Medicine And Engineering Join Forces To Restore Disfigured Faces

University plastic surgeon Michael Miller and engineering professor Glausio Paulino are collaborating to help people with facial injuries using topology optimization. This technique, supported by the National Science Foundation, aims to optimize material placement for facial reconstruction. The process involves complex modeling of bones, blood vessels, and tissues to restore functions like vision and speech. Although practical application in surgery is still in the future, the goal is to enable patients to regrow their own bones. The collaboration between Miller and Paulino is both exciting and humbling, with the hope of long-lasting benefits for patients. The use of bioengineering to restore faces devastated by trauma is a promising development.

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