BRITE Pivot: Tissue Research Advances for New Surgeries-Facilitating Organ Reconstruction with Mechanics

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

This Boosting Research Ideas for Transformative and Equitable Advances in Engineering (BRITE) Pivot project will develop tissue mechanical property data and advanced computer modeling approaches to improve surgeries specific to transgender people. This work will mechanically characterize tissue from human genitalia. This work will leverage the researchers’ existing expertise in evaluating the mechanics of soft tissues, such as ligaments and tendons. Specifically, this work will make a computer model of how these tissues behave at the microscopic level based on data from measurements of actual tissue. The model will be used to evaluate differences among genital tissues of all genders. This work will improve our understanding of reproductive biomechanics of all persons. The results may ultimately improve healthcare by including this engineering assessment of tissue properties in surgical planning and procedures, including gender confirmation surgeries. This project will also promote inclusion in the engineering biomechanics research community through dialogue about conceptualization of gender, both within research and within the research community. This research focuses on providing the first scientific-based data for gender confirmation surgeries that alter the genitalia of individuals with gender dysphoria to conform to their desired gender. State-of-the-art mechanical testing will be conducted on tissues from human genitalia to fully characterize their elastic and viscoelastic properties that are crucial for the success of surgeries including those for gender confirmation. Novel mathematical and computational models will be developed to capture both the similarities and differences between male and female genitalia. Through this BRITE Pivot project, the principal investigator will gain new expertise in advanced numerical techniques for reducing the computational complexity of numerical simulations for gender confirmation surgeries. Efficient and robust computational tools will lead to the development of novel engineered tissues and guidelines for gender confirmation surgeries, addressing the extant healthcare challenges of transgender people. The outcome of this project will thus promote gender diversity and equality in medical research while also changing the assumption of binary genders in the research community. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.