Junior Alejandro Wiltshire has been interested in conducting research for as long as he can remember. Now he works in the Biological Soft Matter Mechanics Laboratory (BSMM) with Guy German, associate professor of biomedical engineering.

“I think of it as a skin lab, even though it’s more than just that,” Wiltshire says. “It’s a very versatile biomedical engineering lab. Most of the time when people think of biomedical engineering, they think of cells or creating some sort of vaccine, whereas this is the more mechanical aspect of it. It’s a great place to learn about skin and to learn about a different aspect of mechanical engineering.”

Wiltshire joined the lab his freshman year. With German’s guidance, he has refined his skills in research and laboratory methods.

“Alejandro is committed, rigorous, and an asset to my team,” German says. “He has integrated well with my team of graduates and undergraduates, has learned the varied techniques required for his research quickly and efficiently, and has shown me he can perform effectively independently and as part of a team.”

Wiltshire is part of two research projects. His work on the rate of infection resulting from surgical sites has broad implications in helping regions of the world where infection rates are higher than average.

“If we can figure out how bacteria enters wounds, we can hopefully prevent this from happening,” Wiltshire says. “We are hoping that through this research, we can actually improve the pre-operative procedures, in order to lower the rate of surgical site infections.”

Wiltshire examines the rate of bacterial infection by making observations through imitation. Using a powerful microscope, Wiltshire shared images of his biomechanical model in detail. A substrate plays the role of the skin, while fluorescent beads mimic bacteria.

He included visuals in the demonstration, which allowed for a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of his investigation.

“I think a lot of science is visuals, like you need to see it in order to understand it,” he says. “I’m more of a visual learner myself, so I like to show things and explain along the way.”

Wiltshire’s second project relates to wrinkle formation as a result of aging. Using a series of complicated instruments, Wiltshire works to determine the individual mechanical and structural properties of skin and how this relates to the formation of wrinkles.

The experiments use skin samples from human cadavers. Within four to six days, members of the lab conduct rigorous experimentation on the samples to gain a better understanding of how wrinkles develop over time and how collagen fibers in the skin alter the shape of the wrinkles.

As a member of an artistic family, Wiltshire knew his interests differed greatly from the people around him, but that didn’t deter him from finding a balance between his love for engineering and his appreciation for art.

“I try to take everything in my life and tie it together,” says Wiltshire, who grew up in Hempstead on Long Island. “I think my purpose was kind of trying to tie the things that I enjoy in science and STEM with the artsy side of my life and the things that I view as being artsy.”

Through his position as the STEAM chair of the Binghamton Art Club, Wiltshire hopes to bring awareness to the intersection of art and engineering, and encourage students to pursue and enjoy both paths.

Wiltshire says his experiences in the lab, including a project as part of the Summer Scholars and Artists Program in 2022, have improved his understanding of complex concepts in his undergraduate engineering classes.

“I’m not a classroom learner, I’m more of a hands-on learner,” he says. “So I’ve realized that the more time I spend in the lab, the more that I actually learn here and that I can apply it to the classroom as opposed to the other way around.”

Wiltshire hopes to pursue a doctorate in biomedical engineering at Binghamton after he graduates.

“I’m always investigating something that I didn’t know before,” he says, “and that, to me, is what I want to do.”

“Skin acts as a physical, chemical and microbial barrier. It also helps regulate temperature and enables mechanoreception: the ability to sense touch,” says Guy German, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering whose research focuses almost exclusively on the body’s largest organ.

“[There is] a diverse population of microorganisms that naturally reside on your skin,” he says. “When [skin] becomes ruptured, its barrier function is lost, leaving underlying living tissue exposed to harmful pathogens. These pathogens can cause a variety of diseases and infections.”

German will continue his research into skin with a five-year, $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s prestigious Early Career Development (CAREER) program. His project – “Understanding the Multi-scale Failure Mechanics of Human Skin with Age, Ultraviolet Photodamage and Bacterial Growth” – formally begins in July.

“My first reaction to learning about the award was a combination of happiness that I could support more graduate student research and excitement because the award will enable my lab to explore a new research area that I’m passionate about,” German says. “Overall, this project aims to support up to two graduate students over the five years.”

The fundamental research will explore how aging, ultraviolet light and bacteria weaken skin, cause wrinkles and increase the risk of skin rupture. The results will provide a better understanding of the biomechanical aging process, the onset of skin diseases that could be caused by bacteria in the skin microbiome, and new approaches in skin-based drug delivery in creams and ointments. Some of the results may also have applications related to flexible electronics and energy harvesting.

Much of the current work in the field focuses on macro-testing equipment and treating skin as a homogenous material, but skin is heterogeneous at many length scales, German says, so he plans to look at the tissue microscopically. Experiments will combine immunostaining, mechanical manipulation, high-speed imaging and traction force microscopy to show how skin degrades under a variety of conditions.

The National Science Foundation’s CAREER grants support early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education while leading advances in their fields. German joined Binghamton’s faculty in 2013.