معرفی
Heather Hayenga is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, affiliated with the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. Her research focuses on vascular mechanobiology, integrating experimental and computational models to understand cardiovascular diseases. She leads the Vascular Mechanobiology Laboratory, which develops models predicting arterial behavior and disease progression, and explores translational applications like drug delivery systems targeting the blood-brain barrier.
Hayenga holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University (2011) and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from UC Davis (2006). She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Maryland (2011–2013).
Her research interests span computational biomechanics, cell-material interactions, and translational therapies. Recent work includes agent-based models of atherosclerosis and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems. She advises graduate and undergraduate students, with notable trainees such as Rita Bhui and Maziyar Keshavarzian.
Hayenga has secured grants including an NIH R01 (2017–2022) for computational modeling of atherosclerosis. She mentors collaborations with experts like Dr. Stefano Leonardi (Mechanical Engineering) and Dr. Clark Meyer (Biomedical Engineering). The lab actively recruits students for projects in biomechanics, cell biology, and computational modeling.
