Elena Di Martino

Vascular diagnostic imaging

Aortic aneurysms are the end result of a multi-factorial process that culminates in an irreversible loss of structural integrity of the aortic wall with consequent wall weakening. Clinicians have expressed strong interest in information that will help them determine the actual structural integrity of the vessel wall and quantify the degree of wall weakening. Surgical guidelines need to move beyond aneurysm size and incorporate functional and structural risk factors, including regional estimates of the tissue mechanical properties and strength. We propose strain measurements as a mean to non-invasively estimate local wall properties. 

In-situ functional microscopy of biological tissues

With funds from the Canada Foundation from Innovation we developed a new instrument that combines the capabilities of a micro-biaxial testing device with a confocal upright microscope and represents a considerable step forward in accuracy and flexibility in the field of in-situ functional microscopy. 

Biomechanics of soft tissues

We study the mechanical and micro-structural properties of a variety of biological tissues: thoracic and abdominal aorta, skin grafts, left atrium tissues, intestine tissues. These studies inform the development of multi-physics numerical models applied to different organs and tissues, including atrium, intestine, and aortic aneurysms.