Research
Biomimetic Soft Robots
The development of safe and effective medical devices relies on accurate testing platforms which are used for their evaluation prior to human use. Current models of disease such as valvular heart disease, congenital disease, and heart failure cannot mimic disease with high fidelity, and their ability to predict the efficacy of medical treatments is limited.
In my work, I develop soft robotic tools that can be implanted to recreate the biomechanics and hemodynamics of cardiovascular disease in a highly tunable and customizable way. I developed soft robotic cardiac and aortic sleeves that can mimic the anatomy and function of a patient’s heart and aortic valve in both physiology and disease. In animal models, these sleeves can recapitulate human disease with high-fidelity. These models can be used for device development and personalized interventional planning.
3D Bioprinting
3D bioprinting holds incredible potential for advancing healthcare, from growing tissues for research to engineering complex organs for transplants. However, current bioprinting techniques face significant challenges, particularly high costs and slow printing speeds. These obstacles limit the accessibility and scalability of bioprinting technology, making it difficult to produce the high-quality biological models and tissues needed to address real-world clinical challenges.
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I am developing new 3D bioprinting techniques specifically designed to overcome these limitations, tailoring them to facilitate interactions between biomimetic silicone robots and 3D bioprinted tissues across diverse applications.
Biomechanics & Devices
Understanding the mechanical properties of soft biological tissues is critical for the development of medical devices to assist or augment human function. I designed an electromagnetic instrument that enables testing of biological samples in the millimeter scale and in controlled environmental conditions. This rig can be used to study the mechanics of soft biological tissue in physiology and disease to ultimately gain a better understanding into how various pathophysiological processes affect the structure and function of organs.
I then leverage these insights into human biomechanics to contribute to the development of next-generation medical devices to support organ function and biomechanics. Examples include a 3D-printed soft robotic actuator capable of twisting motion that can be used in hand rehabilitation and a soft robotic sleeve for compression therapy for people with lymphedema or venous insufficiency.
Modeling
I develop a broad array of computational models to support the design and development of medical devices and models of human disease. Lumped parameter, finite element, and computational fluid dynamics methods allow me to recapitulate and investigate changes in human biomechanics caused by disease.
I am particularly interested in the design of computational models to investigate blood pressures and flows resulting from valvular heart disease, single-ventricle physiology, and heart failure. I then leverage these platforms for the design and optimization of various treatment strategies, such as a pulsatile mechanical circulatory support device for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Beyond the cardiovascular applications, I use similar computational tools for the development of a broad spectrum of devices and models, including a low-cost fluidic oscillator for use in an educational simulator of respiratory physiology.
