People Faculty

James F. Antaki, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Deparmtent of Biomedical Engineering, CMU
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, U. Pitt.

Email: Phone: (412) 802-6431 Fax: (412) 802-7813 Office: BIOTC 420

Education

Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering), University of Pittsburgh, 1991
BS (Mechanical and Electrical Eng) - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1985

Professional Interests

Dr. Antaki's primary research is concerned with the development of the Pittsburgh Artificial Heart. This initiative involves coordination of a diversity of medical and engineering disciplines, and encompasses a variety of individual research projects including: experimental and computation fluid dynamics, computer design optimizations, physiologic control systems, rheology of blood and mechanics of the heart muscle.

Because of the exacting demands posed by a chronic human application of artificial organs, we believe that their design requires a quantum paradigm shift from conventional methods. Our laboratory is thus dedicated to creating new technology for the development of blood-wetted internal organs. This entails adapting the latest computer tools from aerospace such as Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis, Computer Aided Design, and Rapid Prototyping to the design of medical devices. To bridge the gap in using these tools to artificial organs, we are developing unique theoretical, computational, and experimental tools and techniques. Some active areas of research include constitutive modeling of blood, computer simulation of transport, optimization, and multidisciplinary design.

To assure that these systems are responsive to physiologic demands and provide a satisfactory quality of life, our group is also developing models and methods of control and power generation.

The culmination of these efforts is currently focused on the development of a novel magnetically-levitated turbo blood pump (artificial heart) as a remedy for people with terminal heart disease. Named the "StreamLiner," its design evolution is governed by numerical optimization algorithms to automate the process of "streamlining" the design for maximum functionality and biocompatibility.

The multi-disciplinary nature of these biomedical systems naturally engenders collaborative relationships with many centers of the University and beyond. We have strong working relationships with physicians and clinical members of the Department of Surgery; faculty and experts in the Engineering Schools of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University in control theory, computational mechanics, rapid prototyping, and design methodology; and collaborators at NASA laboratories. Our work also involves working ties with several industrial partners.

The ongoing rewards of participating in this field of Bioengineering have been outstanding. Over and above the intellectual benefit of exploring this exciting field, we are especially grateful for the opportunity to contribute to technology which will make a positive difference in peoples lives.

Selected Publications

• Yu, Y.-C., J.R. Boston, M. Simaan, and J.F. Antaki Estimation of systemic vascular bed parameters for artificial heart control. Submitted to IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, 1996.
• Antaki J.F., G. Bertocci, E.C. Green, T. Rintoul, R.L. Kormos, and B.P. Griffith. A Gait-powered autologous battery charging system for artificial organs. ASAIO J 1998, M588-M595.
• Antaki, J.F., O. Ghattas, G.W. Burgreen, B. He. Computational flow optimization in rotary blood pump components. Artificial Organs 19(7):608-615, 1995.
• Antaki, J.F., T.J. Dennis, H. Konishi, T.R. Maher, J.P. Tomczak, J.P. Kerrigan, M. Brown, and R.L. Kormos. An improved left ventricular cannula for chronic dynamic blood pump support. Artificial Organs 19(7):671-675, 1995.
• Burgreen, G.W., Antaki, J.F., Wu, J., LeBlanc, P., and Butler, K.C. (1999). A computational and experimental comparison of two outlet stators for the Nimbus LVAD. ASAIO J 45:328-333.
• Choi, S, Boston, JR, and Antaki, JF (2005). An investigation of the pump operating characteristics as a novel control index for LVAD control. International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems, 3(1), 100-108.
• Gwak, KW, Ricci, M, Snyder, S, Paden, BE, Boston, JR, Simaan, MA, and Antaki, JF (2005). In vitro evaluation of multiobjective hemodynamic control of a heart-assist pump. ASAIO Journal, 51(4), 329-335.
• Vandenberghe, S, Segers, P, Antaki, JF, Meyns, B, and Verdonck, PR (2005). Hemodynamic modes of ventricular assist with a rotary blood pump: Continuous, pulsatile, and failure. ASAIO Journal, 51(6), 711-718.
• Wu, J, Antaki, JF, Snyder, TA, Wagner, WR, Borovetz, HS, and Paden, BE (2005). Design optimization of blood shearing instrument by CFD. Artificial Organs, 29, 482-489.
• Wu, J, Antaki, JF, Wagner, WR, Snyder, TA, Paden, BE, and Borovetz, HS (2005). Elimination of adverse leakage flow in a miniature pediatric centrifugal blood pump by computational fluid dynamics - based design optimization. ASAIO Journal, 51(5), 636-643.