MIE.41 – Horizontal Compression Device for Modeling Traumatic Brain Injury

• Zach Chua
• Michel Girata
• Matt Michalik
• Hugo Ocampo

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is diagnosed in 2.5 million patients every year in the United States. Most TBI is mild but 282,000 of these patients are hospitalized annually (Taylor et al., 2017), indicating moderate to severe injury. TBI can occur when the head is intensely disturbed. Electrical and chemical signals between the neurons can be heavily affected by these impacts leading to possible failure. The Finan laboratory intentionally induces a traumatic brain injury to individual brain organoids, derived from human stem cells, to study the effects of these impacts. In vitro experiments are conducted where the brain organoid is compressed to around 50 percent of its size in under one-twentieth of a second. Typically, these compression tests have occurred with two platens, one stationary and the other applying the force in a vertical motion. Our team has designed and developed a mechanism to model the TBI with a horizontal motion. Thus providing a complete picture of how the brain is affected by TBI. Our process included compiling research consisting of several scientific studies in the field of TBI and instrument design to supplement our knowledge. Then our team brainstormed different use scenarios and design possibilities that would adhere to sponsor constraints of high visibility during horizontal compression of the organoid.