{"id":6576,"date":"2025-09-24T13:33:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T17:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/?page_id=6576"},"modified":"2025-09-24T13:33:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T17:33:36","slug":"agarwal-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/research\/opportunities\/labs-research\/agarwal-lab\/","title":{"rendered":"Agarwal Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_1614\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1614\" style=\"width: 313px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/cell-met\/files\/2018\/12\/Outreach6-636x477.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of Agarwal lab presentation\" width=\"303\" height=\"227\" class=\" wp-image-1614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/files\/2018\/12\/Outreach6-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/files\/2018\/12\/Outreach6-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/files\/2018\/12\/Outreach6-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 303px) 100vw, 303px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1614\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">EWD team with Dr. Agarwal at Photonics Symposium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/profile\/arvind-agarwal\/\">Arvind Agarwal<\/a> is a Distinguished University professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Florida International University. He received his PhD in materials sciences and engineering from the University of Tennessee. <\/p>\n<p>Prof. Agarwal&#8217;s lab seeks to study advanced material processing, cold spray, thermal spray, spark plasma sintering, ultrahigh temperature ceramics.<br \/>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h2 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Participants<\/h2><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\n\n\t<ul class=\"profile-listing profile-format-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<li class=\"profile-item profile-item-basic has-title post-6473 profile type-profile status-publish hentry profile-field-eighteen profile-field-nineteen profile-field-agarwal-lab profile-field-florida-international-university profile-field-pastreu\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/profile\/briana-canet\/\" class=\"profile-link profile-link-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"profile-photo profile-photo-basic\"><img width=\"150\" height=\"100\" src=\"\/cell-met\/files\/2018\/10\/Briana-Canet-e1759501772653.jpg\" alt=\"Headshot of Briana Canet\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"profile-name profile-name-basic\">Briana Canet<\/h6>\n\t\t<p class=\"profile-title profile-title-basic\">FIU REU, Agarwal Lab<\/p>\t<\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<li class=\"profile-item profile-item-basic has-title post-6470 profile type-profile status-publish hentry profile-field-eighteen profile-field-nineteen profile-field-agarwal-lab profile-field-florida-international-university profile-field-lahann-lab profile-field-pastreu profile-field-university-of-michigan\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/profile\/roy-brooks-rivera\/\" class=\"profile-link profile-link-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"profile-photo profile-photo-basic\"><img width=\"150\" height=\"102\" src=\"\/cell-met\/files\/2020\/01\/RoyB-e1759501592619.jpg\" alt=\"Headshot of Roy Brooks Rivera\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"profile-name profile-name-basic\">Roy Brooks Rivera<\/h6>\n\t\t<p class=\"profile-title profile-title-basic\">UM &#038; FIU REU, Lahann &#038; Agarwal Lab<\/p>\t<\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<li class=\"profile-item profile-item-basic has-title post-6450 profile type-profile status-publish hentry profile-field-twentyone profile-field-agarwal-lab profile-field-florida-international-university profile-field-pastreu\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/profile\/farnoush-shafiei\/\" class=\"profile-link profile-link-basic\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"profile-photo profile-photo-basic\"><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"\/cell-met\/files\/2021\/08\/unnamed-scaled-e1759501847500-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Headshot of Farnoush Shafiei\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"profile-name profile-name-basic\">Farnoush Shafiei<\/h6>\n\t\t<p class=\"profile-title profile-title-basic\">FIU REU<\/p>\t<\/a>\n\n\t\n<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t<br \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<br \/>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h2 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Projects<\/h2><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<h3>Learning from Nature: Mechanics of Mimosa Pudica and its Enlightenment in Vascular Scaffold Designing (2023)<\/h3>\n<p><strong>PROJECT DESCRIPTION<\/strong><br \/>\nMimosa Pudica is a legume family plant with hypersensitive leaves that could fold inward in response to external force, which is called seismonastic movement for defense or nutrient maintenance. Its force-sensitive mechanism is due to curved structure and electrical-chemical signaling. Mimicking the reversible curvature, a 3D metallic glass structure with buckling ability was designed (Li et al., 2022). Enlightened by this automatic shrinkage and expansion function, researchers are working on designing 3D shape memory materials as vessel scaffolds and microelectromechanical bioelectronics due to their adaptable stiffness\/flexibility to accommodate body movements and high durability and resistance to fatigues. However, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of the force mechanism to trigger seismonastic movement of Mimosa Pudica and its potential applications in cardiac bioengineering. Therefore, we aim to explore the mechanical response of Mimosa Pudica and its potential benefit for CELL-MET in manufacturing implantable and vascularized cardiac patches.<\/p>\n<p>We aim to trigger Mimosa Pudica seismonastic movement using the nanoindentation probe with a defined load of nN \u2013 mN and record the force-response curves and leaf motion videos. Additionally, we will study leaf structure and structural-mechanical associations. Together with Lihua Lou, a research associate at Dr. Arvind Agarwal\u2019s lab, the REU student will help with experiment design\/setup, data recording\/analysis, and reports. The specific research goals were to:<br \/>\n<span>1. Understand Mimosa Pudica seismonastic movement mechanism. How does it happen? <\/span><br \/>\n<span>2. Learning about nanoindentation technique. What is the lowest force to trigger Mimosa Pudica seismonastic movement? What is nanoindentation technique and its advantages? How to use it? <\/span><br \/>\n<span>3. Learning from nature: What can we learn from Mimosa Pudica? The association between the mechanical response of Mimosa Pudica and vessel scaffolds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>LAB EXPERIENCE<\/strong><br \/>\nResearch question, hypothesis, experimental design, data recording\/analysis, and lab report. Nanoindentation technique: learn the basic concept of nanoindentation and equipment composition; learn the application of nanoindentation technique in soft material mechanical property measurement. Cardiac engineering: learn basic cardiac engineering tasks, the importance of biomechanics, and biomechanics measurement. Biomimetic design: learn biomimetic structure and functions; study the behavior of living systems can provide insights into sophisticated functions effectively and inspire the development of novel tissue-engineered constructs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LABORATORY MENTOR<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/profile\/lihua-lou\/\"><span>Lihua Lou<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>TIMELINE<\/strong><br \/>\n<span>Weeks 1 \u2013 2: Orientation, safety training, literature review of Mimosa Pudica seismonastic movement mechanism.<\/span><br \/>\n<span>Weeks 3 \u2013 4: learn the basic concept of nanoindentation; observe Mimosa Pudica seismonastic movement; experiment setup, design, and trial test. <\/span><br \/>\n<span>Weeks 5 \u2013 9: study leaf force-response, structure, and structural-mechanical associations.<\/span><br \/>\n<span>Week 10: Data analysis and prepare final presentation slides.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Printing of Soft Polymers (2019)<\/h3>\n<p><strong>PROJECT DESCRIPTION<\/strong><br \/>\n<span>This project focused on developing syringe based 3D printing techniques for polymeric scaffolds. Through this process REU students learned about the c<span>orrelation between printing (processing), polymer chemistry, and properties.<\/span> The specific research goals were to:<\/span><br \/>\n<span>1. Identify optimum printing conditions<\/span><br \/>\n<span>2. Identify optimum polymer for printing scaffolds<\/span><br \/>\n<span>3. Study the mechanical properties of the scaffold<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>LABORATORY MENTOR<\/strong><br \/>\n<span>Dr. Tony Thomas<\/span><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Achieving SLA 3D Printing Capabilities in Extrusion Type 3D Printing of PEGDA with Superior Mechanical Properties (2018)<\/h3>\n<p><strong>ABSTRACT<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><\/strong>The overall objective is to print micro scaffolds and micro lattices using UV crosslinking 3D extruder on a Hyrel 3D printer with PEGDA photo-polymer which is typically 3D printed using SLA printing technique. The specific objectives include improving the rheology of PEGDA for extrusion, optimizing printing parameters, improving mechanical properties of PEGDA by MWCNT addition, and evaluating the effect of MWCNT addition on the mechanical properties of PEGDA by mold casting dog bone structure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>C<\/strong><strong>ONCLUSIO<\/strong><strong>N<br \/>\n<\/strong>With SpeedCure BPO photoinitiator, elastic modulus increased by approximately 2,300%, compared to PEGDA with Irgacure 819 photoinitiator. Improving rheology of PEGDA \u2013 hydrogel of polyethylene oxide of higher molecular weight or a higher ratio of Pluronic F-68 is considered. Further casting and tensile testing of PEGDA-CNT is needed to determine whether mechanical properties deteriorate with CNT addition<\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/photonics-reu\/files\/2018\/11\/Jordan-and-Briana-Poster-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2736 size-full\" width=\"4368\" height=\"2912\" \/><\/b><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arvind Agarwal is a Distinguished University professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Florida International University. He received his PhD in materials sciences and engineering from the University of Tennessee. Prof. Agarwal&#8217;s lab seeks to study advanced material processing, cold spray, thermal spray, spark plasma sintering, ultrahigh temperature ceramics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24547,"featured_media":0,"parent":6835,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24547"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6576"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7038,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6576\/revisions\/7038"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cell-met\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}