R E S E A R C H     I N T E R E S T S

• Biomedical Imaging using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • Magnetic Resonance Microscopy
  • Diffusion-Weighted Imaging
  • Velocimetry Protocols
  • Perfusion Protocols
• Biomedical Modeling to Develop Quantitative Imaging Diagnostics and Optimize Imaging Protocols
• Bioreactors, Microfluidic Systems and Process Engineering
• Fluid Mechanics and Dynamics
• Transport Phenomena, Heat/Mass Transfer
• Chaotic Segregation

R E S E A R C H     T H R U S T S

• Thrust 1: Noninvasive and nondestructive Magnetic Resonance diagnostics for biological or bioengineered soft tissues integrated with biomechanical models


• Thrust 2: Integration of fluid mechanics and Magnetic Resonance protocols for biophysical flows and biochemical reactors


• Thrust 3: Micro-MRI and molecular MRI to investigate and treat muscle atrophy due to musculoskeletal diseases and injury

      >> View my COMMUNITY OF SCIENCE PROFILE

      >> Visit the BioFluids Magnetic Resonance Diagnostics Laboratory

High-resolution axial spin echo image of a rat brain (voxel size =
100 x 100 x 100 cubic microns)

A N N O U N C E M E N T ( S )

• 6th International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering: Theory and Practice, June 15–19, 2008,
  Dourdan (Paris), France.
  Previous conferences took place in Palm Coast, Florida (1993), Le Croisic, France (1996), Port Ludlow, Washington (1999),
  Angra dos Reis, Brazil (2002), and Cambridge, UK (2005).
  The conference has its roots on the informal seminars organized by Prof. J. V. Beck at Michigan State University, which were initiated in 1987.
  Noteworthy features of all meetings of this series are their balanced focus on theory and applications (and, better yet, the combination of both), and the presence of researchers of different scientific fields allowing cross-fertilization around a wide spectrum of inverse methodologies.
  
  
• NSF Award Application: The National Science Fundation (NSF) has agreed to partially support U.S. participation in the
  Sixth International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering (ICIPE 2008), which will be held in Dourdan, France,
  on June 15–19, 2008. The funds (NSF grant CBET-0814552 through the Chemical and Transport Systems program) will be awarded to selected ICIPE participants from U.S. institutions via the application procdure below. Profs Guy Raguin (PI) and
  Neil Wright (Co-PI) from Michigan State University will administer the award process. Please click on the right to see more details and apply.

C U R R E N T     R E S E A R C H     P R O J E C T S

• Development and Optimization of Quantitative Biomedical Imaging Diagnostics Tools (2006–now):   Implementation and validation of novel reconstruction methods based on functional and molecular MRI (e.g. diffusion-weighted and X-nuclei imaging) for biomedical studies (neurodegenerative and developmental diseases, ...).




Reconstruction of neuronal fibers in rat brain using diffusion-weighted MRI and a quantitative analysis of q-space MRI data (QUAQ) (from left to right): high-resolution spin echo image (100-micron in-plane resolution) used for reference, low-resolution T2-weighted spin echo image (600-micron in-plane resolution) showing the typical resolution used for diffusion-weighted MRI, fiber reconstruction assuming one neuron bundle per voxel and fiber reconstruction assuming up to two fibers per voxel using 120 diffusion-weighted images.

• Investigation and treatment of muscle atrophy using stem cells (2006–now):   Dr. Robert Wiseman (Department of Radiology, Director of the Biomedical Imaging Research Center) and I are investigating the physiological mechanisms of muscle atrophy due to musculoskeletal diseases and trauma, by using our combined expertise in muscle physiology, reagent cell design, and MRI. Muscle atrophy is commonly caused by aging, cerebrovascular accidents (stroke), spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, diabetes, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease). The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the development of muscle atrophy, and propose treatments based on stem cell therapy.




Cell tracking of reagent cells using MRI: The reagent cells are immature muscle cells C2C12 with dual label: Green Fluorescence Protein (GFP) for optical techniques and superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIOs, transfected using Poly-L-Lysine, PLL). Spin-echo images (a) right after injection (TE/TR = 10.5/8000 ms, 0.1 x 0.1 x 1 mm voxel), then (b) 7, (c) 14, and (d) 21 days after injection (for (b) to (d), TE/TR = 7.7/6000 ms, 0.2 x 0.2 x 1 mm voxel). The signal drops due to the presence of SPIOs, as marked in red, and the injection spots in the anterior and posterior left hind leg can be tracked from day 1 to 22 (the mouse position varied from day 1 to 22, so the spots in the right hind leg do not always appear in the same slice).

• Investigation of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery (2007–now):   Drs. Kevin DeMarco and David Zhu (Department of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging Research Center) and I are investigating atherosclerosis in the carotid artery by combining our expertise in cardiovascular diseases, MRI, fluid dynamics, and biomechanics.



• Biomaterials engineering and mechanics: (2006–now):   Noninvasive and nondestructive imaging of structure and function of cell-seeded hydrogels with Drs. Baek (Mech. Eng.), Wright (Mech. Eng.), and Chan (Chem. Eng. Mat. Sci.).

Characterization of Complex Separation / Mixing Rreactors using MRI (2006–now):   Development of quantitative efficiency measures for complex multiphase reactors with no or limited optical access using standard and new MRI protocols. Passive vortex micromixer (PVM) prototype for two fluids with 8 inlets (bottom) and one outlet (top): series of 26 contiguous spin-echo images (TE/TR = 11/6000 ms, NEX = 4, 0.2 x 0.2 x 1 mm voxel) acquired at BIRC on the 9.4T micro-imager. The PVM was filled with pure water.



• Design and Fabrication of a Universal Sample Holder for Vertical MRI scanners (2006–now):   The vertical wide-bore 9.4T Bruker NMR spectrometer at the Biomedical Imaging Research Center in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building at MSU has recently been upgraded with micro-imaging capabilities and needs a sample holder capable of handling a variety of systems: brain and muscle imaging on live mice, small-scale mixing and separation reactors, diagnostics of engineered tissue constructs (...).

• Mr. Christopher D. Bolin (MS candidate, Mechanical Engineering, research assistant, Fall 2006 - now)

• Mr. Shantanu Majumdar (PhD candidate, Electrical & Computer Engineering, research assistant, Spring 2007 - now)

• Mr. Andrew P. White (MS candidate, Mechanical Engineering, research assistant, Fall 2007 - now)

• Mr. Daryoosh Derakhshan (BS candidate, Physiology, research aid, Summer 2007 - Fall 2007)


• Mr. Atha Khan (MS candidate, Mechanical Engineering, research assistant, Summer 2007 - Fall 2007)


• Ms. Xuhui Zhao (PhD candidate, Mechanical Engineering, research aid - Fall 2006)

• Mr. Gaël Cordier (Engineering Diploma candidate, Ecole Catholique d'Arts et Métiers, Lyon, France, research aid, August 2007 - now)

S O M E     P A S T     R E S E A R C H     P R O J E C T S

• Quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI (2004–2006):   Development of a reconstruction method for quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI tractography: QUAQ.


• Micro-MRI velocimetry for microfluidic systems (2004–2006):   Development and comparison of micro-MRI velocimetry protocols for microfluidic systems.


• Characterization of physical and transport properties in hydrogels via NMR/MRI (2005–2006):   Extraction of physical and transport properties of various hydrogels (Agar, PEG, HEMA) using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to help design, fabricate and characterize novel hydrogel-bridged nanofluidic polycarbonate membranes.


• Theoretical, numerical and experimental study of a novel separation system (2000 - 2004):   Investigated kinematics, separation and chaotic advection in complex 3-D swirling flows via MRI techniques (spin-tagging and phase-contrast velocimetry, pulsed-field gradient dispersion measurements) and numerical analysis of the dynamic motion equations.

P U B L I C A T I O N S     &     P R E S E N T A T I O N S     ( M O S T     R E C E N T )

• S. Majumdar, S. Udpa, L. G. Raguin,   "Robust Optimization of Diffusion-Weighted MRI Protocols Used for Fiber Reconstruction",   accepted to the 6th International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering: Theory and Practice (ICIPE 2008), Dourdan, France, June 15–19, 2008;   8-page paper accepted in Journal of Physics: Conference Series.


• C. D. Bolin, L. G. Raguin,   "Methodology to Estimate the Relative Pressure Field from Noisy Experimental Velocity Data",   accepted to the 6th International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering: Theory and Practice (ICIPE 2008), Dourdan, France, June 15–19, 2008;   8-page paper accepted in Journal of Physics: Conference Series.


• G. Cordier, J. Choi, L. G. Raguin,   "Evaluation of Three Inverse Problem Models to Quantify Skin Microcirculation Using Diffusion-Weighted MRI",   accepted to the 6th International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering: Theory and Practice (ICIPE 2008), Dourdan, France, June 15–19, 2008;   8-page paper accepted in Journal of Physics: Conference Series.


• L. G. Raguin, L. Ciobanu,  "Localized NMR Velocity Measurements in Small Channels" (book chapter),  Advances in Spatially Resolved Magnetic Resonance,  S. Codd and J. Seymour (editors), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany,  in press,   2008.


• L. G. Raguin,  "MRI Data Processing and Protocol Optimization using Biophysical Transport Modelling" (Invited Seminar),   Laboratoire d'Energétique et de Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée (LEMTA), Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre, France, January 10, 2008.


• L. G. Raguin, S. Majumdar, S. Udpa,   "Design of Optimal Experimental Parameters for Diffusion-Weighted MRI Fibre-Tracking Protocols",   International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics,   in press,   2008.


• L. G. Raguin, L. Ciobanu,  "Multiple Echo NMR Velocimetry: Fast and Localized Measurements of Steady and Pulsatile Flows in Small Channels",  Journal of Magnetic Resonance  184(2), 337–343,  2007.

T E A C H I N G

• Fall 2008: ME 812 "Conductive Heat Transfer" - Graduate course. Topics include: one-, two-, three-dimensional heat conduction problems, solutions with separation of variables, integral transform technique, Laplace transforms, numerical analysis, and Duhamel's method.
  
  

  Guest lecture: "Diffusion of thermal disturbances in multi-dimensional transient heat conduction" by Prof. Filippo de Monte, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Division of Heat Transfer and Applied Thermodynamics, University of L'Aquila, Italy on Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at 8:00 am. Abstract: The lecture analyzes the diffusion of thermal disturbances in heat-conducting multi-dimensional bodies through characteristic times, such as penetration and deviation times, denoting their negligible effects. A single basic criterion governing the above diffusion is derived thanks to the similarity of the findings. It allows very accurate solutions to be obtained considering only the physical region of interest in place of considering the complete body. Therefore, it is efficient in terms of computational savings in numerically based methods as well as analytical techniques. In the former case, the grid domain can considerably be reduced. In the latter case, the number of terms needed to obtain long-time solutions when time-partitioning is applied can significantly be limited. Also, complex 1D and 2D semi-infinite problems are solved explicitly and evaluated numerically as part of the analysis.

  Prof. Filippo de Monte Division of Heat Transfer and Applied Thermodynamics University of L'Aquila, Italy

• Spring 2007: ME 332 "Fluid Mechanics" - Lecture for two sections of junior undergraduate students.
  Topics include: fluid statics, fluid kinematics, Bernoulli's equations, system and control volume (conservation of mass, Newton's second law, conservation of energy), differential analysis of fluid flow (continuity, Euler, Navier-Stokes equations), dimensional analysis and similitude, laminar flow and turbulent flow in a pipe, laminar boundary layers and turbulent boundary layers, drag and lift


• Fall 2006: ME 481 "Capstone Design Project" - Academic Advising of a group of 4 senior undergraduate students.

S E R V I C E

• 2007 to present: Serves on the organizing committee for the Department of Mechanical Engineering Seminar Series with Profs. P. Kwon, S. Baek, and J. Choi.

Organized seminars:


• 2007, October 23: "3D Magnetic Resonance Carotid Plaque Imaging" by David C. Zhu, Ph.D., Cognitive Imaging Research Center, Biomedical Imaging Research Center, Departments of Psychology and Radiology, Michigan State University.

• 2008, January 29: "MRI and biomechanical modeling of the ACL injured knee" by Thomas Buchanan, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware.

• 2008, April 8: "Computational Investigations of Gravity and Turbidity Currents" by Eckart Meiburg, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Santa-Barbara.

• 2007, November 10: Served as a presentation judge at the Spartan FIRST LEGO League Challenge - East Lansing Regional Tournament held at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

• 2007: Co-chaired the "Biomedical Engineering I" session at the 13th International Symposium on Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics (ISEM 2007), September 9–12, 2007, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

• 2006-2007: Served on the organizing committee and chaired four sessions of the 2007 Inverse Problem Symposium (IPS 2007), June 11 & 12, 2007, Michigan State University. This is the 20th in the series of National and International Meetings on Inverse Problems that were initiated at Michigan State University in 1988. Topics include Mathematical and Statistical Aspects of Inverse Problems, Design of Experiments, and Applications in Heat Transfer, Applied Mechanics, Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Medicine, Nondestructive Evaluation, Tomography, Inverse Scattering, Geology, Environmental Phenomena, Economics, and more.

• Technical reviewer for the IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, the 28th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, the 20th Inverse Problem Symposium, the International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, the Journal of Heat Transfer, and the Materials Research Society.

E D U C A T I O N

• Ph. D.  Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, USA, 2004. Thesis: "Theoretical and Experimental Study of a Continuous Hydrodynamically-Enhanced Separation System Paradigm"


• M. S.  Mechanical Engineering, UIUC, Urbana, USA, 2000.Thesis: "Experimental Study of Mass Transport and Flow Structures in Taylor-Couette-Poiseuille Flows Using MRI".


• Engineering Diploma  Energy/Materials Science, Ecole National Supérieure des Mines de Nancy (ENSMN), Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL), Nancy, France, 1999. Thesis: "Radial and Axial Dispersion in Taylor-Couette and Poiseuille Helical Flows"


• B. S.  Energy/Materials Science, ENSMN, INPL, Nancy, France, 1998.

      >> Download my Curriculum Vitae: PDF (4 pages).

      >> Download my 2-page Resume: PDF (2 pages) or 5-page Resume: PDF (5 pages).

C O N T A C T     I N F O R M A T I O N

L. Guy Raguin
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Michigan State University
Mail:   2555 Engineering Building
Office:   2463 Engineering Building
Lab:   1500D Engineering Building
East Lansing, MI   48824-1226,   USA
Phone:   +1 517 432-3192   /   Fax:   +1 517 353-1750
Email:   raguin@msu.edu
Web:   http://www.egr.msu.edu/~raguin

T a k e     a     l o o k     a t     m y     g u i t a r s !