Marnie Saunders, Ph.D.

Education

• Post-Doctoral Fellow, Musculoskeletal Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 2000
• Ph.D. Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 1998
• M.S. Engineering, Departments of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 1994
• B.S. (Honors) Mechanical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 1991

Research Interests

• Lab-on-a-Chip (Bone Remodeling) Technologies
• Bone Cell Mechanobiology
• Orthopaedic Biomechanics
• Mechanical Testing
• Lower Limb Prostheses

Research Biography

Dr Marnie Saunders is currently the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation in the College of Engineering and Computing at Miami University, Oxford, OH. Her education is in Mechanical and Biomechanical Engineering; she completed her BS, MS and PhD at The University of Akron. Upon graduation in 1998 she completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in Hershey, PA. From 2000-2006 she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the Hershey Medical Center before moving to the University of Kentucky in 2006 to increase her teaching opportunities. Following the death of her graduate advisor, she returned to her alma mater as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Akron where she established the Bone Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Laboratory. Her research was continuously funded for 20 years (2002-2022) through the Whitaker Foundation, NIH and NSF. In 2017 she was asked to serve as the Associate Dean in the Graduate School. In 2019, she briefly assumed the leadership of the Graduate School (11/2019-8/2022) leading the school through the pandemic. In 2023 she was promoted to Senior Associate Dean. In February of 2025, she moved to Miami University and assumed her current role.

Major Funding

Major Grant Awards as Principal Investigator

• Choose Ohio First, FY24 Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) – Transitioned upon leaving Akron (2025)
  • Awarded by ODHE, $1,176,000.00, 2024-2029
• NSF, EBMS Unsolicited – Quantification of bone’s load-induced multicellular interactions with a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) platform
  • Awarded 9/01/17, $329,383.00, 2017-2020
  • Supplemental REU Awarded 2/18, $16,632.00
• NIH AREA, NIDCR – A novel, in vitro platform for correlating and quantifying mechanically-induced bone cell microdamage effects
  • Funded by the NIH (NIDCR), $462,311.00, 2012-2017
  • No-cost extension (through 3/2017)
• NSF Career Award, CBET - A biomimetic, micro total analysis system platform of bone remodeling: elucidating the role of cellular communication
  • Funded by the NSF, $450,015.00, 2010-2016
  • No-cost extension (through 9/2016)
• EPSCoR Award: Engineered platforms for exploring cellular and molecular signaling processes
  • Funded by the NSF, Co-PI, $1,100,000.00 (UK; PI), 2008-2013
  • PI: Andrea Gobin, UofL, $6,515,984.00 (Total Award)
• NIH Career Development Award - Osteoblast stimulation effects on osteoclast activity
  • Funded by NIH NIA (Aging), $450,772.00, 2003-2009
• Whitaker Award - Quantification of differential osteoblastic activity as a function of substrate and deformation utilizing a novel in situ loading system
  • Funded by The Whitaker Foundation, $ 238,856.00, 2002-2005

Experience

Academic Experience

• 2/25-present Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH
  • Position: Professor
• 8/10-1/25 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH
  • Position: Professor, 2021-present
  • Associate Professor, 2010-2021 (Awarded Early Tenure 2013) 
• 9/06-8/10 Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
  • Position: Primary Faculty Appointment, Assistant Professor
• 1/99-8/06 Division of Musculoskeletal Sciences, The Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, The Milton S Hershey Med Center, Hershey, PA
  • Position: Assistant Professor 1/01-8/06
  • Position: Post-doctoral Fellow, 1/99-12/00

Prior Administrative Experience

The University of Akron, Akron, OH (8/2017 – 1/2025)

• 7/23 - 1/25 Position: Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School
• 8/17 - 6/23 Position: Associate Dean, Graduate School
• 7/20 - 7/22 Position: Interim Director, Graduate School
• 11/19 - 6/20 Position: Acting Dean, Graduate School
• Program Director Choose Ohio First, Graduate Scholars Program, 11/23–1/25
• Member, Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies (CCGS/ODHE), 9/19 – 1/25
• Chair, Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies (CCGS/ODHE), 7/21 – 6/22
• Co-Chair, Campus Formative Program Review, 9/18 – 1/23

Principal Publications

Book

• Saunders MM. (2015) Mechanical Testing for the Biomechanical Engineer: A Practical Guide. Synthesis Digital Library of Engineering and Computer Science, Morgan and Claypool Publishing, 276 pgs.  ISBN-13:978-1627055130

Featured Work/Laboratory

• Saunders MM. (2014) Mechanical methods. In International Innovation. September, p 62-64.
• Saunders MM. (2011) Development of a cost-effective torsional unit for rodent long bone assessment. New investigational results. In Issues in Biomedical Engineering Research and Application: 2011 Edition. Scholarly Editions, Atlanta GA. Biomedical Engineering Chapter, p 724.

Book Chapters and Solicited Publications

• York SL, Arida A, Shah KS, Saunders MM. (2012) Biomimicry, microsystems, and bone. In Focus on Biomimetics Research. Nova Science Publishers, 1-42 (Ch 1).
• Saunders MM. (2011). Biomimetics in bone cell mechanotransduction: Understanding bone’s response to mechanical loading, Advances in Biomimetics, Prof. Marko Cavrak (Ed.), InTech, DOI: 10.5772/14362. 317-348 (Ch 16).
• Saunders MM, Lee J. (2008) The influence of mechanical environment on bone healing and distraction osteogenesis. In Atlas of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America devoted to Distraction, 16(2):147-158 (Ch 1).
• Segal LS, Saunders MM. (2007) Single gegen doppelte Schraubenfixierung fur geglittenes femoral Hauptepiphysis. Ein Bericht der biomechanischen Studien. Orthopaedische Praxis 43(2):54-59 – translation Orthopedic Practice (Single versus double screw fixation for slipped capital femoral epiphysis. A review of biomechanical studies) (invited paper – German Surgical Journal).
• Donahue HJ, Chen Q, Jacobs CR, Saunders MM, Yellowley CE. (2003) Bone cells and mechanotransduction. In Molecular Biology in Orthopaedics (AAOS) Editors: Rosier and Evans, 179-190 (Ch 14).

Manuscripts and Conference Proceedings in Publication (Since 2015)

• Saunders MM. (2025) A bone remodeling lab-on-a-chip to study periprosthetic osteolysis: early evidence that osteocyte signaling contributes to increased osteoclast resorption. Society for Experimental Mechanics – Conference proceeding accepted
• Truesdell S, Saunders MM. (2023) A low-cost 3D printed pumping system for generating oscillatory flow in a multicellular lab-on-a-chip device. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 27(6) Article 42.
• Truesdell S, George E, Saunders MM. (2020) Cellular considerations for optimizing bone cell culture and remodeling in a lab-on-a-chip platform. Biotechniques 68(5):263-269
• Truesdell SM, George EL, Van Vranken C, Saunders MM. (2020) A lab-on-a-chip platform for stimulating osteocyte mechanotransduction and analyzing functional outcomes of bone remodeling. Journal of Visualized Experiments (159), DOI:10.3791/ 61076, 11 pgs.
• Truesdell SM, Saunders MM. (2019) Bone remodeling platforms: Understanding the need for multicellular lab-on-a-chip systems and predictive agent-based models.  Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering.  Special Issue: Recent Advances in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering and Related Sciences 17(2):1233-1252.
• Saunders MM, Truesdell SM, George EL, Holda JH, Van Vranken C. (2019) Current trends in osteoporosis diagnostics: An opportunity for quantitative ultrasound and biomarkers. Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research 17080-17089; DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2019.23.003838.
• Truesdell S, George E, Seno CE, Saunders MM. (2019) 3D-printed loading device for inducing cellular mechanotransduction via matrix deformation. Experimental Mechanics. 59(8):1223–1232.
• George EL, Truesdell SL, Maygar A, Saunders MM. (2019) The effects of mechanically loaded osteocytes and inflammation on bone remodeling in a bisphosphonate-induced environment. Bone­ 127:460-473.
• Young J, Jankord K, Saunders MM, Smith TD. (2018) Getting into shape: Limb bone strength in perinatal Lemur catta and Propithecus coquereli. The Anatomical Record, https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24045 (online 12/08/18 ahead of print).
• Thoerner R, King JD, Saunders MM. (2018) Application of design aspects in uniaxial loading machine fabrication. Journal of Visualized Experiments (139): DOI:10.379/58168, 8 pgs.
• George EL, Lin YL, Saunders MM. (2018) Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: A mechanobiology perspective. Bone Reports 8:104-109.
• George EL, Truesdell S, York SL, Saunders MM. (2018) Lab-on-a-chip platforms for quantification of multicellular interactions in bone remodeling. Experimental Cell Research 365:106-118.
• Van Scoy GK, George EL, Asantewaa FFO, Kerns L, Saunders MM, Prieto-Langarica A. (2017) A cellular automata model of bone formation. Mathematical Biosciences 286:58-64.
• York SL, Sethu P, Saunders MM. (2016) In vitro osteocytic microdamage and viability quantification using a microloading platform. Medical Engineering and Physics 38(10):1115-1122.
• King JD, York SL, Saunders MM. (2016) Design, fabrication and characterization of a pure uniaxial microloading system for biologic testing. Medical Engineering and Physics 38(4):411-416.
• York SL, Sethu P, Saunders MM. (2015) Impact of gap junctional intercellular communication on MLO-Y4 sclerostin and soluble factor expression. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 44(4):1170-1180.
• York SL, King JD, Pietros AS, Zhang Newby B, Sethu P, Saunders MM. (2015) Development of a microloading platform for in vitro mechanotransduction studies. Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials 7:53-59. (Conference Proceedings)
• King JD, Hayes D, Shah KS, York SL, Sethu P, Saunders MM. (2015) Development of a multi-strain profile for cellular mechanotransduction testing. Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials 7:61-67. (Conference Proceedings)

Awards and Honors

• Tau Beta Pi, Eminent Scholar Inductee, 2022
• Nominated, Outstanding Teacher Award, UA University Council Awards (accepted nomination), 2020
• Nominated, Outstanding Mentor Award, UA University Council Awards (declined nomination), 2020
• Nominated, Supporting the Student Experience Award, UA University Council Awards, 2019
• Participant, MAC Academic Leadership Development Program, 2018-2019
• Invited Speaker, NSF Career Award Panel, NSF Organizer, BMES Annual Mtg, Tampa FL, 2015
• Recipient, Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, The University of Akron, 2015
• Featured in International Innovation (1 of 25 N American Research Labs), 2014
• I-Corps Sites (NSF) Participant (1 of 13 faculty at UA), 2013
• Outstanding Sponsor/Mentor Award (Penn State University), 2005
• Hinkle Society Junior Faculty Award (Rising Star Award), 2004

Patent

• #11,207,676 Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for Biomimetic Bone Remodeing Analysis (12/28/21)