The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	An in vitro study to characterize a new automated high throughput neuronal stretch injury system
Author:	Hususan, Nicolae Valerian
View Online:	njit-etd2009-037 (xi, 54 pages ~ 9.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Biomedical Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Biomedical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Pfister, Bryan J. (Committee chair) Foulds, Richard A. (Committee member) Roman, Max (Committee member)
Date:	2009-05
Keywords:	Traumatic brain injury Primary cortical neuron culturing
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most prevalent long-term neurological conditions and its overall economic consequences rival that of stroke. Considering the importance of the topic, new models for studying TBI are often designed and created. Based on a model developed by the University of Pennsylvania, NJIT constructed a fully automated version, which injures neuronal cell cultures in uniaxial regime and provides the high experimental yield required in pharmaceutical and neuroscience studies. In this investigation, a new methodology for culturing primary cortical neurons of rat origin was established. Viable cell cultures developed for the first time in NJIT laboratory were successfully injured using the new NJIT device. The data recorded here may allow us to understand better the complex aspects of head trauma mechanisms and to develop potential therapeutic agents.