Computational biomechanics in vascular treatment planning for cardiopulmonary disease

Jason Szafron

Assistant Professor
Biomedical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon Institution

Seminar Information

Seminar Series
Biomechanics & Medical Devices

Seminar Date - Time
January 23, 2026, 9:00 am
-
10:00

Seminar Location
EBU2 479

Jason Szafron

Abstract

Many forms of cardiopulmonary disease require interventions with a vascular component. The biomechanical environment prior to intervention can have implications for the success of a procedure, and the post-intervention hemodynamics can lead to long-term pulmonary remodeling that exacerbates the risk for future complications.  In this talk, I will discuss our work using computational fluid dynamics to predict the success of mechanical thrombectomy in acute pulmonary embolism patients and the resulting biomechanical environment with lung transplant in pulmonary arterial hypertension. I will also outline our approach to using multiscale simulations of the pulmonary vasculature to predict changes in clinically relevant metrics of disease progression.

Speaker Bio

Jason Szafron is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Professor Szafron received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University, where he completed his undergraduate thesis on endovascular medical device design. He went on to receive his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University studying the computational optimization of polymeric scaffolds for tissue engineered vascular grafts. As a T32 postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University, he worked on experimental and computational methods for quantifying mechanobiological changes during the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension. He received the Parker B. Francis Fellowship for the study of pulmonary and respiratory disease. His lab works to build multiscale models of cardiopulmonary disease progression.