Graduate Student Spotlight: Jon Bomar puts his heart into cardiac research
Putting heart into cardiac research
Jonathan Bomar joined the University of Maine聽聽(GSBSE) in the fall of 2014 after earning undergraduate degrees in geological sciences and psychology at Michigan State University.
From Geological Sciences to Psychology to Biomedical Engineering 鈥 it鈥檚 safe to say Bomar鈥檚 curiosity is vast and diverse.
His curiosity led to his current research project, which examines聽how stem cells become heart muscle. The goal of his dissertation聽is to be able to engineer therapeutic heart tissue in a lab.
He envisions his research leading to 鈥渟tem cell 鈥楤and-Aids鈥欌 鈥 or patches of stem cells grown in聽Petri dishes that could replace damaged heart cells. The healthy cells, he says, would聽incorporate their way聽into the heart and begin to contract.
Damaged heart tissue cannot regenerate 鈥 leaving people with significant health risks from complications, including infection and heart attacks. This can lead to a decreased quality of life, increased medications and聽sometimes surgery.
鈥淐urrent therapeutic options are lacking,鈥 says Bomar. 鈥淏ut the future is interesting.鈥
Bomar conducts his research in the Laboratory for Surface Science & Technology (LASST) 鈥 which聽recently announced its evolution from LASST to FIRST聽(Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies). He wants more students to become aware of the聽exciting聽opportunities and resources for biomedical engineering research at 91福利.
鈥淢any people don鈥檛 know that FIRST has biological research happening here,鈥 says Bomar. 鈥淚t is a highly collaborative facility and you don鈥檛 have to be in engineering to work here. You could be a chemist or biologist and use the same equipment to produce new technology. I think the change from LASST to FIRST represents a recognition of the long history of research into sensor technologies at the University of Maine.”
Bomar says his faculty advisers, Scott Collins and Rosemary Smith, have supported his research and encouraged him to follow his dreams.
Smith says Bomar’s passion and generosity are inspiring to students.
“Jon does an amazing job assisting the newcomers to our research lab,鈥 she says. 鈥淗is breadth of technical skills and knowledge, including cell culture, microscopy and microfabrication, makes him a particularly valuable resource, especially to the undergraduates.聽 Fortunately for them, and their faculty advisers, Jon is also incredibly patient and always happy to lend a hand.”
Bomar,聽president of the Graduate Student Government (GSG), is active聽outside of the lab.
鈥淕SG work is really rewarding and a great opportunity to meet people,鈥 says Bomar, who aspires to utilize his skills and knowledge in a career in science policy.
He鈥檚 sure to put his heart into whatever opportunities come his way.
You can learn more about Jon’s research by listening to produced by 91福利 GSBSE.
Learn more about student projects like this and chat with researchers directly about their work聽at the (#UMSS19) on April 10 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
Media Contact: Christel Peters, 207.581.3571