Engineering Assistant

Amrita Sahu

Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University

********.****@*****.***

Summary

I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in December 2013 with an MS in Biomedical Engineering. My

thesis was based on ECM protein scaffolfing for cell delivery therapeutics in the field of cardiac tissue

engineering, corneal tissue engineering and skeletal tissue engineering. After which I joined the Regenerative

Biomaterials and Therapeutics group led by Dr. Adam Feinberg in the capacity of a Research Assistant. I

worked on different possible ECM scaffolds for the purpose of cell encapsulation for delivery of cells by

studying the proliferation rate of C2C12 murine skeletal muscle cell line. I have experience in cell culture

techniques, staining protocols, fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy and optical microscopy. I have

used statistical software for analysis of results.

My interests are in the field of Regenerative Medicine, Biotechnology, Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials

science and drug delivery.

I have working experience as a biomedical engineering technician in Wockhardt Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai

and Asian Heart Institute and Research Center, Mumbai where I did my undergraduate thesis project on

bicarbonate mixer for artificial kidney dialysis department. I have also played a key role in deploying Lean six

sigma on a manufacturing unit for vascular imaging systems unit in GE Healthcare, Bangalore. .

Specialties: Tissue Engineering, Polymeric biomaterials science, Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Culture,

Programming in C#, Matlab

Computer/Software:

Microsoft Office, C++, HTML, Assembly Level Language, Embedded C, Matlab, COMSOL, AutoCAD,

Solidworks, ImageJ, Imaris, SigmaPlot

Instruments & Lab/technical skills:

Confocal, Optical and Stereo microscope, Photolithography, Polymer processing equipment, Cell culture,

Micro-contact printing, Immunostaining, Basic microcontroller coding-PIC, Atmega 16, Intel 5051

Experience

Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University

January 2014 - June 2014 (6 months)

Currently working on designing different kinds of extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds that would

encapsulate cells and could potentially be used as a cell delivery method.

Teaching Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University

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January 2013 - December 2013 (1 year)

Assisted the course instructor of Biomedical Engineering Lab in conducting signal processing,

bioinstrumentation, biomechanics lab, cell-culture lab and conducted office hours every week for guiding the

students in the course-work. Also, graded papers for a seminar based Professional Issues in Biomedical

Engineering course.

Project Intern-Biomedical at Asian Heart Institute and Research Center

January 2011 - May 2011 (5 months)

Designed and built a prototype of a low cost bicarbonate mixer for dialysis machine as a replacement to

manual mixing method.

Trainee at GE Healthcare, Bangalore, India

June 2010 - June 2010 (1 month)

Deployed Lean Six Sigma for Vascular Imaging Systems manufacturing unit, helped refurbishing MRI

machines and played a key role in re-designing manufacturing layout.

Intern at Wockhardt Hospitals

December 2009 - December 2009 (1 month)

Worked as intern, with the in-house biomedical engineers. Got hands on experience with the calibration and

repair of the equipments. Observed the servicing of the equipments.

Publications

Shrink wrapping cells in a defined extracellular matrix to modulate chemo-mechanical

microenvironment

Authors: Amrita Sahu

Courses

Master's Degree, Biomedical Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University

Advanced Physiology

Tissue Engineering

Stem Cell Engineering

Biomaterials and Host Interaction

Engineering Cell and Molecular Engineering

Adanced Polymeric Biomaterials in Medicine

Medical Devices

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Bachelor's Degree, Biomedical/Medical Engineering

Manipal Institute of Technology

Biochemistry

Pattern Recognition

Signal and Image Processing

Microcontrollers

Bio-instrumentation

Analog and Digital Electronics

Anatomy and Physiology

Ophthalmology and ENT

Orthopedics

Clinical Sciences

Organizations

Biomedical Engineering Society of India (BMESI)

Member

August 2008 to June 2011

Languages

English (Native or bilingual proficiency)

Hindi (Native or bilingual proficiency)

Oriya (Native or bilingual proficiency)

Volunteer Experience

Life Coach at Life Trust

June 2011 - November 2011 (6 months)

Coached underprivileged kids in Math and English. Prepared the 10th grade students for board exams.

Assistant Counselor at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

August 2012 - Present (2 years)

Camp Chihopi gives patients of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC who have had liver and/or

intestine transplants a chance to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Emma Kaufmann Camp. As an

Assistant Counselor, I helped supervising kids who needed medical attention. Camp Chihopi is a non-medical

environment which helps in increasing the self-esteem of the transplant recipients and interact with other kids

having the same medical problems.

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Projects

Study of Micro-patterned C2C12 Myotubes using a combination of Fibronectin, Laminin and Vitronectin

April 2012 to May 2012

Members:Amrita Sahu, Sharanya Venkat, Sumit Goenka, Rebecca Duffy

C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cell line is a popular model for the study of skeletal muscle differentiation. The

in vitro differentiation of C2C12 cells into myotubes can be accomplished via surface-bound signals from

extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as fibronectin (FN), vitronectin (VN) and laminin (LN). Literature

review shows the role of FN, VN and LN aiding the formation and alignment of myotubes. Current study is

aimed at helping myotube formation by affecting the timeline, myotube fusion index and length of myotubes.

Altering the concentrations and combinations of the proteins used, the orientation and amount of myotube

formation can be manipulated. By using a combination of FN:LN, FN:VN and FN:LN:VN the best possible

protein combination to induce myotube alignment and amount of muscle formation can be found out.

Mixing of bicarbonate and sodium mixture in dialysis using an automated method

January 2011 to May 2011

Members:Amrita Sahu, Ruchita Brajabasi

Dialysis is a procedure that is adopted when a patient suffers from a renal failure. The procedure is carried out

in the dialysis machine. A dialysis machine primarily requires three inputs: an acid solution (ready-made),

RO water and the bicarb mixture (also known as Part B). In most hospitals today, the Part B is prepared by

mixing the bicarbonate powder along with water, manually. This process is time consuming, leads to

sedimentation, contamination and wastage of the powder. The project aimed at designing and implementing

an automated noiseless method for mixing of the bicarb mix with water. It constituted of a conductivity meter

and a pH meter too in order make the system more efficient.

Time study analysis of Elegance Table assembly line at GE Medical systems

May 2010 to July 2010

Members:Amrita Sahu, Kartavya Gupta, Manaswini Viswanathan

Applied concepts of lean management and associated tools such as time study to determine the cycle time of

the elegance table assembly line, classify the different types of waste, compute the takt time and suggest areas

of improvement for reduction in cycle time as well as floor space and human effort. The outcome was a

rearrangement and merger of a few workstations that helped reduce takt time by around 15 %.

Single Cell Extra-cellular Matrix Scaffolds

January 2012 to December 2013

Members:Amrita Sahu

Designed single cell extra-cellular matrix scaffolds using the concept of modified surface-initiated assembbly

and compared the cell proliferation and survival in 2D and 3D environments. Used C2C12 mouse skeletal

myoblast cell line for proving the concept of delivery of encapsulated cells to the affected target area.

Biocompatibility of demineralized bone matrix biomaterial

August 2012 to December 2012

Members:Amrita Sahu, Peeya Tak, Christina Yoon

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Assessed biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of demineralized bone matrix by conducting in vitro

assays such as Live/dead, MTS, Picogreen and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) assays on mouse calvarial

fibroblasts cells.

Augmented Assistive Device (AAD)- A Talking Keypad

August 2010 to December 2010

Members:Amrita Sahu, Kartavya Mohan Gupta

Designed and built a low cost Augmented Assistive Device (AAD) for stroke affected people using a speech

synthesizer and a microcontroller.

Skills & Expertise

Biomaterials

Biomedical Engineering

Protein Chemistry

Tissue Engineering

Physiology

Matlab

Medical Imaging

Science

Tissue Culture

Mammalian Cell Culture

Biotechnology

Confocal Microscopy

Cell Biology

Extracellular Matrix

Education

Carnegie Mellon University

Master's Degree, Biomedical Engineering, 2012 - 2013

Manipal Institute of Technology

Bachelor's Degree, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, 2007 - 2011

Activities and Societies: Member of Biomedical Engineering Society of India(Manipal Chapter)

Member of IAESTE(The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)

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Amrita Sahu

Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University

********.****@*****.***

Contact Amrita on LinkedIn

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