Biomechanics and Mechanobiology

Revolutionizing our understanding of fibrotic, orthopedic, and cardiovascular diseases.

Brian Helmke speaks with students in the BME teaching lab

Advances in biomechanics are revolutionizing our understanding of fibrotic, orthopedic, and cardiovascular diseases. At UVA, we're providing new strategies for tissue engineering, improving sports medicine and rehabilitation, advancing the goal of targeted drug delivery, and evolving to include the study and treatment of infectious disease.

BME Primary Faculty in this Area

Daniel Abebayehu

Assistant Professor
Dan Abebayehu, PhD, studies fibrosis and how different types of fibroblasts could promote tissue regeneration, instead of scar formation. Dr. Abebayehu's research has been supported by an NIH Mosaic Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) which provides promising postdoctoral scientists support to…
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Email da3g@virginia.edu

Silvia Salinas Blemker

Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Silvia Blemker uses experimental and computational models to characterize the relationships between muscle structure, biomechanical properties, biology, and function in order to develop new treatments for musculoskeletal disease
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Email ssblemker@virginia.edu

William H. Guilford

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Will Guilford uses molecular biomechanics and engineering design to better understand and better prevent the movement of single cells and the spread of drug-resistant pathogens. He attended Saint Francis College in Fort Wayne Indiana where he double-majored in Biology and Chemistry. He subsequently…
Google Scholar ResearchGate
Email guilford@virginia.edu

Brian P. Helmke

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Brian Helmke researches the relationship between cell mechanics and cell function using new tools in materials science and molecular biology, with a focus on cardiovascular disease. His laboratory employs a multidisciplinary biomedical engineering approach to understand the relationship between intracellular mechanics and cell function.
Research Summary
Email helmke@virginia.edu

Joint Faculty in Biomechanics and Mechanobiology

Bradley D. Gelfand, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Dr. Gelfand graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa (Iowa City). He next attended the University of Virginia (Charlottesville) where he earned his Ph.D. also in Biomedical Engineering. Brad next joined the Ambati Laboratory at the University of Kentucky in 2010 as a Postdoc and joined the faculty in 2012.
Gelfand Laboratory
Email gelfand@virginia.edu
Phone (434) 924-7886

Shawn Russell

Assistant Professor

Russell's research interests lie in the increased understanding of the mechanisms of human movement
Google Scholar ResearchGate

Distinctive Features

Center for Applied Biomechanics

Improving the quality of life through the mitigation and prevention of injury made possible by better understanding the mechanical response of the human body.

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