For more than 200 years, computers have become an integral part of our daily lives and biomedical engineering is no exception. A far cry from the 19th Century mechanical calculating machines, biomedical engineers use computers to tackle healthcare challenges and consequently improve the lives of patients.
Researchers can advance medicine with complex molecular modeling, computational biomechanics, bioimaging, and programming to combine clinical data with patient-specific genotyping. At UT Austin, computational biomedical engineering research is focused on four core areas:
- Computational oncology
- Computational cardiology
- Multiscale modeling and simulations
- Biomedical informatics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
The possibilities are almost endless on the UT Austin campus with the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC)—home to the fastest academic computer in the United States and the 19th most powerful supercomputer in the world. Known as Fronterra, this petascale computing system opens up new doors in biomedical engineering by providing a computational capability that allows researchers to tackle larger and more complex challenges.
On an individual level, our faculty develop advancements in digital twin technology, improved drug delivery, and breakthroughs in disease detection.
Professor Michael Sacks, Ph.D. is the director of the Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation and develops computational biomechanical models for understanding heart valves and heart disease progression. The Center’s goal is to provide cardiovascular scientists and clinicians with advanced simulations for the development of treatments for structural heart and heart valve diseases. These simulations can ultimately lead to a lowering of morbidity and mortality, reduced re-operative rates, and lessened post-operative recovery time. Professor Sacks is also working with Dr. David Paydarfar, M.D., chair of Dell Med’s Department of Neurology, to build a massive database of patient data to construct what’s known as a “digital twin.”
The goal is to predict not only when a person’s aneurysm may burst, but how they’ll respond to treatment.
As UT Austin builds a computational biomedical engineering powerhouse, the promises of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are taking center stage. The integration of AI into biomedical engineering continues to evolve, offering immense potential to enhance the ability, efficiency, and accuracy to create individualized treatment plans for patients.
Biomedical engineering professor Pengyu Ren, Ph.D. is leading the way with his groundbreaking advancements in computational biomolecular engineering. Researchers in Professor Ren’s lab use advanced simulations as well as AI-enhanced medicinal chemistry to develop novel drug candidates. Simultaneously, they are creating innovative drug delivery methods. Ren is the co-founder of Qubit Pharmaceuticals which uses supercomputers combined with cutting-edge software to carry out computations for drug discovery at a quantum-level of accuracy.
Professor Tom Yankeelov, Ph.D. is the director of the Oden Center for Computational Oncology at UT Austin. The MD Anderson Cancer Research Center, the TACC, and the Oden Institute are collaborating in oncological data and computational science research. The strategic initiative creates a unique opportunity to align mathematical modeling and advanced computing methods with oncology expertise to bring forward new approaches that can improve outcomes for patients with unmet needs.
Last but not least, computational biomedical engineering has the ability to take imaging research to new heights. Associate professor Ed Castillo develops deep learning methods for medical image processing, robust methods for computing pulmonary perfusion, and ventilation imaging from non-contrast dynamic computed tomography. This involves employing mathematical modeling, simulations, data analysis, and algorithm development to understand normal and disease physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ scales.
Ultimately, a computational biomedical engineering powerhouse paves the way for healthcare innovation. The application of computational technology coupled with biomedical engineering research opens doors for personalized medicine, state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, and innovative therapies.
As the connection between these powerhouses evolves, it will lay the foundation for innovative discoveries by revolutionizing healthcare, improving patient outcomes, and providing hope for a healthier world.
WRITTEN BY JOSHUA KLEINSTREUER
