Seminar: Augmenting or recapitulating dynamic organ function with soft robotics, Dr Ellen Roche, MIT

Abstract:

My research spans device-enabled approaches to assist or augment dynamic organs.  Broadly, we look at  improving structural repair, active assistance and delivery of biological therapy. This seminar will focus on representative implantable devices that we have worked on in each of these three areas, each addressing an identified shortcoming of existing technologies. In terms of structural repair devices, I will discuss a minimally invasive delivery system for atraumatic repair of intracardiac defects. I will discuss paediatric cardiac assist devices and mechanical devices to enhance respiratory function. Further, I will discuss the use of cyclically active implants to modulate immune response for use as vehicles for cell delivery and a targeted, refillable bioimplant which enables repeated local administration of biological or pharmacological delivery. Finally, I will discuss high fidelity organosynthetic testbeds and computational models designed to validate and interrogate device performance before advancing to in vivo studies.

Bio:

Ellen Roche is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She directs the Therapeutic Technology Design and Development Lab.  She completed her PhD at Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Her research focuses on applying innovative technologies to the development of cardiac devices. Her research includes development of novel devices to repair or augment cardiac function. She has published in Science Translational Medicine, Science Robotics and Nature Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Roche was employed in the medical device industry for over five years as a research and development engineer and employs her understanding of the medical device industry and the regulatory pathways to medical device commercialization in her academic research. She is the recipient of multiple awards including the Fulbright International Science and Technology Award, the Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science, , a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, an NIH Trailblazer Award, a Charles H. Hood Award for Excellence in Child Health Research and the Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Award.