McNair Scholar 2019 - Judith Dominguez
Judith Dominguez is a senior at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, majoring in mechanical engineering. Her current research interests involve developing technologies to further our understanding of neurological diseases. She plans on continuing her education in hopes of obtaining a Ph.D in mechanical engineering.
Quote from Judith Dominguez
My dream is to develop medical technologies that will allow us to treat chronic illnesses and improve people’s quality of life
Research project
Effects of mild traumatic brain injury on widespread cortical function
Abstract: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly known as a concussion, is a common condition affecting 80% of brain traumas reported annually in the United States. Mild TBI can cause acute to chronic behavioral and cognitive deficits. Repeated mild TBI, as in the case of athletes participating in contact sports, results in pathology similar to more severe forms of trauma, the mechanisms of which are unknown. Even small localized injury can have global effects throughout the brain. While there are several animal models used to study severe forms of TBI, currently there are no animal models that allow us to study changed in structure and function at a global scale in response to repeated mTBI. In this study, we have engineered transparent polymer skulls with entry ports that can be used to repeatedly access the brain surface and perform controlled cortical impact (CCI) to simulate repeated mTBI. This allows us to monitor the functional and structural changes occurring throughout the cortex in response to repeated mTBI, while tracking behavioral changes. Here we show, preliminary results demonstrating the feasibility of using chronically implanted transparent skulls on transgenic mice expressing a fast Ca2+ indicator (Thy1-GCaMP6f). Functional changes were evaluated via mesoscale imaging. Motor and cognitive abilities were evaluated using a behavioral arena and a rotarod. When injured mice were subjected to cognitive tests, they demonstrated impaired motor abilities, contrary to their non-injured counterparts.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Suhasa Kodandaramaiah is currently an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities. Originally from India, Dr. Kodandaramaiah obtained a B.E in mechanical engineering from Vishveshwaraiah Technological University. He obtained his masters and doctorate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Georgia Institute of Technology, respectively. Between 2013-2015, Dr. Kodandaramaiah conducted research in the Media Lab and McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Post-Doctoral Associate. Throughout his career, his research focuses on integrating robotics, precision engineering and neuroscience. Over the years, his work has been vastly recognized. For example, he was recognized by Forbes magazine’s 30 under 30 list of researchers in science and healthcare in 2012.