Injury Biomechanics

Cells within the body routinely tolerate deformations during activities such as head turning and breathing. In contrast, cell structure and function are altered when cells are deformed beyond safe limits.Injury Biomechanics is the study of how cells and tissues respond when exposed to mechanical forces, with a focus on the complex relationships between early and long term changes in structure and function. With this knowledge, new intervention strategies are being developed to improve cell and tissue recovery from injury. In addition, the investigators measure tissue mechanical properties and injury thresholds, and develop computational models to generalize the cell and tissue results to a macroscopic level and determine injury mechanisms.These studies parallel clinical investigations regarding the treatment and detection of traumatic injury. Applications of current work are in the areas of traumatic brain and spine injury in adults and children, and ventilator-induced lung injury.

Penn Research Laboratories involved in Injury Biomechanics:

• Injury Biomechanics Laboratory
• Central Nervous System Injury Laboratory
• Center for Interdisciplinary Injury and Violence Research
• Center for Research in Acute Lung Injury
• Meaney Laboratory
• Pediatric Interdisciplinary Injury Control Research Center
• Spine Pain Research Laboratory

Recommended Graduate Courses:

Statistics
ENM 503	Introduction to Probability and Statistics
BIO 556	Biostatistics (Advanced Statistics)
PHSO 508	Analysis of Experimental Data
Advanced Physiology Anatomy
ANAT 507	Introduction to Nervous System
NEURO 6	Clinical Neuroengineering
PHSO 620	Advanced Topics in Cell Physiology
INSC 593	Structural Neurobiology
INSC 618	Recovery After Neural Injury
BE 510	Biomechanics and Biotransport

Take 3 in Relevant Topic Area

Impact Biomechanics
BE 575	Injury Biomechanics
ENM 511	Foundations of Engineering Math
MEAM 526	Vibration and Shock
MEAM 528	Advanced Kinematics
BIOP/BE 546	Quantitative Image Analysis
MEAM 630	Continuum Mechanics
MEAM 535	Advanced Dynamics
MEAM 527	Finite Element Analysis
Tissue Biomechanics
BE 575	Injury Biomechanics
MEAM 527	Finite Element Analysis
MEAM 631	Elasticity II
MEAM 630	Continuum Mechanics
MEAM 632	Plasticity
MEAM/CHE/BE 555	Membranes, Shells, & Polymers in Biology
MSE 550	Mechanical Behavior of Materials
INSC 618	Recovery After Neural Injury
BE 645	Biological elasticity
BE 647	Biomechanics
NEURO I	Introduction to Neuro Modeling and Simulations
Cellular Biomechanics
BIOP 501	Molecular biophysics II: Biophysical Approaches to Study of Biological Macromolecules
CHE 552	Cellular bioengineering
NEURO I	Introduction to Neuro Modeling and Simulations
ANAT 503	Histology: Cell and Tissue Biology
BIOP/BIOC 550	Molecular Mechanics of Signal Transduction and Control
INSC 586	Topics in Molecular Neurology
PATH 620	Cellular & Molecular Basis of Disease
PHSO 570	Techniques in Cell & Molecular Physiology

Bioengineering industry sectors related to Injury Biomechanics:

• Artificial Organs
• Biomechanics
• Cardiopulmonary
• Cell and Tissue Engineering
• Rehabilitation

Department of Bioengineering
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
210 S. 33rd Street
Room 240 Skirkanich Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone No.: (215) 898-8501
Fax No.: (215) 573-2071
beoffice@seas.upenn.edu

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