The Cardiac Biomechanics Laboratory is a multi-disciplinary research collaborative that investigates cardiovascular disease and intervention with state-of-the art computational techniques. The heart and cardiovascular system is one of the most complex, dynamic systems in the human body. Derangements of the left ventricle, mitral and aortic valves, and the ascending aorta impart devasting consequences on patients’ lives.
With the advancement of radiographic image processing and through experimental studies of ventricular and aortic tissue, we can construct high fidelity models of the left ventricle, aortic root, and ascending aorta offering an unprecedented degree of data. The techniques of finite element modeling, computational fluid dynamics, fluid structure interaction, and tissue biaxial testing are some of the methods our investigations employ.
Our group aims to usher in the future of cardiovascular disease research with integration of data from patient-specific models scalable to larger datasets representative of the population. We host lab space for computational and experimental studies at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and collaborations exist with faculty and labs at a number of institutions around the country. Drawing from the expertise of tissue biomechanics professors, cardiothoracic surgeons and interventionalists, our group is uniquely positioned to tackle some of the most challenging issues in cardiovascular disease today.
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