the VPGE website</a>. For more information about the reunion, see <a href="https://news.stanford.edu/2018/11/12/stanford-program-diversify-academia-celebrating-10th-anniversary/" target="_blank">this Stanford News article</a>.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017882018-09-12T18:20:00-04:002019-07-08T12:17:14-04:00CoMMaND Lab receives Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics Discovery Fund Award<p>A project titled “Cortical thickness variation as a biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorder” has been funded by the Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics (AD&T) Discovery Fund. The goal of the study is to establish relationships between the mechanics of brain development and thickness of the cortex, or the brain’s outer layer, that could lead to new objective measures for early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder via medical images.…</p><p>A project titled “Cortical thickness variation as a biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorder” has been funded by the Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics (AD&T) Discovery Fund. The goal of the study is to establish relationships between the mechanics of brain development and thickness of the cortex, or the brain’s outer layer, that could lead to new objective measures for early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder via medical images.</p>
<p>For more information about this and other awards made by AD&T, see<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/news-publications/engineering-newswire/notre-dame-researchers-to-tackle-autism-preeclampsia-and-more-through-new-funding" target="_blank" title=""> the news item from the College of Engineering</a>.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1018032018-09-07T14:00:00-04:002019-07-08T14:27:57-04:00Notre Dame researchers to tackle autism, pre-eclampsia and more through new funding<p>Each year, grants from the Discovery Fund are awarded to researchers who propose novel technologies and diagnostics that can improve human and environmental health.</p><p>Nine faculty from the University of Notre Dame have received awards for five projects from the <a href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/">Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics’</a> (AD&T) Discovery Fund. Each year, grants from the Discovery Fund are awarded to researchers who propose novel technologies and diagnostics that can improve human and environmental health.</p>
<p>“The Discovery Fund is intended to support exciting and ambitious research with the potential to have high impact,” said <a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/paul-bohn/">Paul Bohn</a>, director of AD&T and Arthur J. Schmitt Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “By funding these projects, AD&T is facilitating faculty in successfully navigating the path from an initial idea to achievable results that can be translated to real-world applications.” </p>
<p>Recipients of the 2018 AD&T Discovery Fund awards are:</p>
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<a href="https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/brooke-ammerman/">Brooke Ammerman</a>, assistant professor of psychology, and <a href="https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/ross-jacobucci/">Ross Jacobucci</a>, assistant professor of psychology, for their project titled, “Using integrative data mining to improve the prediction of suicide: An initial application.” This research aims to use machine learning and data integration to clarify the relationship between various risk factors at multiple levels of analysis to improve the prediction of distinct suicide outcomes. The results of this project will provide insights into important variables to target in suicide prevention and intervention strategies.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://chemistry.nd.edu/people/brandon-ashfeld/">Brandon Ashfeld</a>, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/jzartman">Jeremiah Zartman</a>, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, for their research, “Design and development of new therapeutics for trisomy 21 phenotypes.” Trisomy 21, or an extra copy of chromosome number 21, is the most common form of Down syndrome. The long-term goal of this project is to identify a viable therapeutic to treat Down syndrome phenotypes as well as other cognition diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/dhanjaya-putra">Donny Hanjaya-Putra</a>, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/dgo">David Go</a>, the Rooney Family Associate Professor of Engineering, for their study called, “Stem cells and their exosomes: to model and predict preeclampsia.” The aim of this research is to identify early predictive biomarkers of pre-eclampsia and develop innovative treatment strategies for this disease, which is responsible for nearly 15 percent of all premature births. </li>
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<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/mholland">Maria Holland</a>, Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, for her project, “Cortical thickness variation as a biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders.” The goal of this study is to establish relationships between the mechanics of brain development and thickness of the cortex, or the brain’s outer layer, that could lead to new objective measures for early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder via medical images.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/tosullivan">Thomas O’Sullivan</a>, assistant professor of electrical engineering, and <a href="https://engineering.nd.edu/profiles/fpatrick">Patrick Fay</a>, professor of electrical engineering, for their research titled, “Optical sensors that enable wearable quantitative time-resolved tissue optical spectroscopy.” This research aims to create sensors that enable the next generation of wearable optical technologies for non-invasive sensing and imaging for personal wellness and medicine.</li>
</ul>
<p>To learn more about AD&T research, opportunities and affiliated faculty, visit <a href="https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/">https://advanceddiagnostics.nd.edu/</a>. </p>
<p><em><strong>Contact: </strong>Corrine Hornbeck, administrative assistant, Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics, <a href="mailto:chornbec@nd.edu">chornbec@nd.edu</a>, 574-631-8183</em>; <a href="https://twitter.com/UNDResearch">@UNDResearch</a>.</p>
<p class="attribution"><em>Originally published by <span class="rel-author">Brandi Klingerman</span> at <span class="rel-source"><a href="https://research.nd.edu/news/notre-dame-researchers-to-tackle-autism-preeclampsia-and-more-through-new-funding/">research.nd.edu</a></span> on <span class="rel-pubdate">Sept. 6.</span></em></p>Brandi Klingermantag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017892018-07-27T00:00:00-04:002019-07-08T12:58:04-04:002018 Summer Research Presentations<p>Dr. Holland presented the lab's work at Tsinghua University and Xiamen University in China, as well as at USNCTAM and WCCM.</p><p>During a trip to China, Dr. Holland presented on the lab's work during two invited seminars. Profs. Xi-Qiao Feng and Bo Li hosted her at Tsinghua University's Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, where she had previously spent two months through the National Science Foundation's East Asian and Pacific Summer Institute. Later, Prof. Dongdong Wang of the Department of Civil Engineering hosted her at Xiamen University, where she had previously spent a year studying Mandarin Chinese. Additionally, Dr. Holland presented recent work at both the US National Congress for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics in Chicago, IL, and the World Congress of Computational Mechanics in New York, NY.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017912018-06-15T00:00:00-04:002019-07-08T12:25:16-04:00Welcome to our first Ph.D. student, Mohsen Darayi!<p>Mohsen Darayi joined the lab in June after finishing his Master's degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.</p><p>Mohsen Darayi joined the lab in June after finishing his Master's degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.</p>Maria Hollandtag:commandlab.nd.edu,2005:News/1017922017-10-13T00:00:00-04:002019-07-08T12:30:00-04:00Multiple Openings for Graduate Students<p>The CoMMaND lab has openings for multiple graduate students to work on computational modeling of the developing brain.</p><p>The CoMMaND lab has openings for multiple graduate students to work on computational modeling of the developing brain. We are seeking bright, hardworking, creative students to join the Ph.D. programs in Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering or Bioengineering. A masters degree and experience with Abaqus subroutines and Python are preferred but not required.</p>
<p>To apply for these openings, visit the Notre Dame Graduate School’s online <a href="https://graduateschool.nd.edu/admissions/" target="_blank">application portal</a> and mention Dr. Holland as a prospective advisor in your personal statement. The deadline for Fall 2018 admission is Feb. 1, 2018.</p>
<p>If you have questions about graduate study in the CoMMaND lab beyond what is included in the program pages for <a href="https://ame.nd.edu/graduate-programs" target="_blank">Mechanical Engineering</a> or <a href="https://bme.nd.edu/about" target="_blank">Bioengineering</a>, please email <a href="mailto:maria-holland@nd.edu">Dr. Holland</a>, but please understand that admissions decisions are only made upon receipt of a full application through the Graduate School website.</p>Maria Holland