He/Him
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Contact
Room 7-115 Nils Hasselmo Hall
312 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
He/Him
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
The Barocas research group explores the relationship between tissue architecture and mechanics using a combination of multiscale computational models and innovative mechanical experiments. This approach, applied in a wide range of organs and tissues, represents two key paradigms in modern biomechanics:
Current research is primarily focused on how ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms remodel, grow, and eventually fail (U01 HL139471) and how spinal load affect the facet capsular ligament and lead to injury or pain (U01 AT010326). Other work explores cell motility during tumor metastasis, fibrotic lung disease, and the perception of vibrotactile stimuli by the hand. These disparate systems are all linked by the interaction between mechanical and mechanobiological events at different scales.
Badal, R.M., Mahutga, R.R., Alford, P.W., and V.H. Barocas, “Microstructural remodeling under single fiber tensional homeostasis recreates distinctive ex vivo mechanical behavior of arteries,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 24(2):701-712, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/s10237-025-01934-x
Bazzi, M.S., Wiputra, H., Wood, D.K., and V.H. Barocas, “Computational analysis of flow and transport suggests reduced oxygen levels within intracranial aneurysms, especially in individuals with sickle-cell disease,”Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 147(2):021006, 2025. DOI: 10.1115/1.4067323
Gacek, E., Ellingson, A.M., and V.H. Barocas, “Residual strain and joint pressurization maintain tension for on-joint lumbar facet capsular ligaments,” Journal of BIomechanical Engineering, 146(11):111005, 2024. DOI: 10.1115/1.4066091
Nikpasand, M., Middendorf, J.M., Ella, V.A., Jones, K.E., Ladd, B., Takahashi, T., Barocas, V.H., and A.M. Ellingson, “Automated MRI-based grading of the lumbar intervertebral disc and facet joints,” JOR-Spine, 7:e1353, 2024. DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1353
Donahue, C.L., Badal, R.M., Younger, T.S., Guan, W., Tolkacheva, E.G., and V.H. Barocas (2024), “Atherosclerotic calcifications have a local effect on the peel behavior of human aortic media,” J. Biomech Eng., 146(6):061003.
Donahue, C.L., Westman, C.L., Faanes, B.L., Qureshi, A.M., Barocas, V.H., and V. Aggarwal (2024), “Finite element modeling with patient-specific geometry to predict clinical risks of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation,” Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, 103(6):924-933. DOI: 10.1002/ccd.31016
*Flanary, S.M., *Peak, K.E., and V.H. Barocas, “A graphical approach to visualize and interpret biochemically coupled biomechanical models,” ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 146(5):054054, 2024. DOI: 10.1115/1.4064970.
Mahutga, R.R., Barocas, V.H., and P.W. Alford, “The non-affine network solver: a multiscale fiber network material model for finite-element analysis,” J. Mech. Behav. Biol. Mat., 144:105967, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.105967.
Flanary, S.M., Jo, S., Ravichandran, R., Alejandro, E.U., and V.H. Barocas, “A computational bridge between traction force microscopy and tissue contraction,” Journal of Applied Physics, 134:074901, 2023. DOI: 10.1063/5.0157507.
Flanary, S.M. and V.H. Barocas, “A structural bio-chemo-mechanical model for vascular smooth muscle cell traction force microscopy,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 22(4):1221-1238, 2023. DOI: 10.1007/s10237-023-01713-6.