Congratulations to Sung Hoon Kang, INBT associate faculty member and assistant professor of mechanical engineering, who won the Whiting School of Engineering Research Award for Lab Excellence at the 2019 Department of Medicine/Whiting School of Engineering Research Retreat, held Friday, March 1, 2019 at Turner Auditorium.

Kang was invited to present on his lab’s research, which is focused on developing next-generation materials and mechanical systems inspired by nature. During his presentation, Kang discussed his group’s NIH-funded project to formulate a new soft material to use in 3D printed, self-adaptable cardiovascular devices for infants with congenital heart defects. The team hopes to harness the physiological changes that occur during growth to create an implant that can adapt and grow with the child. The larger goal is to reduce the number of open heart surgeries and complications for these young patients.

This article originally appeared on the Department for Mechanical Engineering website.

Story by: Catherine Graham