Drexel University Events Calendar

ECE 101: ECE in the Real World--Winter Series Part II (2/15/2023 - 3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	2/15/2023	Start Time:	2:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	2:00 PM

This first-year seminar series highlights real-world applications and careers in Electrical and Computer Engineering through the stories of renowned professionals. Topics focus on how engineering and computing technology impacts our daily lives. Presentations are open to all.

Winter Series Guests: Part 2

Wednesdays at 2:00pm ET, Bossone Auditorium

February 15:Interactive Music Technology & Learning with Dr. Teresa Nakra--Professor of Music, Design, and Creative Technology, The College of New Jersey
February 22:Deepfakes and AI-Generated Content with Dr. Matthew Stamm--Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Drexel University
March 1:Battlebots with Ginger Schmidt--Co-Captain, Team Tantrum: 2022 Battlebots World Champion, MIT
March 8:AI Art & Music Creation with Dr. Scott Hawley--Technical Fellow, Stability.AI, Professor of Physics, Belmont University
March 15:Our Wireless World with Dr. Kapil Dandekar--E. Warren Colehower Chair, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Associate Dean for Enrollment Management and Graduation Education, Drexel University

ECE 101 WINTER 23 (Part B).png

Wellness Days (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	All Day
End Date:	3/15/2023

Wellness Days

Join us for an upcoming wellness day at a location near you!

Dates & Locations

2/20/23, 10 am – 2 pm
Overbrook Presbyterian Church, 6376 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19151
3/18/23 & 5/23/23, 11 am – 1 pm
Frontline Dad’s, Inc., 410 N. 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
4/22/23, 8 am – 8 pm
Enon Know Your Numbers, 2800 W. Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19150
6/11/23, 10 am – 2 pm
Community of Compassion, 6150 Cedar Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143

Yoga for Anxiety (15 Wellness Points)* (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	9:00 AM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	9:45 AM

This gentle yoga and breathing class will be a hands-on movement class. Our Wellness Administrator Monica Fauble, Licensed Acupuncturist & Yoga Teacher, will lead you through a series of stretches and breathing practices that can be done at home or in your office.

You will also experience guided breathwork, meditation, and grounding exercises that you can use to destress and reset throughout the day.

You don’t necessarily need to change into “workout” clothes to attend, but you will not be able to fully participate if you are wearing tight or restrictive clothing or clothes that you’re afraid will rip or tear if you stretch and move. Please use your judgment about what to wear.

All bodies and all “fitness” levels are welcome to attend this class. We will offer more do-able and more difficult variations of each posture to help you turn up the heat or take it down a notch according to what you need.

Please register in Career Pathway. The Zoom link will be sent via email from Career Pathway once you register.

*Participants in our Wellness Incentive Program are eligible to earn 15 points (a $15 credit) for attending this event. Your name must appear in the participants box in Zoom (you must be signed in to Zoom with your name) in order to receive wellness credit. You will receive an email from Career Pathway confirming your attendance after attendance has been completed. Wellness points will appear in your Health Advocate profile in six weeks.

You must register for the Health Advocate Wellness Incentive Program AND complete your annual Personal Health Profile before you will be eligible to receive any payouts. Points for attending these events will be sent to Health Advocate on a monthly basis for the prior month’s activities. There will be a 6-week delay in these points and payouts being distributed. For information about our wellness incentive program, please visit: http://drexel.edu/hr/benefits/a-healthier-u/wellness-incentive-program/

Please contact Wellness Consultant Monica Fauble with questions: mfauble@drexel.edu

Tell Us How You Really Feel! Art as a Tool to Communicate Complex Emotions (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	10:00 AM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:00 PM

Exhibition from December 1, 2022 through June 1, 2023. Tell Us How You Really Feel! is an exhibition of student, faculty and alumni artwork examining the aforementioned concepts. Contributing artists are asked to consider the following prompt: "Create a visual representation of a time in your life when you felt emotion that was too hard to put into words." The artist's responses will be presented in the Drexel Founding Collection's Rincliffe Gallery in an effort to show the practical application of empathy through art. During the exhibition artists' work will be sold, if they so choose, with half the proceeds donated to The Jed Foundation and The Trevor Project to support ongoing mental health resources for young peoples. For more information please visit Exhibitions | Drexel Founding Collection.

This exhibition is free and open to the public.

An opening reception will be held on December 1st from 5:00 - 7:00 PM in the Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery, please RSVP.

A Single-Molecule DNA Analysis Device for Optical Mapping and Sequencing (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:30:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	10:30 AM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	12:30 PM

BIOMED PhD Thesis Defense

Title:
A Single-Molecule DNA Analysis Device for Optical Mapping and Sequencing

Speaker:
Dharma Varapula, PhD Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Advisor:
Ming Xiao, PhD
Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Details:
Since the completion of the human genome project in 2003, structural and genetic factors within the genome are continuously being mapped to various diseases previously not considered to have genetic etiology. Although small disease-associated genetic variants have been identified, structural variations, particularly >50 bp, have not been characterized well using short-read sequencing (SRS). Large structural variations can have a profound influence on many complex diseases. Long-read sequencing (LRS) and genome mapping are emerging technologies to reveal genomic variations of all sizes. Current LRS technologies, PacBio’s SMRT and Oxford’s nanopore, have read lengths of 10-20 kbp which are insufficient to detect megabase-scale SVs. Moreover, their low base call accuracy (up to 15%) necessitates combining SRS data. Optical mapping technology extracts sequence-motif information from 300 kbp-long linearized DNA molecules. This substantially higher read length, to a significant extent, addresses the limitations in read length for de novo genome assembly and large SV detection of complex genomes. However, this needs to be combined with sequencing to obtain complete sequence information making the entire process expensive and resource intensive. Even if viable for large SV discoveries, current approaches are not viable for large-scale clinical diagnostics. Hence, there is a need for an economic single-molecule long-read sequencing technology that has megabase-scale reads with the single-base resolution, high accuracy, and throughput.

In this project, we developed a single-molecule DNA analysis device that utilizes molecular combing of DNA to isolate and linearize megabase-long DNA molecules. These molecules can act as templates to directly obtain sequence information optically. The unique ability of the device is the application of on-surface enzymatic reactions on ultra-long DNA molecules, opening up various modalities to interrogating genomic loci, including optical mapping, and sequencing. At the device’s core is a micropatterned substrate that is patterned with two opposing surface functionalities, one binds DNA ends and the other passivates against DNA, proteins, and fluorophores. This surface design generates highly ordered adsorption of DNA, prevents overstretching of individual molecules, and provides a low-fluorescence background for many efficient fluorescent labeling chemistries. We performed sequential labeling by nick-labeling with nickases and Cas9 (D10A)-gRNA. A novel rapid sequence-specific labeling chemistry based on CRISPR-dCas9 was also developed and tested. Labeled molecules showed a high degree of alignment against the reference confirming sequence-specificity and the ability to perform multiple sequential reactions. To assess if single-base detection was possible, a similar set of experiments were performed with fluorescent dideoxynucleotides. Results indicated successful single base incorporation, encouraging further development toward base-by-base sequencing.

Additionally, fully automated microscope imaging instruments were built to scan large areas of the device and detect single fluorophores. In summary, we successfully developed a novel, inexpensive single DNA analysis device that can analyze super-long DNA molecules.

UHC Weekly Forum: Gianni Anfuso, Sarah Myers (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	11:00 AM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	12:00 PM

Gianni Anfuso, UHC Master's Fellow presents A Bayesian Approach for Estimating Disparities in Life Expectancy Between Census Tracts in Philadelphia.

Sarah Myers, EOH Master's Student presents Reducing Health Inequalities of Low-Income Immigrant Workers through Better Social Policies: Perspectives of Nail Salon Workers.

Microbiology and Immunology Seminar (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	1:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	2:00 PM

Topic
Characterization of B and T-Cell Responses Following COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination

Presented By
Kyra Woloszczuk, Drexel University

Hosted By
Elias Haddad

Microgreens: A Small but Mighty Tool for Nutrition and Disease Prevention (15 Wellness Points)* (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	2:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	3:00 PM

Ever wish you could grow a superfood in one week and then make nutritious meal(s) with it? Most people think that growing food to eat requires a green thumb or at least warmer weather to grow fresh produce. However, with microgreens, you can grow a nutrient-packed superfood indoors using any light source (lamp or natural light) in just one week! Starting with seeds and soil, this microgreens workshop will share how to plant, grow, and harvest produce indoors. During the workshop, medical students Talmadge Gaither and Cynthia Huang will review the connections between health, diet, exercise, and preventive medicine in a fun and interactive format. In addition to learning how to grow microgreens and their associated health benefits, Food Labs Manager Rachel Sherman will present three easy recipes to incorporate microgreens into your diet. By the end of the experience, you will be ready to prepare a delicious fresh meal and come away with a clear understanding of how diet can promote long-term health outcomes for the whole family.

Please register in Career Pathway. The Zoom link will be sent via email from Career Pathway once you register.

*Participants in our Wellness Incentive Program are eligible to earn 15 points (a $15 credit) for attending this event. Your name must appear in the participants box in Zoom (you must be signed in) in order to receive wellness credit. You will receive an email from Career Pathway confirming your attendance after attendance has been completed. Wellness points will appear in your Health Advocate profile in six weeks.

You must register for the Health Advocate Wellness Incentive Program AND complete your annual Personal Health Profile before you will be eligible to receive any payouts. Points for attending these events will be sent to Health Advocate on a monthly basis for the prior month’s activities. There will be a 6-week delay in these points and payouts being distributed. For information about our wellness incentive program, please visit: http://drexel.edu/hr/benefits/a-healthier-u/wellness-incentive-program/

Please contact Wellness Consultant Monica Fauble with questions: mfauble@drexel.edu

Workshop presenters: Talmadge Gaither, Cynthia Huang, and Ben Haslund-Gourley from Drexel’s College of Medicine and Rachel Sherman from the Drexel Food Lab

Population Health Spotlight Series ft. Dr. Morita (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	2:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	3:30 PM

The 2022-23 Population Health Spotlight Series is titled "Public Health at a Crossroads: Is it time for a new direction?"

The last two years have highlighted more than ever the challenges in addressing both emerging and ongoing threats to population health. It has become clear that we need to rethink and retool public health approaches to address many pervasive threats to health and health equity that are built into the fabric of our society. What are the most important lessons of the past few years and what are the next steps for public health research, practice and policy? Voices from across the field of public health will share their reflections as part of Dornsife’s Population Health Spotlight Series for 2022-23.

This event supports one credit hour towards National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) Certified in Public Health (CPH) continuing education credit.

RSVP in-person

RSVP via Zoom

Learn more about Series

Talk Title: A ‘Fireside’ Chat with Dr. Julie Morita & Dean Ana Diez Roux: Policy, Public Health & Philanthropy

About the speaker:

Julie Morita, MD, is executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), where she oversees all programming, policy, research, and communications activities. Before joining RWJF, Dr. Morita helped lead the Chicago Department of Public Health for two decades. As commissioner, Morita led the development and implementation of Healthy Chicago 2.0, a four-year health improvement plan focused on achieving health equity by addressing the conditions in which people live, learn, work and play. Dr. Morita has served on many advisory boards, including the Biden Transition COVID19 Advisory Board, the Advisory Committee to the Director of the CDC and the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Community Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the United States. Born and raised in Chicago, Morita earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and her medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School. She completed her residency at the University of Minnesota. .

Cookies With Cops (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	3:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:00 PM

Join Public Safety Wednesday, March 15, from 3-5 p.m. at Korman Quad for an afternoon treat and conversation with Drexel Police.

Environmental and Occupational Health Journal Club (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	3:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	4:00 PM

Interested in learning more about Childhood Lead Exposure Prevention? Join the Environmental and Occupational Health Journal Club as we discuss the report on “Ten Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure.”

The report was supported by the Health Impact Project, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts (2017).

This discussion will be led by EOH Assistant Professor, Dr. Tran Huynh.

Please email Lizbeth Gómez (lg688@drexel.edu ) to RSVP.

03_15_2023_EOH_Journal_Club.pdf

UREP Drop-In Hours (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	3:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:00 PM

Do you have questions about undergraduate research, fellowships, or enrichment programs? Drop-in hours are a chance to chat with staff and UREP ambassadors and get answers to your questions. Virtual drop-ins are available by request - email urep@drexel.edu to schedule

Ultrasound-Sensitive Microbubble Approaches for Overcoming Tumor Hypoxia in Head & Neck SC Carcinoma (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 19:30:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	3:30 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:30 PM

BIOMED PhD Thesis Defense

Title:
Ultrasound-Sensitive Microbubble Approaches for Overcoming Tumor Hypoxia in Head and Neck Squamous Cell (SC) Carcinoma

Speaker:
Quezia Lacerda, PhD Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Advisors:
John R. Eisenbrey, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Radiology
Thomas Jefferson University

Margaret A. Wheatley, PhD
John M. Reid Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Details:
Several studies have shown that tumor hypoxia is directly associated with a poor prognosis in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Hypoxic and/or anoxic areas have an oxygen partial pressure (pO2) ranging from 0 to 10 mmHg. A pO2 <10 mmHg in HNSCC patients is directly linked to poor local tumor control, establishing disease-free status, and overall survival, whether treated by radiation alone or combined with surgery or systemic chemotherapy. Increasing the oxygen tension of HNSCC would significantly improve its sensitivity to radiation, which is especially important as nearly 75% of all HNSCC patients receive radiation therapy. As a means to mitigate tumor hypoxia before radiation, several treatment modifications have been investigated, including the use of ultrasound-sensitive microbubbles containing oxygen.

Our group has developed O2 microbubbles stabilized by sorbitan monostearate and water-soluble vitamin E, Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) (termed SE61O2) that provides enhancement under ultrasound interrogation in vitro for over 10 minutes. These bubbles are readily imaged within hypoxic tumors and can be noninvasively destroyed within the tumor vasculature via ultrasound. Prior work demonstrated the feasibility of disrupting oxygen bubbles within a murine breast tumor model, and a model of metastatic breast cancer in the brain was capable of raising the mean tumor pO2 to as much as 20 mmHg. This increase in oxygenation significantly improved both tumor control and animal survival. However, the duration of oxygenation using this platform was limited, lasting only 2 minutes in vivo. The scientific premise of this work aimed to overcome the translational limitations of our group’s current O2 microbubble platform by combining the localized delivery of O2 with a pharmacological inhibitor of tumor mitochondrial respiration (lonidamine (LND)) to prolong oxygenation. The potential of this combined approach was validated in an HNSCC tumor model to access the ability to provide sustained oxygenation and improve tumor control and survival by further sensitizing tumors to radiotherapy.

In this dissertation, SE61O2 microbubbles loaded with LND (SE61O2/LND) were fabricated by modifying our previously reported methods. The LND was first entrapped in TPGS micelles by incubation methods to extend the drug/micelle interaction and increase the drug loading in SE61 microbubbles. Microbubbles loaded with LND had an average encapsulation of 25.7 ± 1.5 μg/mL microbubble, surpassing the minimum required drug loading of at least 4.8 μg/mL, assuming 20 % delivery. Notably, despite the inclusion of LND, these agents retained their echogenicity and stability, showing a maximum enhancement of 18.7 ± 0.8 dB and a mean diameter of 1.65 μm with a bubble concentration of (2.7 ± 0.2)x109 MB/mL. Experiments in vivo showed that co-delivery of O2 and LND via ultrasound-sensitive microbubbles provided sustained oxygenation (300 seconds) relative to oxygenated microbubbles alone (120 seconds), as well as showing an improvement of LND pharmacokinetics in both the plasma and tumor tissue illustrating the platform’s ability to deliver LND locally. Furthermore, therapy experiments delivering 5 Gy of radiation demonstrated that SE61O2/LND administered with metformin pre-treatment improved radiosensitivity and animal survival in an HNSCC model.

Shakespeare Read-Aloud: Much Ado About Nothing (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	4:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:00 PM

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s madcap comedies. Count Claudio falls in love with the gentle Hero, only to decry her as unfaithful; the irreverent Benedick spars with the clever Beatrice, only to reverse himself and fall in love with her. It’s a lively tale, a battle of wits, and a story of trust, trickery, and intrigue.

The reading will take place each Wednesday, from 4-5 p.m. live on Zoom. The reading will be led by Pennoni Honors College Dean Paula Marantz Cohen, author of Of Human Kindness: What Shakespeare Teaches Us About Empathy (Yale UP).

Our aim is to have attendees engage with this great play in whatever capacity they choose. You can come to read or just to listen. There will be no pressure, no judgment, no grades — just the chance to commune together over a great work of literature and provide some deep thought and a little laughter in our present moment.

Wednesdays starting January 11th, 4-5 p.m. EST

RSVP

The Value of Modeling and Simulation for the Biomedical Industry (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	4:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	5:30 PM

BIOMED Seminar

Title:
The Value of Modeling and Simulation for the Biomedical Industry

Speaker:
Daniel R. Matlis
President
Axendia Inc.

Details:
Computational modeling and simulation (CM&S) is having a transformative effect across the biomedical product lifecycle. The use of computer-generated digital evidence can provide significant value over traditional prototyping, bench testing, design for manufacturability, manufacturing process optimization, in vivo testing, clinical studies, and post-market fault analysis.

Regulators around the world are encouraging the use of CM&S. The European Medicines Agency is actively working to enhance the use of CM&S across the product lifecycle. The FDA has identified CM&S as a CDRH and Agency-wide priority, and recognizes its value as a regulatory tool with the potential to reduce the cost and enhance the scope of device evaluation.

In addition, the use of validated digital evidence and digital twins can reduce the burden on physical testing and in vivo studies, as well as streamline manufacturing to accelerate new product introductions.

Biosketch:
Daniel R. Matlis is President and Founder Axendia, Inc., an analyst firm providing trusted advice to life science executives on business, technology, and regulatory issues.

Dan has three decades of industry experience spanning the life science value chain. He is an active contributor to FDA’s Case for Quality Initiative, is a member of FDA’s Advisory Council on Modeling, Simulation and in-Silico Clinical Trial, and co-chaired the Product Quality Outcomes Analytics initiative with Agency officials. He has also provided input to the Agency on “Computer Software Assurance for Manufacturing, Operations, and Quality System Software” guidance.

Dan began his career at Johnson & Johnson, where he provided leadership in the areas of technology, regulatory compliance and business. Before founding Axendia, Dan was a Partner, VP, and General Manager at a leading life science consultancy firm. He is a frequent lecturer at Industry events and has presented Axendia’s research findings to industry executives and the FDA officials. Dan has published numerous research reports, eBooks, and articles on key issues facing the life sciences and healthcare industries.

In 2021, Dot Compliance named Dan as one of the Top 20 life science influencers to follow. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Polytechnic University (now NYU School of Engineering) in NY and an MS in Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

StudyPalooza (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:30:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	4:30 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	6:30 PM

Join CLASS and Student Life for StudyPalooza!

Prep for Finals week with academic coaches who can help talk you through a study plan and explore new study strategies. There will be activities for positive study breaks, tips from The Counseling Center, a Nutritionist, snacks, and a massage therapist!

StudyPalooza.pdf

Guest Lecture from Event Safety Alliance (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 21:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	5:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	7:00 PM

DCS and Flux are hosting a guest speaker event with the President of the Event Safety Alliance about the live music industry and safety at live events.

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Drexel PROD Winter Lecture Series (3/15/2023)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Start Date:	3/15/2023	Start Time:	6:00 PM
End Date:	3/15/2023	End Time:	7:00 PM

Answering Important Questions

What You Need to Know About Your Future Design Career Based on the Lessons I Have Learned and Industry Trends I See

Welcoming guest speaker Lea Stewart. Lea Stewart is a design leader who has been helping companies grow their business through consumer focused innovation, differentiation, and aesthetics fit to the brand for over 20 years. She currently leads design for the baby business at Newell Brands developing products that support caregivers and children. Lea Stewart will be answering important questions of what you need to know about your future design career based on the lessons she's learned and industry trends she's seen.

Join the lecture by scanning the QR code on the flyer or via link HERE.

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