Dr. Eric S. Hald joined Shantou University in 2018 as an instructional fellow from the University of Michigan. Since 2019, he has been Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Teaching for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Shantou University. In addition to teaching and curriculum development responsibilities, his main research areas of interest are cell and tissue mechanics, cancer metastasis, biomedical engineering education and curriculum design. Dr. Hald is focused on promoting student-centered education and improving teaching methods in engineering classrooms across China, as well as growing the profession of biomedical engineering in China.
Research Fields
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Cell and tissue mechanics, Engineering education, Organ-on-a-chip technology, Neurodegenerative diseases and other fields.
Education
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Ph.D. – Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2016
B.S. – Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
Work Experience
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· 2019-present: Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Teaching, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University
· 2017-2019: Instructional Fellow and Program Coordinator, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (Shantou University)
· 2010-2016: Research Assistant, Alford Lab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
· 2010: Research Assistant, Barocas Research Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
· 2010-2017: Private Tutor, Twin Cities, Minnesota
· 2007-2009: Undergraduate Researcher, Laboratory of Ocular Motor Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
· 2007: Undergraduate Researcher, Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF), Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Iowa State University
Current Projects
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· Mechanical interactions between adherent cells and extracellular matrix: from cell mechanobiology to medical applications in arterial tissue engineering and cancer metastasis
· Role of extracellular interface geometries in durotaxis of fibroblasts
· Characterization of cell type based on substrate stiffness impacts on persistence
· Impacts of biomedical engineering curriculum structure and evidence-based pedagogical practices in Chinese and American classrooms
Research
————————————————————————————————————————————Dr. Hald’s main research areas are cell and tissue mechanics, cancer metastasis, microfabrication/lab-on-a-chip technologies, ophthalmology, biomedical engineering education and curriculum design.
Publications
————————————————————————————————————————————1. Yuan, X.-L., Chen, S.-L., Xu Y., Yao, Y., Liang, J.-J., Zhuang, X., Hald, E.S., and Ng, T.K., 2023. Green tea extract enhances retinal ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration in rats with optic nerve injury. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
2. Ramo, N.L., Lin, M., Hald, E.S., and Huang-Saad, A., 2021. Synchronous vs. Asynchronous vs. Blended Remote Delivery of Introduction to Biomechanics Course. Biomedical Engineering Education 1, 61–66.
3. Ramo, N.L., Hald, E.S., Huang-Saad, A., and Fang, Q., 2020. Work in Progress: The Development and Implementation of Self-reflection Participation Logs in an English-taught Engineering Program in China. 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
4. Park, J.J., Chuang, Y-C., and Hald, E.S., 2018. Identifying key influencers of professional identity development of Asian international STEM graduate students in the United States. AsiaPacific Education Researcher. 27(2): 145-154.
5. Hald, E.S., Timm, C.D., and Alford, P.W., 2016. Amyloid beta influences vascular smooth muscle contractility and mechano-adaptation. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. (*JBME Editors’ Choice 2016, Top Ten Paper)
6. Steucke, K.E., Tracy, P.V., Hald, E.S., Hall, J.L. and Alford, P.W., 2015. Vascular smooth muscle cell functional contractility depends on extracellular mechanical properties. Journal of Biomechanics. 48(12): 3044-3051.
7. Hald, E.S., Steucke, K.E., Reeves, J.A., Win, Z. and Alford, P.W., 2015. Microfluidic genipin deposition technique for extended culture of micropatterned vascular muscular thin films. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 100: e52971.
8. Yang, D., Hertle, R.W., Zhu, M., Tai, Z., Hald E. and Kauffman, M., 2015. Effect of artificial scotomas on open-loop disparity vergence eye movements. Optometry and Vision Science: Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry. 92(1): 107-114.
9. Hald, E.S., Stoner, R.J. and Rollins, D.K., 2014. Determining juvenile cancer types from gene expression using gene contribution and differential analysis. Journal of Medical Statistics and Informatics. 2(1): 2.
10. Hald, E.S., Steucke, K.E., Reeves, J.A., Win, Z. and Alford, P.W., 2014. Long-term vascular contractility assay using genipin-modified muscular thin films. Biofabrication. 6(4): 045005.
11. Win, Z., Vrla, G.D., Sevcik, E.N., Hald, E.S. and Alford, P.W., 2014. Smooth muscle architecture within cell-dense vascular tissues influences function contractility. Integrative Biology. 6(12): 1201-1210.
12. Hald, E.S. and Alford P.W., 2014. “Smooth muscle phenotype switching in blast traumatic brain injury-induced cerebral vasospasm.” Translational Stroke Research. 5(3): 385-393.
13. Lake, S.P., Hald, E.S. and Barocas, V.H., 2011. Collagen-agarose co-gels as a model for collagen-matrix interaction in soft tissues subjected to indentation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. 99(4): 507-515.
14. Hald, E.S., Hertle R.W. and Yang, D., 2011. Application of a digital head-posture measuring system in children. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 151(1): 66-70.
15. Hald, E.S., Hertle R.W. and Yang, D., 2009. Development and validation of a digital head posture measuring system. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 147(6): 1092-1100.
Teaching
————————————————————————————————————————————1、Undergraduate Courses：
BME1101A – Biomedical Engineering; Linear Algebra; Introduction to Computing (MATLAB and C Programming); Fundamentals of Biomedicine; Introduction to Biomedical Design and Rapid Prototyping; Senior Thesis and Design; Senior Thesis supervisor; Introduction to Biomechanics (lecture and lab, University of Minnesota)
2、Postgraduate Courses:
Instructional Incubator (“Building a Tumor” and “Introduction to Neural Engineering and Modeling” module development and delivery, University of Michigan)
Positions in academic institutions or Professional
————————————————————————————————————————————· Journal Reviewer: Translational Stroke Research, Biomedical Engineering Education, Asia Pacific Education Review
· Abstract/Conference Paper Reviewer: American Society of Engineering Education BED Division, Engineering Graduate Symposium (College of Engineering, University of Michigan)
Honors and Awards
————————————————————————————————————————————· Shantou University First Class Course – BME1101A – 2021
· Shantou University Golden Class Designee – BME1101A – 2020-2021
· Li Ka Shing Foundation Instructional Fellowship – University of Michigan – 2017-2019
· Journal of Biomechanical Engineering Editors’ Choice Paper – 2016
· Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship – University of Minnesota – 2014-2015
· Council of Graduate Students Travel Grant Award – University of Minnesota – 2014
· Fight For Sight Summer Student Fellowship – Fight For Sight – 2008
