Mechanical Circulatory Support
Investigating ventricular assist devices, pump–heart interactions, and cardiovascular responses under physiologic conditions.
Engineering insight for cardiovascular health
Understanding cardiovascular flow.
Advancing device therapies.
We combine experimental cardiovascular models, advanced flow measurements, and computational modeling to investigate heart function, cardiovascular biomechanics, and medical-device interactions.
Explore our research
Three connected areas of investigation
Experimental platforms, quantitative flow measurements, and cardiovascular tissue mechanics.
Cardiovascular Flow
Investigating patient-specific cardiovascular flow, transport, and stasis through advanced experimental visualization.
Cardiac & Valvular Biomechanics
Studying valve function, tissue deformation, and the mechanical and biological effects of altered cardiovascular loading.
Our approach
From clinical questions to predictive models.
Our research integrates patient-specific anatomy, benchtop cardiovascular simulators, advanced flow visualization, and computational modeling—including digital-twin development—to understand how cardiovascular devices interact with the native heart.
Together, experimental and computational approaches connect quantitative engineering analysis with questions relevant to device design and patient care.
Professional expertise
Industry collaboration & consulting
Led by Karen May-Newman, Ph.D., the laboratory brings longstanding expertise in mechanical circulatory support, cardiovascular biomechanics, device evaluation, and experimental and computational validation.
Her professional experience includes serving as an FDA Scholar in Residence and participating in an ISO standards working group for mechanical circulatory support devices.
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