Cardiovascular Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory

Our research interest is focused on cardiovascular tissue biomechanics, with emphasis on the structure-function relationship of heart valves, myocardium, and blood vessels. The goal is to: (i) (i)identify the essential mechanisms that determine the optimal physiological functions, (ii) (ii)determine the structural and mechanical abnormality in diseased tissues, and (iii) (iiifacilitate better surgical intervention and biomimetic replacement development.

PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Jun Liao

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering

EDUCATION

Postdoctoral, Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA

Ph.D., Applied Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Cleveland State University, OH

M.S., Material Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, China

B.S., Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

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RESEARCH

Research Interests

Soft Tissue Biomechanics and Simulation

Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering (heart valve, cardiac tissue, etc.)
Mechanotransduction in Cell-scaffold Interaction

Non-invasive Characterization of Cardiovascular Tissues

Research Funding

2005-2007: “Effects of Decellularization and Recellularization on Porcine Aortic Valve Biomechanics”

American Heart Association Beginning Grant-in-Aid (Role: PI, Co-I: Dr. Michael S. Sacks)

2007-2008: Schillig Special Teaching Grants, Mississippi State University (Co-I: Dr. James Warnock)

2007-2008: "Noninvasive Characterization of Myocardial Infarction by Magnetic Resonance Imaging"

MAFES Special Funding (Role: PI, Co-PI: Dr. Song Zhang, Dr. Ron McLaughlin, and Dr. Shane Burgess)

2008-2009: “Development of a Novel Recellularization Approach for Tissue Engineering Heart Valve”

Research Initiate Program, MSU (Role : PI)

Current Research

Biomechanics of Engineered Cardiac Tissue

Development of a Novel Recellularization Approach for Tissue Engineering Heart Valve

Noninvasive Characterization of Myocardial Infarction by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Multi-scale Human Body Simulation

Effects of Decellularization and Recellularization on Biomechanics of Porcine Aortic Valve

Previous Projects

Collagen Fibril Kinematics under Biaxial Loading by Synchrotron Small Angle X-ray Scattering

Cellular Deformations in Micro-integrated Elastomeric Electrospun Scaffolds under Biaxial Stretch

Micromechanical Properties and 3D Structure of Collagenous Tissues and Valve Interstitial Cells

Investigation of the Mechanical and Structural Properties of Mitral Valve Chordae Tendineae

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS (Selected from 23 peer-reviewed publications. Other 9 publications are in material science field)

Liao J, Joyce EM, Sacks MS. Effects of decellularization on mechanical and structural properties of the porcine aortic valve

leaflets, BIOMATERIALS Mar;29(8):1065-74, 2008.

John A. Stella, Jun Liao, Yi Hong, W. David Merryman, William R. Wagner, and Michael S. Sacks. Tissue-Cellular

Deformation Coupling in Cell-Micro integrated Electrometric Scaffolds. BIOMATERIALS. 29(22):3228-36, 2008

Pietro Bajona, Kenton J. Zehr, Jun Liao, Giovanni Speziali. “Tension Measurement of Artificial Chordae Tendineae Implanted

Between the Anterior Mitral Valve Leaflet and the Left Ventricular Apex: An In Vitro Study.” Innovations: Technology and

Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery. Vol. 3 (1) 33-37, 2008

Liao J, Yang L, Grashow JS, Sacks MS. The relation between collagen fibril kinematics and mechanical properties in the

mitral valve anterior leaflet, JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING, Feb; 129 (1):78-87, 2007

Liao J, Vesely I. Skewness Angle of Interfibrillar Proteoglycans Increases with Applied Load on Chordae Tendineae.

JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS, 40(2):390-8, 2007

Merryman WD, Liao J, Parekh A, Candiello JE, Lin H, Sacks MS. The Heart Valve Interstitial Cell Cytoskeleton: Role in

Cell Stiffness, Contraction and Tissue Remodeling, TISSUE ENGINEERING, 13 (9): 2281-2289, 2007

Stella JA, Liao J, and Sacks MS, Time dependent biaxial mechanical behavior of the aortic heart valve leaflet, JOURNAL

OF BIOMECHANICS, 40(14):3169-77,2007

Huang HYS, Liao J, and Sacks MS. In-situ deformation of the aortic heart valve interstitial cell nucleus under diastolic loading.

JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING 129(6):880-89, 2007

Grashow JS, Sacks MS, Liao J, Yoganathan AP, Planar biaxial creep and stress relaxation of the mitral valve anterior leaflets.

ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING Oct; 34 (10): 1509-18, 2006

Merryman WD, Engelmayr GC, Liao J, and Sacks MS. Defining Biomechanical Endpoints for Tissue Engineered Heart Valve

Leaflets from Native Leaflet Properties, PROGRESS IN PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY Vol. 21, pp. 153-60, 2006

Joyce EM, Liao J, Schoen FJ, Mayer JE, Sacks MS. Effects of Transvalvular Pressure on Pulmonary Valve Microstructure.

ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY (submitted)

Liao J, Yang L, Grashow J, Sacks MS. Molecular orientation of collagen in intact planar connective tissue under biaxial stretch,

ACTA BIOMATERIALIA, Vol. 1, p. 45-54, 2005

Liao J, Vesely I. The relationship between collagen fibrils, glycosaminoglycans and stress relaxation in mitral valve chordae

tendineae. ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, 32(7):977-83, 2004

Liao J, Vesely I. A structural basis for the size-related mechanical properties of mitral valve chordae tendineae. JOURNAL

OF BIOMECHANICS 36/8: p1125-1133, 2003

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MEMBERSHIPS AND REVIEWER FOR PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)

American Heart Association (AHA)

American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME)

Society For Biomaterials (SFB)

IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, IEEE Society

Reviewer of Journal of Biomechanics

Reviewer of Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

Reviewer of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

Reviewer of Acta Biomaterialia

Reviewer of Polymer International

Reviewer of Annals of Biomedical Engineering

Reviewer, Region II Bioengineering Peer Review Committee, American Heart Association

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CONTACT INFORMATION

130 Creelman Street, Room 222

Department of Ag. and Bio. Engineering

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 39762

Tel: 662-325-5987

Fax: 662-325-3853

Email: jliao@abe.msstate.edu

LABORATORY MEMBERS