Professor Ralph Sinkus

Research interests

My current research activities are mainly focused on the assessment and the understanding of biomechanics within the human body for disease characterization and therapy efficacy evaluation by using MR and ultrasound elastography. This interest goes far beyond the “plain” measurement of tissues’ viscoelastic properties, but reaches out into fundamental physics such as for instance anomalous wave propagation in fractal-like media and apoptotic cellular processes triggered via mechanotransduction. 

At present, I envisage 4 main stream research foci in order to complement and extend the current research portfolio in the bioengineering group at KCL:

• Fundamental physics of waves in scattering hierarchical media encompassing acoustics (shear and compressional waves) as well as electromagnetic waves (RF and light);
• Broadband biomechanical modelling of the human heart via MR-elastography: assessing the viscoelastic, poroelastic and anisotropic mechanical properties of the myocardium;
• Translational studies aiming at bringing novel mechanical imaging biomarkers to the patient for early diagnosis, intervention planning, and therapy;
• Interaction of waves with cells: how can mechanotransduction steer the fate of a cell?