Brian Buss awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Brian Buss, graduate student in the Electrical Engineering:Systems program, received a prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for his research in controlling glucose levels in ICU patients, using control theory. Buss works with Prof. Jessy Grizzle, Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin Professor of Engineering.

When asked about his research, Buss responded, “my research focuses on modeling glucose regulation in critical care patients and on designing feedback control and estimation algorithms for insulin dosing. The resulting control laws may be used to adjust current paper-based insulin dosing protocols or implemented in a closed-loop system. It is expected that improved glucose control will reduce negative outcomes including hospital acquired infection; chest, renal, and central nervous system complications; postoperative heart attacks; and death.”

“In cooperation with Dr. Roma Gianchandani, an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan Hospital, we are analyzing patient data to build a patient model. We will then design an adaptive control law with the specific objective of minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia while reducing hyperglycemia and glucose fluctuations.”

The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in the U.S. and abroad.