One of the College of Innovation & Technology (CIT) faculty members who recently returned to Virginia Tech to give a seminar on his research into multiscale modeling and simulation of cardiac function was Dr. Yasser Aboelkassem, an assistant professor in CIT’s College of Innovation and Technology. While at Virginia Tech, Aboelkassem earned an M.S. in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Mechanics, which he was thrilled to be able to share with his peers.
“This invitation made me feel very honoured because it allowed me to reconnect with my home department and see the significant changes that they have developed at the institution,” says the author.
The Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (BEAM) department at Virginia Tech organizes research seminars a few times a semester, with an emphasis on bringing in speakers from a variety of fields. Having worked at the intersection of these two fields, Aboelkassem saw this as an excellent opportunity for students in both fields alike to learn about the importance of research in both fields and how these fields can be applied in both academia and industry once they have earned their degrees.
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At the heart of Aboelkassem’s seminar was the mechanical dysfunction of the heart as a cause of cardiac disease. Biophysical journal two years ago, which later gained attention and was recognised as a major step in Aboelkassem’s field of research, was published an article that was considered a serious step towards building a mathematical model that would allow the use of computational techniques in a clinical setting for this type of research. For the past 20 years, there hasn’t been a model of this complexity and depth of understanding; thus, clinicians have a unique opportunity to innovate the detection and treatment of some diseases.
When asked about what he hopes to accomplish at the College of Innovation and Technology, Aboelkassem stated that he wants to find the right mix for both wet lab and computational methods. For example, he likes the idea of looking at things like cardiac assist devices, stent design, and bioinspired sensors as part of the translational approach to learning. Practical technology and academic research go hand in hand, and this is consistent with the CIT ethos.
This is just one example of the cutting-edge methods our CIT professors use in the classroom. To find out more about CIT’s programmes, faculty, or research, please get in touch with us. We’ll help you figure out the best path forward.