Quantifying the bond between SARS-CoV-2 and human cell receptors
At its heart, mechanical engineering is the understanding of energy transfer and forces, physics concepts not usually associated with medicine. However, even at the scale of a human cell, those concepts are at play, and understanding them could be the key to designing effective treatments. SARS-CoV-2 is a tiny particle that has stopped the world, […]
New book “Microneedling in Clinical Practice” edited by Dr Boris Stoeber
Mechanical Engineering faculty member Dr. Boris Stoeber has edited a new book on microneedle technology – the use of needles smaller than a milimetre long as a minimally invasive way to deliver drugs and monitor compounds in the body – alongside co-editors Dr. Raja K. Sivamani (UC Davis Health) and Dr. Howard I Maibach (UC […]
Media Mention: CTV News interviews Professor Steven Rogak on the best materials for homemade masks
CTV News: Could a baby wipe work as a mask filter? B.C. researchers put fabrics to the test. VANCOUVER — As masks become part of our daily attire, many people might be wondering about what the best ones are made from. The simple answer, according to UBC mechanical engineering professor Steve Rogak, is there’s nothing […]
UBC researchers run tests to find best materials and styles for face masks
UBC MEDIA RELATIONS: Lightweight cotton mask with dried baby-wipe filter combines good filter quality and breathability. Most scientists and health authorities support wearing non-medical face masks in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. A team of UBC researchers led by Steven Rogak, a professor of mechanical engineering who studies aerosols, and Dr. Jane Wang, a […]
UBC News: UBC researchers develop portable ultrasound scanner network for COVID-19
UBC’s Dr. Teresa Tsang (Medicine), Purang Abolmaesumi (Medicine), Robert Rohling (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering) and Dr. Oron Frenkel (Electrical and Computer Engineering) are designing portable hand held ultrasound scanners that can aid in COVID-19 diagnosis, connecting the scanners with an AI algorithm and an online library of lung ultrasound images to help health […]
UBC News: New device identifies high-quality blood donors
Blood banks have long known about high-quality donors – individuals whose red blood cells stay viable for longer in storage and in the recipient’s body. Now a new device developed at UBC is showing promise as a method to identify these “super donors”, potentially helping more than 4.5 million patients who need blood transfusions every […]
Dr. Peter Cripton elected to International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury
Mechanical Engineering professor Dr. Peter Cripton has been elected to the IRCOBI Council, the governing body of the International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury. Comprised of researchers from all over the world, the IRCOBI fosters research on impact biomechanics and injury mechanisms, hosting two major conferences a year, and improving the global body of […]
New Frontiers in Research: Subconcussive Impacts
Here we explore current research by Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Lyndia Wu, “Investigating Brain Trauma Accumulation from Subconcussive Head Impacts and Differences between Male and Female Ice Hockey Players” Two projects by UBC Mechanical Engineering faculty members were among the first to receive funding through the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFLF), […]
Media Mention: Virtual Reality Video Games Make Rehab Fun For Younger Patients
Magnifying mistakes leads to more meaningful motor learning. Experts commonly advise that the best exercise is exercise you enjoy doing—that way you’ll keep doing it. The same holds true for rehabilitation exercise, especially when it comes to younger patients. Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientists recently tested gaming devices equipped with immersive virtual reality (VR) […]
New Publication: Active Particles in Viscosity Gradients
UBC Mech Department Professor Gwynn Elfring and recently graduated MECH Ph.D. student Charu Datt have published an article in the prestigious physics journal Physical Review Letters on ‘Active particles in viscosity gradients’. In this work they show how one can understand and model the viscotaxis observed in biological microorganisms swimming in fluids with viscosity gradients. In the […]