Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar

Abstract: The phase-field method is a modeling technique that permits a simple and direct mathematical formulation of moving boundary problems. The phase-field method reformulates the moving boundary problem as a set of partial differential equations posed on a known and fixed computational domain. To solve the higher-order equations derived from the phase-field theory, we develop a numerical methodology based on isogeometric analysis –a generalization of the finite element method. In this talk, we will discuss phase-field modeling and numerical simulation of individual and collective cell migration. Cell motility, which is crucial in human health and development, represents an outstanding example of a problem with moving interfaces. The framework we developed captures the complex intra- and extra-cellular mechanochemical interactions that drive cell motion. I will show simulations of cell migration in different environments. In addition, I will briefly introduce applications of our modeling framework to other problems such as cancer growth and hydraulic fracturing.

Bio: Dr. Adrian Moure joined the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering at the California Institute of Technology in March 2021 as a postdoctoral scholar, working with Professor Ruby Fu. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, working with Professor Hector Gomez. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of A Coruña (Spain) and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain). His research focuses on phase-field modeling and numerical simulation of problems in mechanical and biomedical engineering.