Srujana Joshi
BioE Ph.D. Defense Presentation
Date and Time: Wednesday September 30th, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Location: 102A Conference Room, Joseph M. Pettit Microelectronics Research Building
791 Atlantic Dr. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/my/cfmlab

Advisors:    Dr. Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)
          Dr. Scott Hollister, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Committee: Dr. Rudolph Gleason
          Dr. Holly Bauser-Heaton, MD, PhD (UT Health Houston)
Dr. Susan James, PhD (Colorado State University)
Dr. Vinod Thourani, MD (Piedmont Healthcare)

Investigation of a Novel Transcatheter Bio-Inspired Polymeric Valve for Hemodynamic Performance and Durability
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has transformed the treatment of aortic valve disease, but its expansion into younger patient populations places increasing demands on valve durability and lifetime performance. Polymeric transcatheter heart valves (THVs) offer an alternative to conventional bioprosthetic valves, but their successful translation introduces interconnected challenges in leaflet manufacturing, transcatheter delivery, hemodynamic performance, and durability. This dissertation presents the development and evaluation of a balloon-expandable polymeric THV incorporating a bio-inspired hyaluronan enhanced linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE-HA) material platform designed to combine the mechanical properties of the polymer with the biological functionality of hyaluronan. First, vacuum thermoforming is established as a reproducible manufacturing approach for producing three-dimensional polymeric leaflets with consistent hemodynamic performance and favorable flow characteristics. Next, iterative valve design and durability studies evaluate leaflet material, attachment, and skirt and commissural design features while maintaining valve hemodynamic performance. Finally, leaflet crimping studies and finite element simulations characterize damage and mechanical deformation introduced during transcatheter crimping, balloon expansion, and patient-specific deployment. Collectively, these studies address key engineering challenges in translating a bio-inspired LLDPE-HA leaflet material into a functional THV system. By integrating investigations of leaflet manufacturing, material and valve design, hemodynamic performance, durability, and transcatheter deployment, this work provides an engineering framework for the continued development of polymeric THVs with favorable functional performance, improved durability and reproducible manufacturing.