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Appointments

2017 – present, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky, Department of Mechanical Engineering

2017 – present, Associate Professor (joint appointment), University of Kentucky, Department of Surgery

2011 – 2017, Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky, Department of Mechanical Engineering

2011 – 2017, Assistant Professor (joint appointment), University of Kentucky, Department of Surgery

2009 – 2011, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of California, San Francisco and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Bioengineering and Department of Surgery

2008 – 2009, Research Consultant, CardioPolymers, Inc. (formerly Symphony Medical, Inc.)

2005 – 2008, Summer Scholar, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2004 - Summer Intern, Sandia National Laboratory

Education

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 2008

M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 2005

B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2003

Publications

Selected Publications

Note: Underlined names indicate a graduate student or postdoc under my supervision. 

1. Stephens, S. E., Bean, M., Surber, H., Ingels, N. B., Jensen, H. K., Liachenko, S., Wenk, J. F., and Jensen, M. O. (2021) “MicroCT Imaging of Heart Valve Tissue in Fluid,” Experimental Mechanics, 61, pp. 253-261.
2. Mann, C. K., Lee, L. C., Campbell, K. S., and Wenk, J. F. (2020) “Force‑dependent recruitment from myosin OFF‑state increases end‑systolic pressure–volume relationship in left ventricle,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 19(6), pp. 2683-2692.
3. Liu, Z-Q., Zhang, X., and Wenk, J. F. (2019) “Quantification of regional right ventricular strain in healthy rats using 3d spiral cine dense MRI,” Journal of Biomechanics, 94, pp. 219-223. 
4. Zhang, X., Liu, Z-Q., Singh, D., Powell, D. K., Chung, C. S., Campbell, K. S., and Wenk, J. F. (2019) “Differential Effects of Isoproterenol on Regional Myocardial Mechanics in Rat using 3D cine DENSE Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance,” Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 141(6), 060904.
5. Wang, H., Rodell, C. B., Zhang, X., Dusaj, N. N., Gorman III, J. H., Pilla, J. J., Jackson, B. M., Burdick, J.A., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2018) “Effects of Hydrogel Injection on Borderzone Contractility Post Myocardial Infarction,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 17(5), pp. 1533-1542.
6. Zhang, X., Liu, Z-Q., Campbell, K. S., and Wenk, J. F. (2018) “Evaluation of a Novel Finite Element Model of Active Contraction in the Heart,” Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 425.
7. Wang, H., Rodell, C. B., Lee, M. E., Dusaj, N. N., Gorman III, J. H., Burdick, J.A., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2017) “Computational Sensitivity Investigation of Hydrogel Injection Characteristics for Myocardial Support,” Journal of Biomechanics, 64, 231-235.
8. Stephens, S. E., Liachenko, S., Ingels, N., Wenk, J. F., and Jensen, M. O. (2017) “High Resolution Imaging of the Unloaded Mitral Valve in the Natural State with 7 Tesla MRI,” PLoS ONE, 12(8), e0184042.
9. Zhang, X., Liu, Z-Q., Singh, D., Wehner, G. J., Powell, D. K., Campbell, K. S., Fornwalt, B. K., and Wenk, J. F. (2017) “Regional Quantification of Myocardial Mechanics in Rat using 3D cine DENSE Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance,” NMR in Biomedicine, 30(8), e3733.
10. Wang, H., Zhang, X., Dorsey, S. M., McGarvey, J. R., Campbell, K. S., Burdick, J. A., Gorman III, J. H., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2016) “Computational Investigation of Transmural Differences in Left Ventricular Contractility,” Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 138(11), 114501.
11. Nikou, A., Dorsey, S. M., McGarvey, J. R., Gorman III, J. H., Burdick, J. A., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2016) “Effects of Using the Unloaded Configuration in Predicting the In Vivo Diastolic Properties of the Heart,” Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 19(16), pp. 1714-1720.
12. Rodell, C. B., Lee, M. E., Wang, H., Takebayashi, S., Takayama, T., Kawamura, T., Arkles, J. S., Dusaj, N.N., Dorsey, S. M., Witschey, W. R. T., Pilla, J. J., Gorman III, J. H., Wenk, J. F., Burdick, J.A., and Gorman, R. C. (2016) “Injectable Shear-Thinning Hydrogels for Minimally Invasive Delivery to Infarcted Myocardium to Limit Left-Ventricular Remodeling,” Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, 9(10), e004058.
13. Lee, L. C., Sundnes, J., Genet, M., Wenk, J. F., and Wall, S. T. (2016) “An Integrated Electromechanical-Reversible Growth Heart Model for Simulating Cardiac Therapies,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 15(4), pp. 791-803.
14. Nikou, A., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2016) “Sensitivity of Left Ventricular Mechanics to Myofiber Architecture: A Finite Element Study,” Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 230(6), pp. 594-598.
15. Nikou, A., Dorsey, S. M., McGarvey, J. R., Gorman III, J. H., Burdick, J. A., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2016) “Computational Modeling of Healthy Myocardium in Diastole,” Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 44(4), 980-992.
16. Dorsey, S. M., McGarvey, J. R., Wang, H., Nikou, A., Arama, L., Koomalsingh, K. J., Kondo, N., Gorman III, J. H., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., Wenk, J. F., and Burdick, J. A. (2015) “MRI Evaluation of Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Therapy to Limit Ventricular Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction,” Biomaterials, 69, pp. 65-75.
17. McGarvey, J. R., Mojsejenko, D., Dorsey, S. M., Nikou, A., Burdick, J. A., Gorman III, J. H., Jackson, B. M., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2015) “Temporal Changes in Infarct Material Properties: An In Vivo Assessment using MRI and Finite Element Simulations,” Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 100(2), pp. 582-589.
18. Zhang, X., Haynes, P., Campbell, K. S., and Wenk, J. F. (2015) “Numerical Evaluation of Myofiber Orientation and Transmural Contractile Strength on Left Ventricular Function,” Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 137(4), 044502.
19. Mojsejenko, D., McGarvey, J. R., Dorsey, S. M., Gorman III, J. H., Burdick, J. A., Pilla, J. J., Gorman, R. C., and Wenk, J. F. (2015) “Estimating Passive Mechanical Properties in a Myocardial Infarction using MRI and Finite Element Simulations,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 14(3), pp. 633-647.
20. Tous Kichula, E., Wang, H., Dorsey, S. M., Szczesny, S. E., Elliott, D. M., Burdick, J. A., and Wenk, J. F.* (2014) “Experimental and Computational Investigation of Altered Mechanical Properties in Myocardium after Hydrogel Injection,” Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 42(7), pp. 1546-1556.

Research Interests:

Cardiovascular Mechanics

Finite Element Methods

Multi-scale Modeling

Nonlinear Solid Mechanics

Numerical Optimization