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10.22 Hansma Lab

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:33 pm
by glegrady
The Paul Hansma Research Group has an extensive history developing Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs) for almost twenty years. Our focus on creating AFMs especially suited for biophysical research has led to many discoveries in biomaterials. In addition to our research using AFMs, we have begun development of a mechanical Reference Point Indentation (RPI) instrument (formerly known as the Bone Diagnostic Instrument, BDI, and the Tissue Diagnostic Instrument, TDI) to measure bone fracture risk in living patients.

http://hansmalab.physics.ucsb.edu/index.html

Re: 10.22 Hansma Lab

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 1:47 pm
by sterlingcrispin
attached are photos from the visit

Re: 10.22 Hansma Lab

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:38 pm
by sterlingcrispin
The Hansma lab prototypes instruments such as the atomic force microscope and a reference point indentation tool which measures bone density. They work directly from invention to product by prototyping many variations over long periods of time. These tools come from lengthy questioning regarding bone material properties.

Hansma mentioned Freyman Dysons book "The Sun, The Genome, and The Internet: Tools of Scientific Revolution" and mentioned the notion of a tool based revolution.

He mentioned that science wants to challenge the leaders of the field whereas medicine wants to follow the leaders due to medical liability issues.

a) How do you gather data - through direct instrument measurement of physical bone

b) What kind of technology is used - atomic force microscopes

c) Does the research make you design new technology - yes, research is largely geared toward designing new technology

d) How is your data analyzed - matlab and custom software

e) How do you make assumptions based on the analysis - in the case of the reference point indentation tool, by comparing known datasets to the kinds of predictions the instrument provides

f) How does the analysis result in discovery - if the tool performs as predicted

g) How do you represent the results - graphs, illustrations, videos, website, publications