Applications of Deformation Mechanics Characterization of Biological Soft Tissues

Date: 2021/05/07 - 2021/05/07

Academic Seminar: Applications of Deformation Mechanics Characterization of Biological Soft Tissues

Speaker: Dr. Kaitlyn Mallett, Innovation Engineer at Intel Corporation in Arizona

Time: 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., May 7, 2021 (Beijing Time)

Location: via Feishu

Abstract

Applying fundamental deformation mechanics theory and techniques to the human body continues to draw academic and industry interest, and remains incredibly challenging. This talk will discuss the novel findings of Dr. Kaitlyn Mallett's doctoral research on anterior cruciate ligament biomechanics, her industry experience at Intel Corporation, and her future plans to combine her diverse expertise in future research endeavors at the UM-SJTU Joint Institute.

The first section of this talk will discuss a deformation mechanics approach to the elucidation of the mechanical response of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the most commonly injured soft tissue structure in the knee. Injuries to the ACL are often highly disruptive, and can lead to extremely painful and negative outcomes, including early onset osteoarthritis.  Accurate characterization of the native properties of the ACL are imperative to the appropriate design and development of effective replacements. Specifically, novel experimental characterization techniques, computational finite element methods, and applications to clinical orthopaedic surgery will be discussed.

The second section of this talk will discuss future research - specifically the combination of Dr. Mallett's expertise in soft material characterization and her industry experience in a deformation mechanics approach to the design of soft adhesive materials and flexible sensors, leveraging the biomechanics of skin. Research aims will be discussed, as will the intersectionality between multiple domains of research, including deformation mechanics, electronics engineering, and biomedical engineering.

Biography

Dr. Kaitlyn Mallett received B.S.E. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mathematics from the University of Michigan - Dearborn. She obtained her M.S.E. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she worked with Professor Ellen Arruda in the Mechanics of Materials Laboratory. She has industry experience as an Innovation Engineer at Intel Corporation in Arizona, U.S.A., where she led path-finding research initiatives to develop and accelerate new technologies into Intel’s manufacturing environment. Dr. Mallett’s research interests include deformation mechanics, non-linear elasticity, characterization of complex materials, and flexible adhesives.