The Brad Layton Research Group

BRADLEY E. LAYTON

Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 151G Curtis Hall
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2884
Phone: 215-895-1752
FAX: 215-895-1478
e-mail: blay@drexel.edu
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~bel23/

Layton Links

ACADEMIC TRAINING

Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2003

Concentrations : Soft Tissue Mechanics, Molecular Structure of Collagen, Atomic Force Microscopy
Dissertation: Remodeling of Heterogeneous Extracellular Matrices of Diabetic Nerve: Models and Experiments
Advisor : Professor Ann Marie Sastry

Mechanical Engineering, M.S. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1999

Concentrations: Finite Element Modeling, Neuroanatomy

Mechanical Engineering, B.S Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1992

Concentrations: Fluid Mechanics, Design. Minor: Writing

CURRENT RESEARCH INTEREST

Development of a molecular atomic-force-microscope-compatible mechanical testing device.
Mechanics-based models of extracellular matrix proteins
Molecular modeling of diseased tissue
Load optimization for engineered tissue
Three-dimensional image characterization
Self-aasembly characteristics of structural proteins
Axonal growth mechanics
MEMS-based field hematology analyzer
Nanomechanics and nanomanipulation
Cell-based sensing
Evolution of mechanical proteins such as tubulin and collagen
MechanoEvolution
Sustainable energy through human-powered transportation infrastructures

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

2005 Drexel University Department of Materials Science and Engineering
2005 Drexel University Department of Neurology Grand Rounds
2005 Drexel University Department of Materials Science and Engineering
2004 Drexel University Department of Biochemistry Institute for Basic and Applied Protein Science
2004 Drexel University Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
2004 Drexel University Department of Materials Science and Engineering
2004 Drexel University Department of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems

HONORS AND AWARDS

Nominated for the Allen Rothwarf Award for Teaching Excellence, spring 2007 by Department Head Mun Choi.

Advisor for Best Freshman Design Project, “Design of a Portable Educational Atomic Force Microscope” with Rahul Singh, Vinay Gadia, Sristi Roy, Nischitha Venkatesh, Sagar Lunagaria, Rohan Patel, Drexel University, 2005.

Honored by the Illinois Math and Science Academy for “Commitment to Mentoring and to the Developing Talent of Young Scientists and Engineers” April, 2005.

Honored with a certificate of appreciation by the School District of Philadelphia for service to the NASA Explorer School’s students, parents, staff and community, July 2005.

Honored by the National Parks Service for volunteer work at the Wright Brothers Centennial Celebration, Kitty Hawk, NC, 2003.

Horace H. Rackham flagbearer for Dr. Mary Sue Coleman’s U of M inauguration, 2003.

Robert M Caddell Award for research contributions in materials manufacturing, U of M, 2001.
Best Solid Mechanics and Materials Poster for Graduate Symposium, U of M, 2001.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Discovered longest uninterrupted collagen gene in Trichodesmium erythraeum. Interpreted this as a horizontal gene transfer in the Devonian or Silurian period

Developed numerical model and software to run thousands of finite element simulations for determining failure probability in nonlinear stochastic composite materials

Developed atomic force microscopy protocol for measuring collagen morphology which resulted in resolving collagen’s triple helix and established enlarged collagen fibril diameters in diabetic peripheral nerve

Obtained in vivo endoneurial fluid pressure measurements on the order of 1 kPa and a resolution of 1Pa with an electromechanical microfluidic device

Established a protocol for assessing relative amounts of extracellular matrix proteins in peripheral nerve with immunohistochemical confocal microscopy

Developed soft-tissue-testing protocol which captures toe, linear, yield, failure and stress relaxation regions of peripheral nerve

Developed numerical model to identify key molecular contributions of abnormal collagen to tissue-scale mechanical behavior of peripheral nerve

Assessed results from two animal-model diabetic neuropathy studies with statistical methods which resulted in new findings in the role of extracellular matrix in diabetic neuropathy

Developed GUI-based tool in Matlab for analyzing apparent diffusion coefficient and volume brain tumor data for animals and humans

Developed closed-form and numerical-form solutions for nanoscale collagen fibril diameter aggregation limit

Developed a strategy for parameterizing the drift and hysteresis for a multi-axis, multi-positioner nanomanipulation device

Developed a novel hypothesis for the mechanics of microtubule organization within growing axons

Developed a method for nanoscale parallel force transduction in a microprinted array of neurons

Developed a microfabricated device for measuring red blood cell mean volume

Developed an educational atomic force microscope for use in high school classrooms

Developed a surgical stapler and staple for anastomoses