Angela Lai

Dr. Angela Lai is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University School of Engineering. She obtained her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University. Her research focuses on medical device design, thrombosis mechanisms, blood-material interactions, and artificial lung development for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) applications.

Her primary research interests include:

• Optimization of biomaterial-blood interactions to reduce thrombosis
• Design and testing of artificial lungs for respiratory support
• Computational modeling of thrombus formation in medical devices
• Engineering education and curriculum development
• COVID-19 related thrombosis mechanisms and detection

Analysis of her recent publications shows a strong focus on:

• Thrombosis mechanisms in artificial organs and medical devices
• Computational modeling of blood flow and clot formation
• In vivo evaluation of biomedical devices using animal models
• Novel coatings and materials for blood-contacting devices
• Applications in extracorporeal life support systems

Dr. Lai has received several scientific awards:

• American Society of Engineering Education Travel Award (2023)
• Department Mentorship Award (2018)
• American Society of Artificial Internal Organs Young Investigators Fellowship (2017)

She teaches courses including Biomedical Engineering Senior Design, Engineering Design Process, and Scientific Reading, Writing & Presentation. She has mentored students through the MIT Summer Research Program and participates in the Future Faculty Program.

Dr. Lai leads research in medical device design at Tufts University and collaborates with institutions including MIT and UCLA. She holds a patent for a microfluidic device for screening SARS-CoV-2 thrombotic risk.