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Partap S. Khalsa, D.C., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering,
Neurobiology, and Orthopaedics; Graduate Program Director for BME.
Funding through the National Institutes of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases.
Research in our laboratory focuses on molecular, cellular and tissue
level mechanisms involved in transduction of mechanical forces in soft
tissues by mechanically sensitive neurons. We seek to understand how these
mechanisms can be utilized in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment
of somatic pain, neuromuscular disease and injury. Electrophysiological
recordings of single an populations of neurons are made while robustly
controlling the applied mechanical stimulus (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Neural (mechano-nociceptor)
population response to a noxious indentation in rat, hairy skin.
In A & C (on left), the estimated population response is represented
a contour plot (darker regions have higher neural firing rates.
In B & D (right), the same data is displayed a 3-D plot. |
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In a parallel track of investigations, we are exploring the biomechanics
of capsular ligaments of the lumbar spine during physiological motions.
Direct optical measurements of capsule strain are made while actuating
spine specimens under "normal" and "abnormal" loading paradigms. A finite
element model of the spine is being developed that will include material
properties of the joint capsules (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Three-dimensional lumber
spine FEM. Geometry was determined by human anatomical lower
lumber spine. Soft tissues, disc and ligament, were attached
at the contact surface and point. |
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Investigations use a broad range of tools including immunohistochemistry
(to determine types of membrane adhesive proteins to the extracellular
matrix), electrophysiology (to record neural responses of single neurons
and populations of neurons), and continuum mechanics and finite element
analysis (to measure biomechanics of soft tissues and develop computational
models).
Student Background: Students who bring training in force, stress, strain,
material properties, electrical or mechanical engineering, signal processing
or computational modeling become valuable members of our research team.
Contact Information
email: Partap.Khalsa@sunysb.edu
url: http://www.bme.sunysb.edu/bme/people/faculty/p_khalsa.html
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