2020 Abstracts

Wertz, Parker (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Dorsey, Bryan (Weber State University, Geography)

Prevention and predicting spread is the best method of control against invasive species. Land managers require accurate and reliable methods for containment and eradication to prevent land cover change and loss of biodiversity. Ecological niche models exist and are used by ecologists to map habitat suitability, but many rely on presence-absence samples which are difficult to obtain. Maximum entropy species distribution modeling (Maxent) is a popular model that has been increasingly used since it can make valid predictions using presence-only data. Many studies have used Maxent to model species distributions, but few have done so with crowdsourced data since it is more likely to be bias and unreliable. The purpose of this study is to test the robustness of Maxent using crowdsourced presence-only data on Lyrthum salicaria, a perennial herb that invades wetlands and pushes out native flora. The study is set in northern and central Utah, and uses environmental variables in climate, landcover, and topography, with landcover being the most contributive factor to the model. Model performance was very good, even with species data being bias towards areas of higher population, proving Maxent as a worthy method to use in species distribution modeling with crowdsourced species presence data. This results of this study show promise for use in modeling other invasive plants in the future.

Greenhalgh, Mitchell; Merrill, Alex; Lopez, David; Lefevre, Sam; Williams, Greg (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Abbott, Ben (Brigham Young University, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)

The presence of sand and gravel pits around Utah are usually accompanied by public complaints of increased negative health outcomes. The primary risk from these areas is crystalline silica (CS)—the molecule released into the air as a result of crushing rocks and sand. Literature has given mixed results of the potentially harmful effects of crystalline silica. To address the potential health risk of Utah residents from living near sand pits, we performed a meta-analysis on CS-related literature to estimate the true effects of CS on human health. We then used GIS software to estimate the total population in Utah that lives within a 5000-meter buffer of the sand pits in Utah. Using Utah cancer data, birth data, and hospital emergency department data, we created risk ratios for residents within the buffer. The meta-analysis concluded that CS is a weak lung carcinogen. Other research suggests that air pollution leads to low birth weight and preterm births. In our study, lung cancer rates were significantly lower in populations within the 5000-meter buffer. We found no evidence of significant adverse birth outcomes as a result of living in close proximity to sand and gravel pits. Non-malignant respiratory disease also had significantly lower rates within the buffer. These findings are important in determining the role of sand/gravel pit operations in disease incidence in surrounding communities. More research is needed to evaluate confounding factors such as smoking prevalence and socioeconomic status and to investigate crystalline silica in non-occupational settings.

Davis, Morgan; Edvalson, Logan; Busath, David (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Busath, David (Life Science, Physiology and Developmental Biology)

Influenza infection, and subsequent pneumonias, are the cause of over fifty thousand deaths in the United States per year, and, according to the CDC, influenza is the 8th leading cause of death in this country. Research into the pathogenesis of influenza elucidates critical interactions that take place during different phases of infection which can be targeted by novel drug therapies. Our lab has focused on discovering the role of of PDGFR and VEGFR and other Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) in aiding viral infection. RTK activation is reported to be important for successful viral infection, and our project has focused on three different RTKs: VEGFR, PDGFR, and endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR). In these experiments, Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells were bathed in growth medium containing a specific RTK inhibitor, and then infected with the influenza virus. The vitality of the cells was measured using crystal violet staining and spectrophotometer results. The data showed that using a drug called imatinib—a potent PDGFR inhibitor—resulted in the highest cellular vitality while VEGFR inhibitors developed here at BYU also showed anti-influenza activity. This suggests that the influenza virus is at least partially dependent on PDGFR and VEGFR activation to enhance its life cycle. Future experimentation will study which of the many branches of these receptor's phosphorylation cascades are being utilized by the virus.

Edwards, Taylor; Ram, Akila; McCarty, Ashley; Bobeck, Erin N (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Bobeck, Erin (College of Science, Biology Department)

First-line chemotherapies against solid tumors are highly efficacious in reducing the tumor burden, but have many adverse side-effects including nerve damage, leading to chronic pain. Non-addictive, efficacious pain relievers are an area of active interest, and we propose a novel target to address this pressing issue. GPR171 is a G-Protein Coupled Receptor that was recently deorphanized and was identified to be expressed in the brain in regions that regulate reward, anxiety, and pain. Within the pain circuit, it was shown previously that systemic administration of the GPR171 agonist enhances morphine antinociception in acute pain tests. Preliminary data from our lab has shown that GPR171 activation can also alleviate persistent inflammatory pain. However, the role of this receptor has not been investigated in other chronic pain models. Given these findings in acute and inflammatory pain, we hypothesize that GPR171 can reduce neuropathic pain. To test this hypothesis, we investigate the role of GPR171 in chronic neuropathic pain. We tested the efficacy of a GPR171 agonist in a chemotherapy-induced neuropathy mouse model. Neuropathic pain was induced by injecting paclitaxel (16 mg/kg) followed by assessment of the pain-relieving effects of activating GPR171 receptors. Mechanical pain thresholds were assessed using Von Frey filaments. We observed an increase in mechanical thresholds following GPR171 agonist treatment. Further, using immunofluorescence we observed that there is a decrease in GPR171 receptors in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of these mice that have neuropathic pain, indicating that the agonist can bind to the available receptors to produce pain relief. Overall, this study proposes that GPR171 may be a novel target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Frandsen, Paul; Bursell, Madeline; Taylor, Adam; Wilson, Seth; Steeneck, Amy; Stewart, Russell (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Frandsen, Paul (Life Sciences, Plant and Wildlife Sciences)

Caddisfly (Insecta: Trichoptera) silk is unique from other insect's silk in that it retains its adhesive capabilities, strength and viscoelasticity when submerged in water. To understand how caddisfly silk is capable of possessing these characteristics, it is essential to understand the protein foundation of the silk proteins. Caddisfly silk is complex and made up of different structures generated by processes that are unique to caddisfly silk. H-Fibroin and L-Fibroin have been identified as two of the major protein components within caddisfly silk (Hatano & Nagashima, 2015). The caddisfly silk fibre experiences unique structures not typically seen in nature. An understanding of the primary structure of the silk fibre is essential in understanding the complexity of the silk's capabilities. In this study, we used proteomic techniques to analyze the complex H-Fibroin protein and the silk fibre in order to look at the underlying structural features of the protein. In doing so, we identified post-translational phosphorylation, metal cation incorporation, and other structural features which contributes to Caddisfly silk's adhesive capabilities, strength and viscoelasticity when submerged in water.

Faulkner, Megan; Stoneham, Lisa; Brasso, Rebecka (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Brasso, Rebecka (College of Science, Zoology)

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that poses significant health risks to humans and wildlife. The organic form of mercury, methylmercury (MeHg), is converted from its inorganic form via microbial methylation primarily in aquatic systems. Methylmercury is dangerous because it attaches to proteins in blood and muscle and biomagnifies in food webs. The goal of this project, is to determine mercury concentrations in western spotted orb weaver spiders (Neoscona oaxacensis) collected from two sites on Antelope Island State Park. Previous studies have shown orb weavers associated with the Great Salt Lake ecosystem to accumulate significant methylmercury, connecting the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems through a shared food web. The Great Salt Lake surrounding Antelope Island has historically shown some of the highest levels of Hg in surface waters in the United States and has both an abundance of orb weaver spiders and their preferred prey—brine flies. We tested the hypothesis that mercury concentrations in orb weaver spiders would differ between two sites on the island based on differences in environmental conditions (salinity) in the water where brine flies develop. All spiders were sexed, weighed, and individually analyzed for total mercury concentration using a Nippon MA-3000 Direct Mercury Analyzer.

Wilson, Nancy; Johnson, Steven (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Johnson, Steven (Life Sciences, Microbiology & Molecular Biology)

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States today. Between sixty and ninety percent of diabetics also have sleep apnea. Although both sleep apnea and diabetes engender weight gain, the comorbidity of the two conditions is higher than can be explained by obesity alone.
In this study we explore the advantages of and evidence for the coevolution of diabetes and sleep apnea.
There is a metabolic shift that takes place when the cells of the heart need repair. Normally, hypoxic events cause a shift in heart-cell metabolism toward a high-glucose energy use. This shift mechanism is still fully functional in a diabetic heart cell, but because the underlying diabetes shifts the cellular metabolism to a primarily fatty-acid-based energy use, even a normally functioning hypoxia-induced cascade does not lead to full glucose metabolism or normal cellular repair.
So sleep apnea might serve a useful function in instigating heart tissue repair in cells. This suggests that sleep apnea and diabetes are not just frequently found together, but one condition may be causing the other.
After discussing some of the possible evolutionary drivers for co-adaptation of sleep apnea and diabetes, we examine some of the epigenetic marks associated with the two conditions, laying the groundwork for a better understanding of the underlying etiology.

Boyce, Zach; Smith, Calvin; Martin, Ashlyn; Ketch, Yuko; Dugan, James; Wright, Cole (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Jeffrey, Edwards (Brigham Young University, Physiology and Developmental Biology)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychological disorder that affects about 1 of 4 individuals after a stressful/traumatic experience. One common model to induce PTSD in rats is social defeat (SD) combined with chronic light exposure. First, we screened rats for natural anxiety to use in the SD protocol. Next, elevated plus maze (EPM) and light-dark transition (LDT) tests were used to detect anxious behavior after SD. The SD protocol induced significant anxious behavior when compared to controls. Next, we performed long-term potentiation (LTP) field electrophysiology synaptic plasticity physiology experiments in brain slices of the ventral hippocampus (VH) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), regions known to have altered enhanced plasticity in PTSD. SD significantly increased LTP in the VH (~25% greater than control) and BLA (~35% greater than control). To determine whether a prophylactic treatment could prevent the physiological changes of PTSD, we simultaneously administered two drugs at 10 mg/kg doses by intraperitoneal injection one week prior to and for the duration of SD. The first, propranolol, is a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, and the second, mifepristone, is a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist; thus, treatment would target the action of stress hormones altered in PTSD. To determine whether a prophylactic treatment could prevent the physiological changes of PTSD, propranolol and mifepristone, antagonists of two stress receptors, were simultaneously administered at 10 mg/kg doses by intraperitoneal (IP) injection one week prior to and for the duration of SThese drugs significantly decreased LTP in the VH and BLA back to near-control levels while SD rats with vehicle injections still had elevated LTP. However, SD drug-treated rats did not show significant reductions in anxious behavior compared to non-injected SD rats and also exhibited significantly more anxious behavior than control rats, suggesting the IP injection induced added stress. Next, we used rtPCR to examine gene expression of drug targets and plasticity markers to determine potential mechanisms for observed LTP changes. In both the VH and BLA, SD was associated with a significant decrease in glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor expression, which was restored to control levels under drug treatment. Overall, our data suggest that propranolol and mifepristone together may be a potential prophylactic treatment for preventing PTSD through a mechanism likely mediated by glucocorticoid/mineralocorticoid receptors.

DeNittis, Alyson; Larson, Joseph; Perez, June; Kopp, Olga R. (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Kopp, Olga (Utah Valley University, Biology)

Lepidium ostleri (Ostler's peppergrass) is an edaphic endemic plant species restricted to Ordovician limestone outcrops of the San Francisco Mountains in western Utah. L. ostleri is a species of conservation concern due to its restricted range and proximity to modern mining operations. The purpose of this research is to develop a micropropagation protocol to produce mature plants for population augmentation and introduction to support conservation efforts. De novo shoot organogenic response in tissue explants was highest with various concentrations and combinations of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). In vitro and ex vitro rooting experiments were conducted on micropropagated plantlets supporting adequate number of shoots, with highest success in pulse treatments of indole-3 butyric acid (IBA). Plantlets were then acclimated to external environments for further propagation. Additional effects of different plant growth regulators, media, and growth conditions will be described. Methods for organogenesis for L. ostleri has not been published and this represents the first known instance of successful micropropagation of this rare plant species. Establishing a micropropagation protocol for L. ostleri provides valuable information for potential restoration or relocation efforts.

Hales, Emily; Lundgren, Jane; Carter, John; Kempton, Colton; Johnson, Steven (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Johnson, Steven (Brigham Young University, Molecular and Microbiology)

The mechanisms of transgene silencing in C. elegans are poorly understood, despite the importance of the nematode as a model for genetic research. Insertion of a transgene led to the expression of GFP in both the body wall and pharyngeal muscle cells of C. elegans as expected. However, subsequent generations stopped expressing body wall GFP. To reverse silencing, we have flanked the enhancers responsible for GFP expression with 601 sequences. The 601 sequence strongly positions nucleosomes. We hypothesize that this positioning will eliminate transgenerational gene silencing of body wall GFP.

Berlin, Ian; Kenealey, Jason. (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Kenealey, Jason (Life Science; Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science)

Prostate cancer accounts for 9.9% of all new cancer cases in the United States annually, and thought it has high 5-year survival rate of 98%, but its prognosis changes if the cancer becomes drug resistant or metastases. Natural compounds are often used and studied for their potential chemotherapeutic effects or their sensitizing effects which increases the cancer cells susceptibility to treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine is a common source for finding bioactive small molecules which may have chemotherapeutic effects. This study focused on 9 putative natural compounds and their effectiveness of treating PC-3 prostate cancer cells. First their IC50s were calculated and then used in Mixture Design Response Surface Methodology (MDRSM) to determine the optimal mixture ratio and used in Chou Talalay statistical analysis to determine if combination effects were synergistic, antagonistic or additive. The compounds used in ascending order starting at the most potent or lowest IC50 to highest; Triptolide, .01819uM (Ttd), Shikonin, .6002uM (Shk), Curcumin 20.83uM (Cur), Emodin, 57.38uM (Em), Wogonin, 97.87uM (Wo) Berberine, 101.4uM (BB), Silibinin, 106.2uM (or Silybin) (Sy), Epigallocatechin gallate, 272.6uM (EGCG), and beta Elemene, 304.3uM (beta-E). Emodin, Silibinin and EGCG all appeared to act primarily via cell cycle inhibition and their effectiveness was found to increase in combination with other small molecules. The ideal combination was provided a multi-faced approach reduce cell viability which suggests it may help treat prostate cancer cells in vivo either in tandem or alone.

Bowden, Lucy; Monroe, Jacquelyn; Bowden, Anton E.; Jensen, Brian D. (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Bowden, Anton (Engineering, Mechanical Engineering); Jensen, Brian (Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

Previously our lab has shown that carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube (CI-CNT) surfaces enhance osseointegration and resist biofilm formation, making them attractive possibilities as orthopedic implant materials. For these applications, CI-CNTs and their underlying substrate material must be able to withstand aqueous physiologic conditions. Due to microstructural changes that occur during CI-CNT production, we hypothesized that stainless steel substrate materials experience a loss of their protective, passivating layer, subsequently corroding when immersed in a simulated biological environment. The purpose of the study was to compare corrosion resistance of CI-CNT coated stainless steel substrates to bare stainless steel control samples after two days of incubation in different physiological analog media.

CI-CNTs were grown on 316L stainless steel samples which were sonicated for 20 minutes in isopropyl alcohol and given a 2 minute heat treatment in air at 800°C, followed by a 20 minute growth at the same temperature in ethylene and argon. Carbon infiltration was done for 5 minutes in the same gases at 900°C. The samples were autoclaved and placed into different media including deionized water, phosphor buffered saline solution (PBS), and DMEM culture media. The samples were then incubated for 48 hours at 37°C.

Macroscopic observation showed no obvious signs of corrosion (e.g., discoloration of the liquid media, cloudiness, physical changes in sample appearance) for any of the control samples, or for CI-CNT coated samples in deionized water. In contrast, the CI-CNT coated samples immersed in PBS and culture media exhibited significant discoloration and a cloudy appearance. Subsequent SEM images of the CI-CNT coated samples which had been immersed in culture media and PBS showed foreign residue. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis characterized this residue as having markedly higher levels of sodium and phosphorus than a baseline CI-CNT coated stainless steel sample. SEM images of the bare stainless steel samples and the CI-CNT samples cultured in deionized water showed no signs of corrosion or residue.

Our preliminary results illustrate that media containing salts initiated corrosion of CI-CNT coated stainless steel samples, likely due to disruption of the passivating layer in the substrate. Future work will explore methods for re-establishing the passivating layer in stainless steel materials.

Howell, Ashley (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Killpack, Marc (Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering); Salmon, John (Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

Human-robot co-manipulation of objects to complete specific tasks, such as carrying a stretcher in a search and rescue operation, is an open ended problem in the foreseeable future. Since many motions of the shared object, like rotation and translation, initially feel identical, it can create disagreement between the human and the robot on where to move the object. Programming a robot to determine what kind of movement a human is suggesting and acting accordingly requires extensive data on how humans interpret such communications. This project focuses on designing and constructing a stretcher like object that will be used in a series of experiments in which two humans will carry it through a random arrangement of obstacles. Sensors on the object will gather data on the different ways humans move and interact with it through forces and torques. Indications of these movements will be used to instruct a robot on how to "follow" with the goal of adding no additional cognitive load to the human leader.

Barney, Nate; Paterson, Chase: Farjood, Farhod; Vargis, Elizabeth (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Vargis, Elizabeth (College of Engineering, Biological Engineering Department)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Often the cause of irreversible blindness is abnormal blood vessel growth, or angiogenesis, into the retina during AMD. This abnormal vascular growth affects a tissue monolayer called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE cells transport nutrients and maintain the photoreceptors of the eye. The loss of cells in the RPE layer can cause photoreceptor death and consequently blind spots in an individual's vision that steadily increase in size as AMD progresses. Early research suggests RPE cell disruption plays a role in abnormal angiogenesis as RPE cells lacking neighbors have higher production rates of angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To better understand the effects of RPE detachment on angiogenesis, cells can be grown and characterized in vitro. This research can lead to an in vitro model of degeneration in the human retina that could be used to investigate specific causes of abnormal angiogenesis and potential therapeutics. Our research to date has shown the benefits of using micropatterning as a technique to simulate the areas of cell-cell detachment. To do so, we used photolithography to create thin PDMS stencils with 100 _m holes. ARPE-19 cells were grown across the stencil until confluent, and the stencil was peeled away to cause controlled cell-cell detachment. The concentration of angiogenic factors can then be analyzed to see the effects of cell-cell detachment. My ongoing research will include the use of human RPE cells and analyzing retinal images that show varying levels of degeneration to create micropatterns that are more representative of retinal degeneration during AMD.

Moncada, Silvia; Allen, Bryce; Hafen, Tanner; Valencia-Amores, Sebastian; Hanson, Luke; Dorian, Sariah; Bechtel, Matth;ew; Smith, Seth; Myres, Isaac; Holding, Clayton; Jacobs, Dallin; Hellwig, Lexi; White, Joshua; Evanson, Davin; Cheney, Cladin; Taylor, Sloan; Grossman, Jesse; Donaldson, Jesse; Jepsen, Emily; Johnston, Maren; Porter, Kaiden; Jardine, Alyson; Garfield, Seth; Larson, Spencer; Gardiner (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Mizrachi, Dario (College of Life Sciences, Physiology & Molecular Biology)

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. During myocardial infarction cardiac tissue suffers a lack of nutrients and oxygen that leads to the formation of unregenerable scar tissue which causes a loss of myocardial functionality. With the advent of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), the promise of engineering autologous cardiac tissues (ECTs) as a translatable treatment to cardiac disease and as a model for pharmaceutical research is ever closer. We create ECTs using iPS-human induced cardiomyocytes (hiCMs) and extra cellular matrix (ECM) derived from a decellularized left ventricle of a porcine heart. Decellularized matrices allow the preservation of important architectural cues found in the native heart for hiCMs development (Momtahan, 2015). Nevertheless, ECTs still face some challenges before they can be useful in a clinical or pharmaceutical research setting i.e. poor ECT contractile force, hiCM maturity, proper cell morphology and architecture, etc. (Dwenger, 2018). In this study, we seek to combine the mechanical cues of the preserved architecture of a decellularized matrix with the spatiotemporal accuracy of optogenetics as a novel technique to stimulate ECT functionality assessed through contractile force, proper hiCM elongation, and alignment.

Wheeler, Isaac; Lignell, David (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Lignell, David (Brigham young University, Chemical Engineering)

Turbulence remains one of the great unsolved problems of classical physics; for this reason it remains one of the primary focuses of study in computational fluid dynamics. Numerically, the governing equations for fluid flow can be solved, but to accurately simulate a turbulent flow (as found in combustion, drag calculations, and a variety of other situations) the equations must be solved at small enough length scales to describe very small structures present in turbulent phenomena. Hierarchical parcel swapping (HiPS) is a proposed model for turbulent mixing; the model is computationally cheaper than a numerical simulation at similar length scales, and allows for variation in diffusion coefficients (Schmidt number Sc). In my presentation I will discuss the implementation of HiPS and its agreement with established turbulent phenomena.

Walker, Caleb; Justin A. Jones (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Jones, Justin (College of Science, Biology Department)

In recent years there has been a large push towards exploring the possibility of using protein-based materials to replace petroleum-based materials. Proteins such as those found in spider silk have been investigated, and this exploration has led to proteins not only being used for fibers, but also gels, foams, and films. As research progressed in protein-based filaments, hagfish intermediate filaments have started being explored, specifically, how to recreate these proteins synthetically and what material forms could be produced from them. In the last year, significant progress has been made into the production and of these novel proteins as well as studying their material applications.

The biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of protein films made of these novel recombinant hagfish proteins was evaluated through in vitro testing with a NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line. The films were produced from alpha and gamma hagfish proteins, purified as insoluble bodies from genetically engineered E. coli bacteria. Cytotoxicity of the films was tested through direct contact and extract testing using cell viability ratios, cell morphology, a cell proliferation assay, and a DNA quantitation assay.

This preliminary data is important for further experimentation with the novel hagfish proteins being used in the Jones lab for biomedical applications. The understanding of the cytotoxicity of these proteins is required before further testing can be done in any biomedical aspect, as in vitro studies provide the foundational data for moving forward with in vivo testing. This project is the first step into the biomedical field for these novel proteins and their potential applications.

Hansen, Matthew; Kamineni, Abhilash; Zane, Regan (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kamineni, Abhilash (College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department); Zane, Regan (College of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department)

Electric vehicles (EV) are becoming a cleaner, more popular mode of transportation. However, more convenient charging solutions are required for higher EV adoption. One possible solution is wireless charging of in-motion EVs, but that technology still needs to mature before realization. This research explores a novel charging technology for an in-road wireless charging pad that may increase the feasibility of in-motion wireless EV charging. The research is based on a commonly used pad design. The charging pad on-board the vehicle operates without direct input from the in-road pad, which simplifies current EV wireless charging designs. When the vehicle is not near an in-road pad, negligible energy is used by the vehicle's charging pad, increasing overall efficiency. As the vehicle approaches an in-road pad, the electromagnetic effects of the approaching, enabled vehicle pad activate the in-road pad. An innovative scheme is used to synchronize the in-road pad to the vehicle pad, achieving maximum power transfer. Protections against system instability have also been included. The control scheme only observes the electromagnetic effects of the approaching vehicle, eliminating the need for any radio frequency communication between the vehicle and road and between subsequent in-road pads. The result is a modular, secure, reliable, and simple design. The design improvements can be an enabling technology to in-motion wireless EV charging and broader EV adoption, which can result in lower emissions in populated areas.