Mathematical Theory and Numerical Methods for Microscale Biomedical Devices

研究者和他的同事们研究了新的活性材料及其在生物医学应用的微机电系统（MEMS）中的可能用途。这些研究项目是由生物医学革命推动的，基于新兴材料的使用和新兴的数学分析和模拟方法，用于非侵入性手术和纳米级到毫微米级的药物输送。该工作涉及基于智能材料的小型执行器的使用，特别是形状记忆和磁致伸缩材料。他们研究组织在材料上的生长，与周围组织和生物流体的相互作用，以及执行器系统的新设计。他们考虑使用外部磁场进行远程驱动，并探索使用核磁共振成像的可能性。新的活性材料-例如，可以在适度刺激下改变形状的材料-为各种应用构建MEMS（微机电系统）带来了巨大的希望。生物医学应用领域的机会尤其吸引人；它们包括无创手术和纳米级到毫米级长度的药物输送。本项目旨在基于新活性材料使用的生物医学MEMS。研究人员研究了活性材料的性质，可以用它们构建的MEMS的行为，以及材料与周围生物组织和流体之间的相互作用。这项工作需要新的数学分析和模拟方法。研究人员专注于使用基于形状记忆和新兴铁磁形状记忆材料的小型执行器，由远程施加磁场激励。他们研究了组织在材料上的生长和材料与周围组织的弹性粘滞相互作用，以及基于分子束外延生长薄膜的致动器系统的新设计。探讨了核磁共振成像同时成像和驱动的应用。

The Investigator and his colleagues study new activematerials and their possible use in micro-electro-mechanicalsystems (MEMS) for biomedical applications. The research projectis motivated by the biomedical revolution based on the use ofemerging materials and emerging mathematical methods of analysisand simulation for applications to noninvasive surgery and drugdelivery at nanoscale to milliscale. The work concerns the use ofsmall scale actuators based on smart materials, especiallyshape-memory and magnetostrictive materials. They study thegrowth of tissue on materials and the interactions withsurrounding tissue and biological fluids, as well as noveldesigns of actuator systems. They consider remote actuationbased on the use of a magnetic field applied external to thebody, and they explore the possible use of MRI. New active materials --- materials that can change shapeunder moderate stimuli, for example --- hold great promise forbuilding MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) for a variety ofapplications. Opportunities in biomedical applications areparticularly intriguing; they include noninvasive surgery anddrug delivery at nanoscale to milliscale lengths. This project isaimed at biomedical MEMS based on the use of new activematerials. The investigators study the properties of activematerials, the behaviors of MEMS that could be built with them,and the interactions between the materials and surroundingbiological tissues and fluids. The work requires new mathematicalmethods of analysis and simulation. Investigators focus on theuse of small scale actuators based on shape-memory and emergingferromagnetic shape-memory materials, energized by a remotelyapplied magnetic field. They study the growth of tissue on thematerials and materials interactions with the elastoviscoussurrounding tissue, as well as novel designs of actuator systemsbased on molecular beam epitaxial growth of films. The use ofMRI for simultaneous imaging and actuation is explored.