My research vision is to use basic science research in soft tissue biomechanics to reduce health disparities and increase access to care for marginalized people
Investigating the relationship between thromboembolism and Sickle Cell Disease
Risk stratification for thrombus embolization in sickle cell disease
Sickle cell patients are 3.5 times more likely to have a thrombus embolize than hospitalized, race-matched controls with thrombi. To better understand this phenomenon, I will develop experimental protocols to assess the impact of factors such as disease severity, subtype, and (de)oxygenation on the mechanics of clots made from the blood of sickle cell patients. My goal is to determine if clot mechanics can provide predictive information to improve clinical care.
Developing accurate tissue-mimicking materials to reduce the cost of medical device research
Blood clot-based hydrated bulk soft tissue mimics
Blood clot demonstrates the mechanical characteristics of a soft tissue, including material nonlinearity, viscoelasticity, and poroelasticity. It therefore mimics the behavior of other soft tissues such as brain, liver, and kidney. My goal is to use custom mechanical testing equipment to first test vital soft tissues and then to create an “atlas” of tissue mimicking materials which replicate the tissues’ mechanical behavior.
Electrospun synthetic membranous materials
Many medical devices are deployed into membranous soft tissues. These types of membranous soft tissues differ fundamentally from bulk tissues. To develop membranous tissue mimicking materials, we will first create fibrous scaffolds using electrospinning. Through the control of the many spinning parameters, materials can be tuned to optimally represent the body’s many membranous tissues such as heart valve tissues, fetal membranes, pericardium.