Biomedical Engineering Approaches Research Articles

Biomedical engineering approaches for the delivery of JAGGED1 as a potential tissue regenerative therapy.

JAG1 is a ligand that activates the NOTCH signaling pathway which plays a crucial role in determining cell fate behavior through cell-to-cell signaling. JAG1-NOTCH signaling is required for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation into cardiomyocytes and cranial neural crest (CNC) cells differentiation into osteoblasts, making it a regenerative candidate for clinical therapy to treat craniofacial bone loss and myocardial infarction. However, delivery of soluble JAG1 has been found to inhibit NOTCH signaling due to the requirement of JAG1 presentation in a bound form. For JAG1-NOTCH signaling to occur, JAG1 must be immobilized within a scaffold and the correct orientation between the NOTCH receptor and JAG1 must be achieved. The lack of clinically translatable JAG1 delivery methods has driven the exploration of alternative immobilization approaches. This review discusses the role of JAG1 in disease, the clinical role of JAG1 as a treatment, and summarizes current approaches for JAG1 delivery. An in-depth review was conducted on literature that used both in vivo and in vitro delivery models and observed the canonical versus non-canonical NOTCH pathway activated by JAG1. Studies were then compared and evaluated based on delivery success, functional outcomes, and translatability. Delivering JAG1 to harness its ability to control cell fate has the potential to serve as a therapeutic for many diseases.

From lab to society: Fostering clinical translation of molecular systems engineering.

Over the last decade, bioengineering has seen a sustained growth in scientific publications, patents, and clinical trials. As the field attempts to bridge the gap between discovery and clinical application, a broader societal dialogue is needed to build public trust and address potential ethical, societal, and regulatory challenges. In this essay, we discuss societal aspects linked to the clinical use of biomedical engineering approaches and technologies, with a specific focus on molecular systems engineering. Drawing on data from interviews with 24 scientists, we identified four key aspects for fostering societal support for translational efforts in this domain: (1) effective science communication and internal awareness; (2) open societal dialogue; (3) fair and equitable access to new technologies; and (4) adequate science and technology policies. We conclude that molecular systems engineering would benefit from anticipating future challenges with the view of building a robust bond of trust with lay publics, regulators, and society at large.

Three-Dimensional Cell Culture System for Tendon Tissue Engineering.

Tendon, connective tissue between bone and muscle has unique component of the musculoskeletal system. It plays important role for transporting mechanical stress from muscle to bone and enabling locomotive motion of the body. There are some restoration capacities in the tendon tissue, but the injured tendons are not completely regenerated after acute and chronic tendon injury. At this point, the treatment options for tendon injuries are limited and not that successful. Therefore, biomedical engineering approaches are emerged to cope with this issue. Among them, three-dimensional cell culture platforms provided similarity to in vivo conditions and suggested opportunities for new therapeutic approaches for treatment of tendon injuries. In this review, we focus on the characteristics of tendon tissue and tendon pathologies which can be targets for tendon tissue engineering strategies. Then proof-of-concept and pre-clinical studies leveraging advanced 3-dimensional cell culture platforms for tendon tissue regeneration have been discussed.

The Use of Polymers to Enhance Post-Orthodontic Tooth Stability.

Relapse after orthodontic treatment occurs at a rate of about 70 to 90%, and this phenomenon is an orthodontic issue that has not yet been resolved. Retention devices are one attempt at prevention, but they require a considerable amount of time. Most orthodontists continue to find it challenging to manage orthodontic relapse; therefore, additional research is required. In line with existing knowledge regarding the biological basis of relapse, biomedical engineering approaches to relapse regulation show promise. With so many possible uses in biomedical engineering, polymeric materials have long been at the forefront of the materials world. Orthodontics is an emerging field, and scientists are paying a great deal of attention to polymers because of their potential applications in this area. In recent years, the controlled release of bisphosphonate risedronate using a topically applied gelatin hydrogel has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing relapse. Simvastatin encapsulation in exosomes generated from periodontal ligament stem cells can promote simvastatin solubility and increase the inhibitory action of orthodontic relapse. Moreover, the local injection of epigallocatechin gallate-modified gelatin suppresses osteoclastogenesis and could be developed as a novel treatment method to modify tooth movement and inhibit orthodontic relapse. Furthermore, the intrasulcular administration of hydrogel carbonated hydroxyapatite-incorporated advanced platelet-rich fibrin has been shown to minimize orthodontic relapse. The objective of this review was to provide an overview of the use of polymer materials to reduce post-orthodontic relapse. We assume that bone remodeling is a crucial factor even though the exact process by which orthodontic correction is lost after retention is not fully known. Delivery of a polymer containing elements that altered osteoclast activity inhibited osteoclastogenesis and blocking orthodontic relapse. The most promising polymeric materials and their potential orthodontic uses for the prevention of orthodontic relapse are also discussed.

Developing biomedical engineering technologies for reproductive medicine

AbstractInfertility is a rising global health issue with a far‐reaching impact on the socioeconomic livelihoods. As there are highly complex causes of male and female infertility, it is highly desired to promote and maintain reproductive health by the integration of advanced technologies. Biomedical engineering, a mature technology applied in the fields of biology and health care, has emerged as a powerful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Nowadays, various promising biomedical engineering approaches are under investigation to address human infertility. Biomedical engineering approaches can not only improve our fundamental understanding of sperm and follicle development in bioengineered devices combined with microfabrication, biomaterials, and relevant cells, but also be applied to repair uterine, ovary, and cervicovaginal tissues and restore tissue function. Here, we introduce the infertility in male and female and provide a comprehensive summary of the various promising biomedical engineering technologies and their applications in reproductive medicine. Also, the challenges and prospects of biomedical engineering technologies for clinical transformation are discussed. We believe that this review will promote communications between engineers, biologists, and clinicians and potentially contribute to the clinical transformation of these innovative research works in the immediate future.

Meet the First Authors.

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 131, No. 10Meet the First Authors Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBMeet the First Authors Originally published27 Oct 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000580Circulation Research. 2022;131:790–791Sox17 Deficiency Promotes PAH via c-Met Activation (p 792)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chan Soon Park is a clinical fellow in the Division of Cardiology at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). He earned his BS and MS in Medicine from Seoul National University and his PhD in Medical Science and Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). During the PhD program in Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering in KAIST, he was able to learn basic and translational research, the importance of which has been increasingly emphasized in the development of novel and clinically relevant therapeutic strategies in the field of cardiology. Dr Park continues to expand his research in the roles of endothelial cells in various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) beyond pulmonary arterial hypertension. He also has interests in clinical research, including the association between metabolic profiles and CVDs as well as the role of imaging in CVD risk stratification. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and spending time with his family.Prohibitin2 Maintains VSMC Contractile Phenotype (p 807)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Yiting Jia is a postdoctoral fellow at Peking University Health Science Center (PI: Dr Wei Kong and Dr Caihong Yun). He earned his PhD from Peking University. His early experience in research was focused on metabolism reprogramming, lysosome biology and cardiovascular diseases. Now he is gearing up to become an independent research investigator. Outside of work, he enjoys soccer, tennis and listening to music.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chenfeng Mao is a research associate at the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in Beijing, China. He earned a PhD in human physiology from the Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology in Peking University (mentor, Dr Wei Kong). His research focuses on extracellular matrix microenvironment on vascular remodeling during physiological and disease state. Outside of work he enjoys playing badminton.MED1, BMP/TGF-β and Pulmonary Hypertension (p 828)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chen Wang earned her PhD from Xi’ an Jiaotong University. During her PhD studies, she was also trained in the laboratory of Dr Ingrid Fleming at the Institute of Vascular Research, Goethe University. Her research focuses on endothelial dysfunction involved in vascular diseases. She was awarded the “Paul Dudley White International Scholar” from ATVB in 2022 and has published several first-author papers including in Circulation and Circulation Research. Her career goal is to become a physician scientist working on cardiovascular diseases and related translational research. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, music and baking.Download figureDownload PowerPointYuanming Xing is a PhD candidate in internal medicine at Xi’an Jiaotong University. She also studied computational biology at Warshel Institute for Computational Biology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen. She is interested in endothelial function in cardiovascular diseases and has published several papers in the related fields. Her career plan is to become a physician who is also proficient in computational biology. She enjoys learning new things, especially what she may not be good at. In her spare time, she has a passion for animal rescue, computer programming and painting.Intrapericardial Exosomes Repair Heart via Foxo3 (p e135)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Dashuai Zhu is a postdoctoral research fellow in the BioTherapeutics Lab, headed by Dr Ke Cheng (UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University). Dashuai earned his PhD from the Nankai University, China, where he started his career on cardiac repair using tissue engineering and biomedical engineering approaches. His research focuses on regenerative medicine approaches for the treatment of heart disease, with a particular interest in cell and cell-free therapies for myocardial infarction and heart failure. He can be found on Twitter @das_zhu.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Ke Huang is an assistant research professor in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina State University. He earned his MD in 2008 from Shanxi Medical University and PhD from North Carolina State University. His postdoctral training was at Duke University. His research focuses on regenerative medicine strategies with a particular interest in adult stem cells, biomaterials and nanomedicine approaches. He can be found on [email protected] Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails October 28, 2022Vol 131, Issue 10 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2022 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000580PMID: 36302055 Originally publishedOctober 27, 2022 PDF download Advertisement SubjectsAgingCardiovascular DiseaseExercise

Microfluidics for Neuronal Cell and Circuit Engineering.

The widespread adoption of microfluidic devices among the neuroscience and neurobiology communities has enabled addressing a broad range of questions at the molecular, cellular, circuit, and system levels. Here, we review biomedical engineering approaches that harness the power of microfluidics for bottom-up generation of neuronal cell types and for the assembly and analysis of neural circuits. Microfluidics-based approaches are instrumental to generate the knowledge necessary for the derivation of diverse neuronal cell types from human pluripotent stem cells, as they enable the isolation and subsequent examination of individual neurons of interest. Moreover, microfluidic devices allow to engineer neural circuits with specific orientations and directionality by providing control over neuronal cell polarity and permitting the isolation of axons in individual microchannels. Similarly, the use of microfluidic chips enables the construction not only of 2D but also of 3D brain, retinal, and peripheral nervous system model circuits. Such brain-on-a-chip and organoid-on-a-chip technologies are promising platforms for studying these organs as they closely recapitulate some aspects of in vivo biological processes. Microfluidic 3D neuronal models, together with 2D in vitro systems, are widely used in many applications ranging from drug development and toxicology studies to neurological disease modeling and personalized medicine. Altogether, microfluidics provide researchers with powerful systems that complement and partially replace animal models.

COVID-19 preparedness and social dynamics in a Sub-Saharan Africa country, Benin.

SummaryThis project aims to assess and analyse the perception and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Benin. The applied research methodology was interdisciplinary and combined field studies that used ethnographic and social research methods with coding and data analysis, leading to theoretical dilemmas, which were analysed from the viewpoint of bioethical reflection. Furthermore, biomedical engineering approaches were used to assess the preparedness to COVID-19. Despite the preparedness to COVID-19 due to the promoted governmental measures, a peculiar management of the pandemic emerged. The latter, although noteworthy, did not overcome the typical challenges of medical locations in low-resource settings. This, together with the controversial spread of information and local beliefs, caused significant economic and social consequences, exceeding the benefits related to the containment of the virus. This research highlights how the emotion of fear, in this specific situation, was herald of dramatic consequences, rather than having a heuristic and empowering effect.

Tissue-Specific Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Bioinks for Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration and Modeling Using 3D Bioprinting Technology.

The musculoskeletal system is a vital body system that protects internal organs, supports locomotion, and maintains homeostatic function. Unfortunately, musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide. Although implant surgeries using autografts, allografts, and xenografts have been conducted, several adverse effects, including donor site morbidity and immunoreaction, exist. To overcome these limitations, various biomedical engineering approaches have been proposed based on an understanding of the complexity of human musculoskeletal tissue. In this review, the leading edge of musculoskeletal tissue engineering using 3D bioprinting technology and musculoskeletal tissue-derived decellularized extracellular matrix bioink is described. In particular, studies on in vivo regeneration and in vitro modeling of musculoskeletal tissue have been focused on. Lastly, the current breakthroughs, limitations, and future perspectives are described.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Stretchable and Transparent Poly(Ethyleneglycol-Sebacate) Elastomers with Autonomous Self-Healing and Capacitive Properties.

Introducing functional synthetic biomaterials to the literature became quite essential in biomedical technologies. For the growth of novel biomedical engineering approaches, progressive functional properties as well as the robustness of the manufacturing processes are essential. By using acid-induced epoxide ring-opening polymerizations through catalysts, a wide variety of biodegradable and functionalized biomaterials can be synthesized. Sebacic acid (SA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) are amongst the FDA-approved biocompatible materials. In this study, we focused on the rapid synthesis of caffeine-catalyzed self-healable elastomer via a facile microwave-assisted synthesis route. The elastomer prepared can be used in various applications, including tactile sensors, wearable electronics, and soft robotics. SA and PEGDGE were catalyzed in the presence of caffeine under microwave irradiation followed by crosslinking in vacuo, yielding an elastomeric material. The chemical characterizations of the obtained elastomer were carried out. The resulting material is transparent, highly stretchable, and has capacitive and self-healing properties even at room temperature. The material developed can be easily applied for the aforementioned applications.

Brief multi‐drug treatment via a wearable silk‐hydrogel bioreactor induces long‐term limb re‐patterning and regeneration in adult Xenopus Laevis

Limb regeneration requires the temporal and spatial patterning of molecular signals within a suitable microenvironment such that differentiation and growth can be orchestrated. Despite advances in limb prostheses, ideal solutions to limb loss will involve re-structuring native tissues to regain biological function. Our novel biomedical engineering approach was designed to induce patterning by controlling the microenvironment at the wound site in amputated hindlimbs of Xenopus laevis, without having to micromanage every molecular cascade. Post-metamorphic, non-regenerative frogs which had undergone hindlimb amputation were treated with an innovative wearable bioreactor composed of a silk-hydrogel infused with 5 pro-regenerative compounds for only 24 hours. Animals were maintained for 18 months where morphometric and histological analyses were performed at regular intervals to monitor neural, vascular, and osseous repatterning. The 24-hr. brief exposure to the bioreactor induced remarkable growth with patterned structures not observed in untreated controls. Bone remodelling, re-vascularization, and digit patterning were observed 18 months after the initial 24 hour bioreactor treatment. 18-month post treatment regenerates also regained sensorimotor abilities within the regenerated hindlimb. Whole transcriptomic analysis at early regenerative periods confirmed changes to blastemal profiles related only to drug-reactor exposures, which included changes in differential gene expression profiles related to crucial pro-regenerative mechanisms such as sox2, KLf4, WNT pathway genes and upregulation of pro-regenerative inflammatory and neural pathways. Our data provide strong evidence that a non-regenerative animal can be induced to re-pattern limbs when exposed to a controlled bioreactor device. This first induction of an advanced limb regenerative response in fully adult organisms suggests using a biomedical engineering approach with silk-hydrogel as a bioreactor for simultaneous and compound delivery of multiple drug compounds is a promising avenue for induction of regeneration in adult, non- regenerative species.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Smart Solution to Reduce Respiratory Problems Caused by Air Pollution

Globally, air pollution is a significant concern for human health. Artificial sources of particulate matter (fine dust particles suspended in the air), especially PM2.5, are the significant constituents in indoor air pollution and prominently leads to many lung-related illnesses. Research suggests that around 90% of people spend ~22 hours inside every day, either at a home, office, factory, or restaurant. Plants act as a natural detoxifying agent by taking particulate matter (PM) waste from the atmosphere. Our hypothesis tested whether placing specific plants indoors can reduce levels of PM inside by using principles of biomedical engineering and machine-learning approaches. Our data showed that plants improved the overall quality of the air in the room. Levels of PM2.5 were decreased dramatically in the rooms compared to the average levels measured outside the house. As higher PM exposure in humans is associated with many diseases, our research suggests that plant-based interventions coupled with a sensor and cloud-based application using artificial intelligence may be useful in the long run to reduce indoor air pollution.

Gaining New Biological and Therapeutic Applications into the Liver with 3D In Vitro Liver Models.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures with architectural and biomechanical properties similar to those of natural tissue have been the focus for generating liver tissue. Microarchitectural organization is believed to be crucial to hepatic function, and 3D cell culture technologies have enabled the construction of tissue-like microenvironments, thereby leading to remarkable progress in vitro models of human tissue and organs. Recently, to recapitulate the 3D architecture of tissues, spheroids and organoids have become widely accepted as new practical tools for 3D organ modeling. Moreover, the combination of bioengineering approach offers the promise to more accurately model the tissue microenvironment of human organs. Indeed, the employment of sophisticated bioengineered liver models show long-term viability and functional enhancements in biochemical parameters and disease-orient outcome. Various 3D in vitro liver models have been proposed as a new generation of liver medicine. Likewise, new biomedical engineering approaches and platforms are available to more accurately replicate the in vivo 3D microarchitectures and functions of living organs. This review aims to highlight the recent 3D in vitro liver model systems, including micropatterning, spheroids, and organoids that are either scaffold-based or scaffold-free systems. Finally, we discuss a number of challenges that will need to be addressed moving forward in the field of liver tissue engineering for biomedical applications. The ongoing development of biomedical engineering holds great promise for generating a 3D biomimetic liver model that recapitulates the physiological and pathological properties of the liver and has biomedical applications.

Finite element analysis of implant design used in elbow arthroplasty process

This article provides information of the biomedical engineering modelling and approach of the elbow arthroplasty process. This investigation also gives the conceptual design of the total replacement elbow joint which allows the formulation and analysis. The complete assembly of elbow model was designed in Creo parametric for modification of existing design and surface geometry of model from sharp edge to smooth edges and analysis done using ANSYS tool, which gives the results of proposed design like von Mises stress, principal stress and after that compare between existing and proposed work. It has been tested in a complex environment to find out the suitable bio materials than the existing approach. For the validation, the existing and proposed simulation results using ANSYS was provided in the paper.

The Kahawa Declaration: a manifesto for the democratization of medical technology

Most medical technology is employed and accepted passively by patients and doctors who have little or no influence in its design or usability. Patients are not involved in the development of medical technology, which is undertaken behind closed doors and whose global impact is hindered by proprietary know-how and by costs. This has so far impeded equitable healthcare as most of the world does not have access to the technology or healthcare coverage. Understanding the relevance of international partnerships for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, feeling specially committed to the promotion of the Goal on “Good Health and Well-Being”, and convinced about the role that open-source biomedical engineering approaches may play in the future of medical technology, we commit ourselves, through the Kahawa Declaration, to enlighten the transformation of the biomedical engineering field, towards the democratization of medical technology as a key for achieving universal equitable health care. This paper presents the content of the Kahawa Declaration, which was signed in Nairobi in December 2017.

Autism: Historic View and a Current Biomedical Engineering Approach [Retrospectroscope

Fil: Perez Berenguer, Maria Elisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingenieria. Departamento de Electronica y Automatica. Gabinete de Tecnologia Medica; Argentina

The application of biomedical engineering techniques to the diagnosis and management of tropical diseases: a review.

This paper reviews a number of biomedical engineering approaches to help aid in the detection and treatment of tropical diseases such as dengue, malaria, cholera, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, ebola, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas). Many different forms of non-invasive approaches such as ultrasound, echocardiography and electrocardiography, bioelectrical impedance, optical detection, simplified and rapid serological tests such as lab-on-chip and micro-/nano-fluidic platforms and medical support systems such as artificial intelligence clinical support systems are discussed. The paper also reviewed the novel clinical diagnosis and management systems using artificial intelligence and bioelectrical impedance techniques for dengue clinical applications.

Diagnosis and Characterization of Middle-ear and Cochlear Functions

Hearing impairment is one of the most common physical disabilities in the world. Conductive hearing loss results from dysfunction of the middle ear, and sensorineural hearing loss results from abnormalities within the cochlea or central nervous system. To improve the diagnosis of hearing loss and develop new technologies for restoration of hearing, changes of the middle ear and cochlear functions in relation to ear structural disorders in hearing impaired ears need to be characterized. This paper summarizes our biomedical engineering approach to characterize the middle ear and cochlear functions in normal and diseased ears. With the experimental measurements in human temporal bones and animal models and the finite element (FE) modeling of the human ear, a better understanding of biomechanics of the ear for sound transmission is achieved. The acoustic-mechanical vibration and energy transmission through the middle ear in normal and diseased ears can be visualized and quantified in a 3-dimensional FE model. Four novel model-derived “auditory test curves” named as the middle ear transfer function, energy absorbance, admittance tympanogram, and tympanic membrane holography are generated with clinically relevant applications.

Smart Calcium Phosphate Bioceramic Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering

The development of CaP ceramics involved a better control of the process of resorption and bone substitution. Micro Macroporous Biphasic CaP, (MBCP+) is a concept based on an optimum balance of the more stable phase of HA and more soluble TCP. The material is soluble and gradually dissolves in the body, seeding new bone formation as it releases Ca and P ions into the biological medium. The MBCP+ is selected for tissue engineering in a large European research program on osteoinduction and mesenchymal stem cell technology (REBORNE 7th EU frame work program, Regenerative Bone defects using New biomedical Engineering approaches, www.reborne.org). We have optimized the matrices in terms of their physical, chemical, and crystal properties, to improve cell colonization and to increase kinetic bone ingrowth. The fast cell colonization and resorption of the material are associated to the interconnected macropores structure which enhances the resorption bone substitution process. The micropore content involves biological fluid diffusion and suitable adsorption surfaces for circulating growth factors. The bioceramics developed for this project was fully characterized using X-Ray diffraction, FTIR, X-rays micro tomography, Hg porosimetry, BET specific surface area, compressive mechanical test, and SEM. Preclinical tests on the optimized scaffold were realized in critical size defects in several sites of implantation and animals (rats, rabbits, goats, dogs).The smart scaffold has a total porosity of 73%, constituted of macropores (>100µm), mesopores of 10 to 100µm and high micropores (<10µm) content of more or less 40%. The crystal size is <0.5 to 1 µm and the specific surface area was around 6m2/g. The in vivo experiment indicated higher colonization by osteogenic cells demonstrating suitable matrices for tissue engineering. The HA/TCP ratio of 20/80 was also more efficient for combination with total bone marrow or stem cell cultivation and expansion before to be implanted.

A biomedical engineering approach to mitigate the errors of prostate biopsy

The current protocol for detecting and ruling out prostate cancer involves serum PSA testing followed by sampling of the prostate using a transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided biopsy. Many specialists have discussed how PSA screening has contributed to underdetection of clinically significant prostate cancer, overdiagnosis of clinically insignificant disease and poor risk stratification; however, little consideration has been given to the role of TRUS-guided biopsy in these errors. The performance of TRUS-guided biopsy is constrained by the biomechanical attributes of the sampling strategy, resulting in suboptimal detection efficiency of each core. By using a biomedical engineering approach, a uniform grid sampling strategy could be used to improve the detection efficiency of prostate biopsy. Moreover, the calibration of the sampling can be adjusted by altering the distance between needle deployments. Our model shows that for any given number of needle trajectories, a uniform grid approach will be superior to a divergent, nonuniform strategy for the detection of clinically important disease. This is an important message that should result in a move away from divergent sampling to a uniform grid approach for prostate biopsy.