To improve treatment for ischemic strokes caused by blockages in the brain, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Yihao Zheng is shining a light on blood clots.
Zheng, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and a team of researchers with expertise across science and engineering are developing a fiber-optic probe that will use light and advanced calculations to determine in real time whether a blood clot in the brain is soft, stiff, sturdy, or weak. The technology will give doctors information to guide decisions about how best to remove the blockages during clot removal procedures.
“Physicians typically treat blockages in the brain by inserting a long, flexible tube into a patient’s leg, guiding it through arteries to the site of a clot, and then using suction or mesh tools to capture and remove the clot,” Zheng said. “Too often, these procedures, known as thrombectomies, fail on the first attempt and may even cause complications if clots shatter and send pieces further into the brain. Our research suggests that better information about clots and how they react to mechanical forces would provide critical insights to doctors and streamline these procedures.”
Zheng’s four-year project is being funded with a $1,199,991 grant from the National Science Foundation. Zheng will serve as principal investigator (PI), and Yuxiang Liu, WPI associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, will be a co-PI. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco, the University of Georgia, and UMass Chan Medical School will collaborate on the project.
