Samuel Pollock

Research professional in Bioengineering, with track record of supporting academic projects through meticulous data collection and analysis, as well as a strong programming background. Proven ability to work collaboratively in team settings to achieve research goals and adapt to evolving project requirements. Expertise in utilizing statistical software and maintaining accurate documentation.

• Peace Corps Guinea Peer Support Network, Co-Chair February 2019- April 2020
• Maintained communication between members of the committee and Peace Corps staff/medical professionals
• Recorded and distributed meeting minutes
• Consolidated and cataloged all information sent out to staff, other volunteers, and members of the committee
• Made quarterly calls to volunteers, offering support when and where needed, reminding them and advising them of their mental health support options within the Peace Corps.

• Biomechanics
• Built on the concepts of statics, dynamics, and mechanics of materials as applied to human activities and tissues
• Statics and Mechanics of Materials
• Concurrent force systems, equilibrium, axial loading, stress, strain, deformation, moments, equivalent systems, centers of mass, and distributed loads, free-body diagrams, equilibrium of rigid and deformable bodies, plane trusses, frames and machines, equilibrium in 3D, torsion and friction. Use is made of computers for problem solving.Studied statics and strength of materials, including flexure,shear force and bending moment diagrams, shearing stresses, combined static loadings and column, etc
• Signals and Systems
• Learned and applied theory of Linear Time invariant system using convolution and other techniques of integral transformation.
• Obtained data, and interpreted the frequency response, impulse response, step response, and transfer function of a system using MATLAB to generate reports.
• Dynamic Systems
• Learned to describe physiological processes in terms of dynamic systems.
• Performed dynamic system modeling through building dynamic models of bioelectrical, biomechanic, biochemical and physiological systems, and solved systems of equations representing dynamic models using analytical, numerical, and graphical software methods
• Using Matlab, validated descriptive, predictive, and explanative validation, and applied those models to scientific and engineering applications including analysis and synthesis.
• Thermodynamics and Biotransport Phenomena
• Described the fundamental principles pertaining to momentum, heat, and mass transport and applied the fundamental principles to set up and solve problems in physiological systems and design of medical devices. Used computational modeling software such as COMSOL, and MATLAB for analysis
• Genetics and Human Evolution
• Learned of the development of evolutionary ideas and modern developments in biology. Reviewed the diversity of living and fossil primates to understand our own evolutionary past.
• Examined genes in terms of transmission, function, mutation, and learned about the distribution and activity of genes in populations.
• Senior Design
• Learned to find unmet clinical needs, and assess them from a design perspective. This included market analysis, value proposition, customer archetypes, etc
• Worked in a team of 5 to design, fabricate, and evaluate iterative prototypes of a novel medical device product, the HeelFlex Pro Device to Reposition Feet and Prevent Heel Ulcer Formation in the context of the FDA’s Quality System Regulation (QSR) (and the Design Controls portion in particular) that are subsequently tested to determine whether functional requirements are met (Verification and Validation).
• Learned about the role of the Institutional Review Board, and submitted and obtained IRB approval for our device.
• Spearheaded CAD (Solidworks) processes to model our novel device, created test protocols to support verification and validation, and performed said tests.
• Strictly adhered to FDA 21 CFR 820.30, creating and revising a comprehensive Design History File. Became very familiar with QSR, with a focus on Design Controls. Analyzed human factors, technical specifications, risk analysis, and finding standards which are then incorporated into verification and validation planning and testing.
• Artificial Organs 2 (Blood and Heart)
• Studied the fundamental engineering principles related to blood and cardiac physiology, and applied said fundamental principles to design improvements and or/ new designs for artificial blood substitutes and artificial heart devices.
• Studied artificial blood substitutes such as perfluorocarbon fluids and crosslinked hemoglobin fluids, and compared them to blood’s hematological and rheological properties.
• Learned about circulatory physiology and cardiac hemodynamics.
• Studied intra-aortic blood pumps, as well as total pulsatile, axial flow, and centrifugal heart pumps
• For Heartmate VADs, proposed, researched and presented a novel component; interlocking internal, and external drivelines implanted at the ear, eliminating driveline entanglement, and lowering the chance of driveline infection.

• April 2020 - Present
• Weekly tutoring of high school students in preparation for exams

• Co-author, “Continuity equation-derived valve area using CMR phase-contrast provides flow-independent assessment of valve stenosis.” Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Biomed Central. January 2016
• Co-author, 'Integrated circadian entrainment controls and evaluates in vivo maturation of hPSC-islets.' *Cell Reports Methods* (2023). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666166723005476
• Co-author, 'Circadian Entrainment of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Islets In Vivo.' In: Methods in Molecular Biology (2024). Springer Protocols. https://link.springer.com/protocol/10.1007/978-1-0716-3854-5_4
• Co-author, 'Pancreatic progenitors generated by optimized DE induction persist and mature after kidney capsule engraftment.' bioRxiv (2024). https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.18.585551v1.abstract
• Co-author (submitted), 'Spatial transcriptomics AI agent charts hPSC-pancreas maturation in vivo.' Submitted to *Nature Biotechnology* (Ref: NBT-RA66896).