BME - Research

Biomedical Mechanics

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Traditionally, whole organs and tissues have been analyzed for global material properties, but more recent approaches have developed detailed understanding of biomechanics at the cell and molecular length scales. Furthermore, the influence of mechanical forces on biological processes (mechano- biology) plays critical regulatory roles in many physiological and disease processes. Cornell’s Biomedical Mechanics research team has a rich 40+ year history of collaborations between engineers, life scientists, veterinary, and medical professionals and continues to pioneer new fundamental and applied directions in this exciting field.

A research program of top notch engineering, veterinary, and medical schools has enabled Cornell to pursue unparalleled breadth and depth in biomechanical and mechanobiological inquiry. Our research subjects extend across 10 orders of magnitude in length, from nanoscale mechanics in bone to cardiac function in large animal models. Cornell is also pushing the frontiers of biomechanical analysis towards the meso-scale of elemental tissue structure, creating new theory, computational models, and experimental test systems. We have additionally combined these platforms with genetic and molecular tools to discover new functional principles of heterogeneous biological structures and tailor their mechanical performance.

The Biomedical Mechanics area has vibrant participation from a diverse population of graduate students. Currently 24 PhD students work in this area, more than 50% of whom are women and more than 20% underrepresented minorities.   These students have been very successful in obtaining competitive external awards, with 8 NSF and 1 NSERC fellowships among them. The Biomedical Mechanics faculty, postdocs, and PhD students participate in a weekly seminar series that started in 1996, with current attendance of 20-30.  This seminar is primarily a vehicle for PhD students and fellows to present work, and also involves professional development and outside speakers.

Research Area Faculty

	Name	Department	Contact
	Bonassar, Lawrence Associate Professor, Associate Chair	Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	149 Weill Hall 607 255-9381
	Boskey, Adele Professor	Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell
	Butcher, Jonathan T. Associate Professor	Biomedical Engineering	304 Weill Hall 607 255-3575
	Erickson, David Carl Associate Professor	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	240 Upson Hall 607 255-4861
	Fischbach-Teschl, Claudia Associate Professor	Biomedical Engineering	157 Weill Hall 607 255-4547
	Gao, Yingxin Assistant Professor	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	Room 220 Upson Hall 607 255-1783
	Hernandez, Christopher J. Associate Professor	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering	219 Upson Hall 607 255-5129
	Jenkins, James Thomas Walter S. Carpenter Jr. Professor of Engineering	Civil and Environmental Engineering	Room 263 Hollister Hall 607 255-7185
	Lal, Amit Professor	Electrical and Computer Engineering	Room 118 Phillips Hall 607 255-9374
	Lammerding, Jan Assistant Professor	Biomedical Engineering	235 Weill Hall 607 255-1700
	Maher, Suzanne Assistant Scientist	Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell
	Reinhart-King, Cynthia A. Assistant Professor	Biomedical Engineering	302 Weill Hall 607 255-8491
	Shen, Xiling Assistant Professor	Electrical and Computer Engineering
	van der Meulen, Marjolein C.H. Swanson Professor of Biomedical Engineering	Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	219 Upson Hall 607 255-1445
	Wright, Timothy Professor	Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell