Wagenseil Vascular Mechanics Laboratory
Welcome to the Wagenseil Vascular Mechanics Laboratory. We focus on the mechanical behavior of large, elastic arteries during development and disease. We are interested in how the arterial wall remodels to maintain appropriate mechanical properties for heart function.
About Prof. Jessica Wagenseil
Dr. Wagenseil is a Professor and Chair in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Utah. She received her B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego and her D.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University. Her research focuses on vascular biomechanics and mechanobiology and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), American Heart Association (AHA), and the Marfan Foundation. She is a fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
About the Lab
Our research seeks to advance understanding of vascular mechanics, specifically the interplay between the mechanical properties of (biomechanics) and the effects of mechanical forces on (mechanobiology) the large, elastic arteries, such as the aorta. Advances in vascular biomechanics and mechanobiology are critical to diagnose, prevent, and treat diseases that cause narrowing, dilation, or stiffening of the aorta, including supravalvular aortic stenosis, thoracic aortic aneurysms, and hypertension.
Research Focus
Biomechanics & Mechanobiology
Investigates how mechanobiology and biomechanics of the large arteries contribute to normal cardiovascular function during development and abnormal function in disease.
Biomedical & Biological Imaging
Utilizes advanced imaging and computational methods to study cellular and extracellular matrix changes in wall structure and quantify transport through the aortic wall.
Biomedical, Bio-inspired, and Bio-derived Materials
Focuses on the mechanical properties of developing aorta and how extracellular matrix proteins are optimizied for mechanical function. The infromation may be applied to designing tissue-engineered blood vessels.
Cardiovascular Engineering
Studies the mechanical behavior of large, elastic arteries, focusing on cardiovascular development, extracellular matrix proteins, and microstructurally-based constitutive modeling.
Join the Wagenseil Vascular Mechanics Laboratory
The laboratory welcomes trainees interested in studying vascular biomechanics and mechanobiology in development and disease, focusing on how the mechanical behavior of large, elastic arteries contributes to normal cardiovascular function and abnormal function in disease.