Postdoctoral Scholar – Research Associate
USC Mark & Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute
I am a medical physics PhD graduate (defended dissertation in March 2021) with a bachelor’s degree in physics . I am an interdisciplinary researcher who works at the interface of physics and biology. My PhD research projects are focused on analyzing effects of anisotropy on cardiac mehanotransduction and generating spatial distributions using the mechanical bidomain model which involves soft tissue biomechanics. My postdoctoral research background is focused on biomedical engineering – neuroscience. I am interested on connectome based diffusion tractography. My most recent project is on developing a connectome based neuronal activation analysis for patients undergo Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Depression (DBS-TRD).
My research work involves mathematical modeling (continuum mechanics), numerical analysis (FDM/FEM), tractography, medical image processing, signal processing and generating computer simulations using MATLAB.
Information about my publications can be found in ResearchGate
Check out my academic genealogy of physics
Projects in Brief
3D Tissue Indentation Using Mechanical Bidomain Model
2022
Three-dimensional tissue indentation is a widely used technique to study mechanical properties of soft tissues. We used the tissue indentation to observe mechanotransduction in cardiac tissue.
Effects of Anisotropy on cardiac tissue with complex fiber geometry
2019
We observed spatial distributions of cardiac mechanotransduction by applying different fiber geometries and anisotropy ratios.
Plant Collection
I collect houseplants and study their scientific classifications such as species, genus and family as a leisure time activity. Sometimes I experiment growth conditions of outdoor plants in indoors. The art of making terrariums always fascinates me and I am still an amateur terrarium artist. Collection of photographs of my plant collection can be found here.
Dilmini Wijesinghe 