Erika Bowen

I provide support to professors in Mass Transport and Rate Phenomena as well as Engineering Physiology. I assist with tasks such as grading assignments, proof reading quizzes, tutoring students, facilitating class in their absence, and helping manage the overall learning environment.

I am currently leading a project that focuses on optimizing a bioreactor for growing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to be preconditioned to more efficiently differentiate into bone tissue. My project is affiliated with the Cell Manufacturing and Technologies (CMaT) organization: a sub-unit of the National Science Foundation (NSF). My lab is located in Riverbend South Research lab (Dr. Cheryl Gomillion's Lab)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have displayed promise for treating various diseases and injuries, including those related to bone. However, producing the large quantities of MSCs consistently and cost-effectively needed for large scale applications remains a challenge. Bioreactors offer a solution by providing controlled environments for cell growth and conditioning for inevitable osteogenic differentiation. This project focuses on optimizing a modulatory perfusion bioreactor to explore MSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation potential compared to traditional cultivation methods. This novel bioreactor allows for testing different environments by culturing cells in monolayer or on microcarriers and features a unique multi-channel showerhead-like inlet to enhance media perfusion and flow dynamics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling has been utilized to understand fluid flow conditions within the system and identification of optimal culture parameters. This has been joined with cell culture viability assessments and material analysis of the culturing platforms to guide bioreactor protocol alteration and redesign for updated bioreactor components, which will be tested against controls using the same cell line, microcarriers, media, etc. The project ultimately aims to produce a vessel capable of increasing MSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation by optimizing stress conditions and nutrient supply. This work also provides a platform for implementing novel microcarriers, sensors, etc. Thus, successful completion will yield a scalable perfusion bioreactor for large-scale MSC production benefiting clinical studies and therapeutic applications in the future. This poster was presented at the Regenerative Bioscience Center (RBC) and Animal Dairy Science (ADS) Symposium 2024 and the Regenerative Engineering & Medicine Conference 2024 (2nd place)

This was a collaboration with Oglethorpe University undergraduate and NanoBio REU Mentee Lindsay Lerma, UGA Ph. D. student Joshua Bledsoe, UGA postdoctoral researcher Jessica Bramhall, and UGA faculty Cheryl Gomillion and Jason Locklin. Presented at the CMaT REU Symposium, my part of the collab was assessing what affect these scaffolds produced by the Locklin lab has on supporting stem cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation for therapeutic applications in bone tissue regeneration. So, I seeded MSCs, differentiated them, and assessed viability and calcium deposition onto the scaffolding.

After discussing the problem of scanning small fauna in the UNG 3D printing lab with Dr. J.B. Sharma, we collectively set out to conduct a research project to determine the quality and accuracy in replicating insects using a cellphone camera and Agisoft, a photogrammetry-based software. A photogrammetry guide to mount the phone controlling lateral and forward overlap was built with woodworking and the Boss Laser. With this guide, 3 insects were scanned, analyzed, and measured within Meshmixer, 3D modeling software, and compared to the originals for accessing the accuracy of the generated 3D model. According to my findings, this method of insect model creation produced a more elaborate model than previous attempts made by the university lab. Existing problems are solvable with an upgrade in the photogrammetric guide’s technology. This poster was presented at Georgia Collegiate Honors Council March 2019 and Annual Research Conference March 2019 (Best Poster).