Philip Bayly

Philip Bayly is the Lee Hunter Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science at the McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis. Since joining the faculty in 1993, he has led research on brain biomechanics, nonlinear dynamics, and imaging techniques to study traumatic injury and cellular motion.

• Key Affiliations: Neuroimaging Lab Research Center, Small Animal Magnetic Resonance Facility, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders.

His work focuses on traumatic brain injury (TBI), using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and MR Elastography to visualize brain motion and shear waves during head acceleration. He investigates how mechanical properties and directional loading influence injury patterns, with applications in military medicine (e.g., blast-induced TBI) and civilian trauma.

Research Highlights:

• Leading a $700,000 ONR-funded study to model skull-brain mechanics in blast scenarios.
• Developing acoustic microfluidics to study cilia and flagella motion, collaborating with the Meacham Lab.
• Tracking directional brain strain in human and mouse models, revealing frequency-dependent vulnerability.

Scientific Awards:

• 2025 Dean’s Award, McKelvey School of Engineering.

Grants & Collaborations:

• Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant for TBI mechanics.
• Partnerships with University of Delaware and Dartmouth College.

Labs & Teams:

• Bayly Lab: Focused on dynamics, imaging, and biomechanical modeling.
• Collaborative teams at Washington University School of Medicine.