UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1073
Submission information
Submission Number: 1073
Submission ID: 19961
Submission UUID: 7301c4d4-d039-43e5-b239-dd477a8c3814
Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal
Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=fGy_ZLj1Nj_za7mStJFJmYeMCMAyujAw2cMPwMdUAu0
Created: Sun, 08/03/2025 - 01:55 PM
Completed: Sun, 08/03/2025 - 02:13 PM
Changed: Wed, 10/29/2025 - 03:03 PM
Remote IP address: 142.186.67.144
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal
Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal
| Primary Research Mentor Name | Dr. Leo Liu, PhD |
|---|---|
| Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns | |
| When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? | Dr. |
| Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) | leo.liu@eng.famu.fsu.edu |
| Position Title | Faculty |
| FSU College (if applicable) | FAMU-FSU College of Engineering |
| FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation | CBE - Chemical & Biomedical Engineering |
| Headshot (optional) |
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| Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) | Dr. Rojan Saghian |
| Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns | |
| Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific? | Dr. |
| Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) | rs25t@fsu.edu |
| Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) | |
| Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns | |
| Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific? | |
| Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) | |
| Title of the Project | Modeling Hemodynamics and Thrombosis in Menstrual Spiral Arteries |
| Project Keywords | Menorrhagia, heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), computational modelling, CFD, |
| Are you currently looking for research assistants? | No |
| Number of Research Assistants Needed | 1 |
| Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) | Mathematics, Physics, Mechanical engineering. |
| Project Location: | On FSU Main Campus |
| If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? | |
| Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): | Partially Remote |
| Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? | 6–10 hours |
| Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? | During business hours |
| Overall Research Project Description | Project Summary: Menorrhagia or heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is thought to arise from multiple disruptions in vascular and haemostatic regulation within the endometrium. One promising but underexplored approach to understanding this condition is the use of computational and experimental models of blood flow in uterine spiral arteries. This project aims to simulate blood flow and shear stress in coiled artery geometries and investigate how these factors affect haemostatic plug formation—a critical mechanism for controlling menstrual blood loss. Results from these models will inform the development of in vitro bleeding-on-a-chip platforms, ultimately enabling mechanistic studies of menstrual haemostasis. ________________________________________ Research Goals & Approach: • Develop computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of spiral arteries using Ansys or OpenFoam. • Simulate the impact of vessel length and curvature on shear stress and flow profiles • Connect findings with biological literature on thrombus formation, platelet activation, and fibrinolysis • Designing conceptual microfluidic geometries for "bleeding-on-a-chip" experiments ________________________________________ Learning Outcomes: • Gain hands-on experience with biofluid mechanics and computational modeling • Understand the physiological basis of menstrual haemostasis and vascular biology • Learn to apply interdisciplinary tools to real biomedical research problems • Develop skills in scientific writing and presentation ________________________________________ Time Commitment and Mentorship: • Weekly commitment: 6–10 hours • Meetings: Weekly one-on-one mentorship meetings + group lab meetings • Mentorship will focus on technical training, critical thinking, and support for student-driven questions • Possibility for long-term involvement, UROP extensions, and publication contribution |
| Research Tasks | Student Role and Responsibilities: • Conduct literature reviews on spiral artery anatomy, thrombotic mechanisms, and fluid dynamics • Assist in modeling blood flow in spiral artery geometries using open-source or academic software (e.g., Ansys or OpenFoam) • Analyze and visualize outputs (e.g., wall shear stress distributions, flow resistance) • Document code, create figures, and contribute to research presentations ________________________________________ |
| Skills that research assistant(s) may need: | Prerequisites / Preferred Skills: • Interest in biomedical modeling, vascular biology, or reproductive health • Skills required: Knowledge on designing tools such as CAD drawing, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, ICEM, Fusion etc. • Preferred (but not required): Knowledge on numerical methods such as FEM and FVM and using CFD software is a plus. • Students from bioengineering, physics, applied math, computer science, or life sciences welcome ________________________________________ |
| Mentoring Philosophy | As a mentor, I aim to create an inclusive, supportive, and intellectually stimulating environment where students feel empowered to explore, question, and contribute meaningfully to scientific discovery. I view mentorship as a collaborative process centered on mutual respect, curiosity, and growth. My first priority is understanding each student’s background, goals, and learning style. I strive to tailor mentorship to their interests—whether in experimental work, computational modeling, or biomedical systems—so they feel ownership of their project and are motivated by its impact. I emphasize hands-on experience and inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to test hypotheses, troubleshoot setbacks, and critically analyze results. I believe learning is strongest when students are trusted with real responsibility but know they can ask questions freely without fear of failure. I provide structured support through regular one-on-one meetings, project feedback, and step-by-step guidance where needed, gradually increasing independence as confidence grows. I also share my own experiences navigating research challenges to demystify the scientific process and model perseverance. Ultimately, I hope students leave our collaboration not only with new technical skills, but with a deeper sense of scientific curiosity, intellectual resilience, and confidence in their ability to contribute to meaningful research. |
| Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): | https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=cm3NWHgAAAAJ&hl=en |
| Please add any additional information here (if applicable): | |
| Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? | Yes |
| Roundtable times and Zoom links | Friday, 5th September, from 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Zoom link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73601098992?pwd=SUFt6qSBRmm4uZI2GyLu2oEOU1DP4b.1 |
| Roundtable Info |
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| Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication | Yes |
| UROP Performance Evaluation | Yes |
| Materials Grant | Yes |
| UROP Poster Presentation | Yes |
| Year | 2025 |
| update url | https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?element_parents=elements/research_mentor_information/headshot_optional_&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=fGy_ZLj1Nj_za7mStJFJmYeMCMAyujAw2cMPwMdUAu0 |