As a child and teen, I disassembled a lot of electronic and mechanical items to see how they worked.  In addition to formal academic training in engineering and life sciences, skills subsequently applied in R&D engineering were acquired or refined while engaged in non-academic positions, including:

• painting
• masonry
• carpentry
• metal fabrication including welding
• production mechanical and electronic assembly

Do-it-yourself home projects added useful electrical, plumbing, and mechanical skills. Early in my graduate program, I "apprenticed" for several years with a research technician/master machinist and a Ph.D in electrical engineering who had worked in private industry prior to joining the faculty at Penn State College of Medicine. These gentlemen provided a wealth of practical knowledge on how to "make things work".  Prior to joining Dr. Sinoway's research group, I worked in the area of X-ray imaging as a graduate student and later as an engineer in the laboratory of Joe McInerney, Ph.D. from whom I learned how to write technical manuscripts and how to "make stuff out of other stuff" to enable timely and low-cost prototype development.

Penn State University, Ph.D., Bioengineering, 1992

• Hardware real-time analog signal processing, particularly in applications using Doppler ultrasound
• Software - data mining algorithms

Broadening experience to provide timely engineering solutions to novel clinical research problems, via project directed self-study, creative brain picking of persons with interesting hobbies or non research occupations, acquisition and recycling of eclectic materials, and many failed "quick and dirty" experiments.

• Muller MD, Z Gao, RC Drew, MD Herr, UA Leuenberger & LI Sinoway (2011): Effect of cold air inhalation and isometric exercise on coronary blood flow and myocardial function in humans.  J Appl. Physiol. 111: 1694-1702.
• Herr MD, CS Hogeman, DW Koch, A Krishnan, A Momen &  UA Leuenberger (2010): A real-time device for converting Doppler ultrasound audio signals into fluid flow velocity. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 298: H1626 - H1632.
• Momen A, M Kozak, UA Leuenberger, S Ettinger, C Blaha, V Mascarenhas, V Lendel, MD Herr &  LI Sinoway (2010): Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography to non-invasively assess coronary vasoconstrictor and dilator responses in humans. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 298: H524 - H529.
• Lott ME, C Hogeman, M Herr, M Bhagat, A Kunselman &  LI Sinoway (2009): Vasoconstrictor responses in the upper and lower limbs to increases in transmural pressure. J. Appl. Physiol. 106: 302-310.
• Lott ME, C Hogeman, M Herr, M Bhagat &  LI Sinoway (2009): Sex differences in limb vasoconstriction responses to increases in transmural pressures. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 296: H186 - H194.
• Lydakis C, Momen A, Blaha C, Gugoff S, Gray K, Herr M, Leuenberger UA, Sinoway LI.
• Changes of central hemodynamic parameters during mental stress and acute bouts of static and dynamic exercise. J Hum Hypertens 22: 320-328, 2008.
• Lydakis C, Momen A, Blaha C, Herr MD, Leuenberger UA, Sinoway LI.   Changes of elastic properties of central arteries during acute static exercise and lower body negative pressure. Eur J Appl Physiol 102:633-641, 2008.
• Parker BA, Smithmyer SL, Pelberg JA, Mishkin AD, Herr MD, Proctor DN.  Sex differences in leg vasodilation during graded knee extensor exercise in young adults.  J Appl Physiol. 2007 Nov;103(5):1583-91. Epub 2007 Aug 23.  PMID: 17717115 [PubMed - in process]
• Lott ME, C Hogeman, M Herr, R Gabbay &  LI Sinoway (2007): Effects of an oral glucose tolerance test on the myogenic response in healthy individuals. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 292: H304 - H310.
• Lott ME, Hogeman C, Herr MD, Fogelman A, Sinoway LI, Ray CA.  Effects of Exercise Training on Brachial and Femoral Myogenic Responses in Young Subjects: 1685: Board #175 May 30 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 May;39(5 Suppl):S272. No abstract available.  PMID: 17527878 [PubMed - in process]
• Lott M, C Hogeman, M Herr, K Huang &  L Sinoway (2005): Comparison of brachial and femoral artery myogenic responses in young subjects. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 37: S224 (Abstract).
• Lott ME, MD Herr &  LI Sinoway (2004): Effects of age on brachial artery myogenic responses in humans. Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 287: R586 - R591.
• Samii S, Khan MH, MacLean DA, King N, Herr MD, Sinoway LI.  Muscle interstitial calcium during head-up tilt in humans.  Circulation. 2004 Jan 20;109(2):215-9. Epub 2003 Dec 22.
• PMID: 14691034 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Leuenberger UA, Mostoufi-Moab S, Herr MD, Gray KS, Kunselman AR, Sinoway LI.  Control
• of skin sympathetic nerve activity during intermittent static handgrip exercise. Circulation. 2003
• Nov 11;108(19):2329-35. Epub 2003 Nov 3.  PMID: 14597585 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Markel TA, Daley JC 3rd, Hogeman CS, Herr MD, Khan MH, Gray KS, Kunselman AR, Sinoway LI.  Aging and the exercise pressor reflex in humans.  Circulation. 2003 Feb 11;107(5):675-8. PMID: 12578866 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Lott ME, Herr MD, Sinoway LI.  Effects of transmural pressure on brachial artery mean blood velocity dynamics in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2002 Dec;93(6):2137-46. Epub 2002 Sep 6.
• PMID: 12391123 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Leuenberger UA, Hardy JC, Herr MD, Gray KS, Sinoway LI.  Hypoxia augments apnea-induced peripheral vasoconstriction in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2001 Apr;90(4):1516-22. PMID: 11247954 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Cornett JA, Herr MD, Gray KS, Smith MB, Yang QX, Sinoway LI.  Ischemic exercise and the muscle metaboreflex.  J Appl Physiol. 2000 Oct;89(4):1432-6. PMID: 11007579 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Shoemaker JK, Herr MD, Sinoway LI.  Dissociation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity and leg vascular resistance in humans.  Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2000 Sep;279(3):H1215-9. PMID: 10993787 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Mostoufi-Moab S, Herr MD, Silber DH, Gray KS, Leuenberger UA, Sinoway LI.
• Limb congestion enhances the synchronization of sympathetic outflow with muscle
• contraction.  Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2000 Aug;279(2):R478-83. PMID: 10938235 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Leuenberger UA, Gray K, Herr MD.  Adenosine contributes to hypoxia-induced forearm vasodilation in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 1999 Dec;87(6):2218-24. PMID: 10601170 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Herr MD, Imadojemu V, Kunselman AR, Sinoway LI.  Characteristics of the muscle mechanoreflex during quadriceps contractions in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 1999 Feb;86(2):767-72.  PMID: 9931219 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Shoemaker JK, Hogeman CS, Silber DH, Gray KS, Herr MD, Sinoway LI.  Head-down-tilt bed rest alters forearm vasodilator and vasoconstrictor responses.  J Appl Physiol. 1998 May;84(5):1756-62.  PMID: 9572827 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Shoemaker JK, Hogeman CS, Leuenberger UA, Herr MD, Gray KS, Silber DH,  Sinoway LI.
• Sympathetic discharge and vascular resistance after bed rest.  J Appl Physiol. 1998 Feb;84(2):612-7.  PMID: 9475873 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Herr MD, Luck JC, Orledge JD.  The use of left ventricular epicardial surface velocity patterns as a marker of pacing site.  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1997 Jun; 20(6):1619-27. PMID: 9227758 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Shoemaker JK, Pandey P, Herr MD, Silber DH, Yang QX, Smith MB, Gray KS, Sinoway LI.  Augmented sympathetic tone alters muscle metabolism with exercise: lack of evidence for functional sympatholysis.  J Appl Physiol. 1997 Jun; 82(6):1932-8. PMID: 9173961 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Kim EF, Herr MD, Copenhaver GL.  Epicardial surface dynamics in the closed-chest normal canine.  J Biomech. 1995 Nov; 28(11):1319-32.  PMID: 8522545 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Lamser DG, Herr MD.  A device for a noninvasive evaluation of coronary bypass grafts.  IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging. 1994 Dec: 13(4):658-66.
• MD Herr, JJ McInerney, DG Lamser, GL Copenhaver.  A flying spot x-ray system for Compton backscatter imaging.  IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging. 1994 Sep: 13(3):461-9.
• McInerney JJ, Aronoff RD, Blasko SH, Copenhaver GL, Herr MD.  Inward diastolic motion: a normal component of isovolumic relaxation and rapid refill.  Am J Physiol. 1994 Jun; 266(6 Pt 2):H2380-7.  PMID: 8023999 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Herr MD, McInerney JJ.  A line-focus collimator with a field of view of uniform thickness.  Appl Radiat Isot. 1994 May; 45(5):563-72.  PMID: 8019520 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Herr MD, Luck JC, Orledge JD, Copenhaver GL, McInerney JJ.  The effects of pacing site on left ventricular epicardial surface velocity patterns during systole.  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1994 May;17(5 Pt 1):901-7. PMID: 7517525 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Waksman DG, McInerney JJ, Herr MD.  Real-time volume measurements in the isolated beating rat heart.  IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 1994 Apr;41(4):383-7.  PMID: 8063304 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Weldner PW, Herr MD, Copenhaver GL.  Analysis of edge-tracking errors inherent in fluoroscopic images of the beating heart.  Invest Radiol. 1994 Mar;29(3):273-80.  PMID: 8175300 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Gilchrist IC, Waksman DG, Herr MD, McInerney JJ.  Real-time ventricular volumes and cardiac function in the working rat heart.  Am J Med Sci. 1994 Feb;307(2):92-6. PMID: 8141144 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Copenhaver GL, Herr MD, Morris DL, Zelis R.  High precision Compton backscatter maps of myocardial wall dynamics. Theory and applications.  Invest Radiol. 1989 Sep;24(9):654-65. PMID: 2807818 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• Herr MD, McInerney JJ, Copenhaver GL, Morris DL.  Coronary artery embolization in closed-chest canines using flexible radiopaque plugs.  J Appl Physiol. 1988 May;64(5):2236-9. PMID: 3391924 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Copenhaver GL, Herr MD. In vivo cardiac muscle perfusion: a new measurement method.  IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 1987 Mar;34(3):251-5. No abstract available. PMID: 3570315 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Herr MD, Copenhaver GL, Vanada DS.  The measurement of ventricular wall thickening using scattered and fluorescence radiation.  IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 1987 Mar;34(3):247-51. No abstract available. PMID: 2952578 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Herr MD, Kenney ES, Copenhaver GL, Zelis RF.  The measurement of multidimensional myocardial dynamics using scattered radiation fields.  Invest Radiol. 1984 Sep-Oct;19(5):385-93. PMID: 6511246 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• McInerney JJ, Nellis SH, Zelis R, Jacobs AM, Kenney ES, McMasters IB, Herr MD, Atkinson DJ. Microprocessor controlled multichannel dynamic radiograph. Med Biol Eng Comput. 1982 Nov;20(6):661-70. No abstract available. PMID: 7169809 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]