Christopher Dillon

Dr. Christopher Dillon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Brigham Young University, where he applies his expertise in heat transfer and thermal therapy. Prior to joining BYU, he worked at Sandia National Laboratories and completed a postdoc in the Radiology Department at the University of Utah, focusing on focused ultrasound for non-invasive tissue ablation.

Education:

• Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah
• Postdoctoral Research, University of Utah (Radiology)

Dr. Dillon’s research centers on optimizing thermal therapies using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). His work integrates computational modeling, tissue property characterization, and medical imaging to enhance treatment planning and efficacy, particularly in cancer therapy and non-invasive drug delivery. He also develops open-source tools like conformable skin-cooling systems to improve treatment safety.

His recent publications highlight advancements in reduced-order modeling, temperature-dependent tissue properties, and MR-guided thermal monitoring. Themes include treatment optimization for breast cancer, phase aberration correction, and acoustic-property estimation.

Dr. Dillon emphasizes collaboration, stating that effective engineering arises from strong teams and shared values. He balances his academic work with family life, raising four children, and pursuing mountain biking and Roald Dahl literature.