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Professor's grant will fund bone research
William Denton
Issue date: 10/8/09 Section: News
Dr. Shiva Kotha of the Mechanical Engineering Department, recent recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, will apply his research funds to develop devices and techniques to treat bone-related illnesses in an effort to reduce the costs of medical care.
Kotha's background in the study of bone tissues began with graduate research on the molecular composition of bones and their behavior under mechanical loads, but his concerns have broadened to encompass the practical realities of medicine and treatment - specifically regarding the economics of how individuals seek treatment.
He said that health care presently accounts for 16 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, and should rise to 24 percent within the next decade.
"The current rising costs of health care will bankrupt the country," Kotha said.
His response is to enable treatment of distinct illnesses by way of simple devices manufactured for sale in stores that could address multiple concerns at once.
For example, to maintain oral health, he conceived a tooth-cleaning device much like tooth-whitening strips that people could apply daily to clean their teeth.
Other features of this device would simultaneously allow individuals to detect changes in their oral hygiene that may be the first signs of underlying disease.
This would eliminate the need of a doctor's attention for a preliminary diagnosis.
The device could also be used to treat the underlying illness if its design included the appropriate functions.
According to Abhijit Debroy, a 3rd-semester Ph.D., candidate in mechanical engineering who researches with Kotha, the device would employ ultrasonic vibrations to shake plaque from teeth as its primary marketed function.
Debroy is involved in molecular level research on bone structures, studying in the same field that Kotha started in while a graduate researcher.
Kotha's background in the study of bone tissues began with graduate research on the molecular composition of bones and their behavior under mechanical loads, but his concerns have broadened to encompass the practical realities of medicine and treatment - specifically regarding the economics of how individuals seek treatment.
He said that health care presently accounts for 16 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, and should rise to 24 percent within the next decade.
"The current rising costs of health care will bankrupt the country," Kotha said.
His response is to enable treatment of distinct illnesses by way of simple devices manufactured for sale in stores that could address multiple concerns at once.
For example, to maintain oral health, he conceived a tooth-cleaning device much like tooth-whitening strips that people could apply daily to clean their teeth.
Other features of this device would simultaneously allow individuals to detect changes in their oral hygiene that may be the first signs of underlying disease.
This would eliminate the need of a doctor's attention for a preliminary diagnosis.
The device could also be used to treat the underlying illness if its design included the appropriate functions.
According to Abhijit Debroy, a 3rd-semester Ph.D., candidate in mechanical engineering who researches with Kotha, the device would employ ultrasonic vibrations to shake plaque from teeth as its primary marketed function.
Debroy is involved in molecular level research on bone structures, studying in the same field that Kotha started in while a graduate researcher.
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