In collaboration with Professor Anita Penkova, Professor Sadhal is developing a comprehensive eye model for fluid mechanics and transport phenomena
The research of Satwindar Singh Sadhal, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering and ophthalmology, focuses on fluid dynamics and transport phenomena in mechanical, chemical and biological systems.
His pioneering work has now been recognized with the 2024 Donald Q. Kern Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). This award is bestowed annually in recognition of expertise in a given field of heat transfer, transport phenomena and energy processes.
“I feel both honored and humbled to be recognized with this distinguished award,” said Sadhal. “I couldn’t have achieved this alone – much of my success is due to the many graduate students I have mentored, and my colleagues at USC and other institutions who have inspired me intellectually.”
Professor Sadhal received the Donald Q. Kern Award at the ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference
Over the last 40 years, Sadhal has made significant contributions to thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, acoustics and biotransport phenomena. He has produced highly cited publications on the fluid dynamics of drops and bubbles affected by contaminants. These scientific studies, represented in his monograph, “Transport Phenomena with Drops and Bubbles” (Springer-Verlag,1997), have provided researchers with the necessary background to tackle the serious medical problem of gas embolism that can occur during cardiac surgeries.
At the invitation of the ASME, Sadhal gave the Kern Award Keynote Lecture at the ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference in Anaheim on July 15, where he was also presented with the distinguished award.
In collaboration with research assistant Professor Anita Penkova at the USC Biofluids and Biotransport Laboratory, Sadhal is focusing on drug delivery for retinal diseases. Two of the most prevalent retinal diseases – macular edema from diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration – are significant causes of visual impairment worldwide. There are numerous challenges concerning drug delivery to the retina, due to physiological and anatomical transport barriers that affect the concentration distribution of applied drugs.
Through advanced numerical and analytical modeling of fluid dynamics and transport phenomena, Sadhal’s research is serving to deepen understanding of how to optimize drug delivery for most effective treatment – an endeavor that has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of retinal disease patients globally.
Published on September 11th, 2024
Last updated on September 12th, 2024
