Mathematical Theory and Numerical Methods for Microscale Biomedical Devices

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

The Investigator and his colleagues study new active materials and their possible use in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for biomedical applications. The research project is motivated by the biomedical revolution based on the use of emerging materials and emerging mathematical methods of analysis and simulation for applications to noninvasive surgery and drug delivery at nanoscale to milliscale. The work concerns the use of small scale actuators based on smart materials, especially shape-memory and magnetostrictive materials. They study the growth of tissue on materials and the interactions with surrounding tissue and biological fluids, as well as novel designs of actuator systems. They consider remote actuation based on the use of a magnetic field applied external to the body, and they explore the possible use of MRI. New active materials --- materials that can change shape under moderate stimuli, for example --- hold great promise for building MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) for a variety of applications. Opportunities in biomedical applications are particularly intriguing; they include noninvasive surgery and drug delivery at nanoscale to milliscale lengths. This project is aimed at biomedical MEMS based on the use of new active materials. The investigators study the properties of active materials, the behaviors of MEMS that could be built with them, and the interactions between the materials and surrounding biological tissues and fluids. The work requires new mathematical methods of analysis and simulation. Investigators focus on the use of small scale actuators based on shape-memory and emerging ferromagnetic shape-memory materials, energized by a remotely applied magnetic field. They study the growth of tissue on the materials and materials interactions with the elastoviscous surrounding tissue, as well as novel designs of actuator systems based on molecular beam epitaxial growth of films. The use of MRI for simultaneous imaging and actuation is explored.