Eli Vlaisavljevich

Eli Vlaisavljevich is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics at the College of Engineering, Virginia Tech. He is based at 347 Kelly Hall, Blacksburg, VA, and leads the Therapeutic Ultrasound and Noninvasive Therapies Laboratory. His work bridges engineering and medicine, focusing on non-invasive ultrasound-based therapies.

Research Interests: His primary research areas include therapeutic ultrasound, acoustic cavitation, non-invasive tissue ablation (histotripsy and HIFU), nanoparticle-mediated histotripsy (NMH), ultrasound-guided tissue regeneration, ultrasonic neuromodulation, and medical device development. These efforts are applied in biomaterials, biomechanics, biomedical imaging, nanobioengineering, tissue engineering, and translational cancer research.

The recent publications reveal a strong trend toward clinical and translational applications of focused ultrasound, with increasing emphasis on targeted cancer ablation, regenerative hydrogels, and innovative extraction techniques like FUSE. His work spans human and veterinary oncology, neuroengineering, and even agricultural biotechnology, highlighting the versatility of ultrasound as a therapeutic and diagnostic tool.

• Kendall and Laura Hendrick Junior Faculty Fellow (College of Engineering) 2023
• Leader in Research Award (Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics) 2023
• CoE Faculty Fellow Award (College of Engineering) 2023
• Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award (State Council of Higher Education for Virginia) 2023
• Gold Pen Award (Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics) 2022
• Elected to the Board of the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) 2021
• Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (Office of Undergraduate Research) 2020
• Outstanding New Assistant Professor (College of Engineering) 2020

Advising and Grants: While specific students are not listed, Dr. Vlaisavljevich has been recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, indicating active student mentorship. His lab is likely supported by federal and institutional grants, evidenced by his NSF Graduate Fellowship history and active research in high-impact areas. He collaborates extensively across disciplines, including with clinical and veterinary researchers.

Laboratory: He directs the Therapeutic Ultrasound and Noninvasive Therapies Laboratory at Virginia Tech, which focuses on developing and translating ultrasound-based technologies for medical use. The lab produces interdisciplinary research with applications in oncology, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology.