Biomechanics & Medical Devices

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Finite element models provide a valuable tool for studying disease progression, risk of tissue failure, or repair strategies. To date, many models for biological tissues employ hyperelastic material descriptions with material properties that have no direct physical interpretation.

While aging and estrogen deficiency following menopause are major contributors to the occurrence of osteoporosis and an increase in fracture risk, other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension also favor bone fragility.

The interconnected fields of biological materials science and bioinspired design offer the potential to provide ingenious solutions to modern scientific problems by harnessing the hundreds of millions of years of design experience offered by evolution.

Bone is an engineering marvel, balancing strength, stiffness, and toughness in ways that are difficult to replicate. This seminar explores the relationship between genetics, bone biology, and mechanical properties, focusing on the similarities and differences between human and fish bones.

Understanding how metabolism functions in multicellular organisms is essential for revealing the fundamental mechanisms of numerous biological processes.

Wearable robots offer a tremendous opportunity to enhance the quality of life of individuals with mobility impairments. Examples include bionic prostheses for limb replacement after amputation or movement assisting exosuits for people with spinal cord injury.

Eukaryotic parasites have evolved striking biomechanical and morphogenetic abilities that (1) enable successful infection of billions of human bodies and (2) present an exciting frontier for mechanobiology. My work focuses on key mechanical processes in the lives of parasites: motility, penetration of host tissue, and organismal shape change. This talk will focus on gliding motility, the unique form of cell locomotion used during host infection by unicellular apicomplexan parasites like Toxoplasma gondii and the Plasmodium species that cause malaria.