Current Projects
Completed or Inactive
| RESEARCH OVERVIEW |
| Broad research interests of BTPL are in biomedicines with emphasis on thermal and fluid sciences. Research efforts are focused on thermally induced biophysical phenomena with implications of minimally invasive thermal therapies and preservation of biomaterials. The minimally invasive thermal therapies are surgical techniques to destroy malignant cells/tissues by use of non-physiological temperatures. These techniques include cryosurgery, and hyperthermic surgeries by RF wave, microwave, ultrasound and laser. Contrary to the thermal therapies which are to destroy cells/tissues, the preservation technologies are to store biomaterials without losing their viability for an extended period of time using freezing and/or drying. In both of these applications, clear understanding and precise control of multi-scale (molecular, cellular and tissue level) heat and mass transfer are critical to the outcome of the applications. In the BTPL, both fundamental and applied aspects of the thermally induced biophysical phenomena are studied. Currently ongoing research projects are briefly described below. |
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CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS |
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Effect of freezing on ECM microstructure Freezing of biological tissue occurs in many biomedical applications. This research project is to investigate the freezing-induced microstructural change of extracellular matrix. The outcome of the study will help to understand the functional property change after freezing, and predict the wound healing and functional recovery after cryotreatment. |
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Quantum dot-mediated intraoperative imaging This project is to develop a thermometry system to image and monitor thermal lesion of tissue druing thermal therapies to provide accurare treatment informaton to surgeon real-time during the procedures. This thermometry is using fluorescent nanometer size particles, so called "quantum dots", as imaging probes. |
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COMPLETED or INACTIVE PROJECTS |
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Cryoinjury Enhancement using Eutectic Freezing To maximize the efficacy of cryosurgery, cryodestruction near the edge of frozen lesion should be enhanced to prevent recurrence of diseases. A biocompitable amino acidic adjuvant has been studied to enhance the cryoinjury at mild freezing conditions similar to that near the edge of the frozen lesion. This adjuvant is inducing secondary phase change, so called "eutectic freezing", at mild freezing conditions, and can enhance the cryodestruction. |
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Patient-Specific Cryosurgery Planning Even though an innovative treatment modality is developed, its application in real clinical settings should be adjusted considering the difference of each patient. This project is to develop a computerized treatment planning tool of cryosurgery for breast cancer. This tool includes computer model construction from diagnostic information, simulated cryosurgery, prediction of the treatment outcome, and feedback to optimize the treatment outcome. |
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Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
College of Engineering |
The University of Texas at Arlington |
Copyright 2004-06 Biotransport Phenomena Laboratory All Rights Reserved.
Last update: October 10, 2006
Copyright 2004-06 Biotransport Phenomena Laboratory All Rights Reserved.
Last update: October 10, 2006