CCRG Engineer wins new Research Grant from The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.
CCRG’s Senior Engineering Research Fellow, Dr Jessica Benitez has been named as one of the Emerging Researchers for 2025 from The Common Good, an initiative of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation (TPCHF).
As part of her research program within CCRG’s ICETLab supported by The Common Good, Dr Benitez will focus on reducing blood damage sustained during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an invasive life-sustaining therapy.
Dr Jessica Benitez has been named as one of The Common Good’s Emerging Research Fellows for 2025.
“Using advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations combined with particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments, we’ll be able to mimic real blood flow and different tube setups,” explains Dr Benitez.
“Our aim is to find areas where blood is subjected to harmful forces including high shear stress, turbulence and haemolysis, key contributors to blood damage. Then, we will identify the best flow settings that minimise this trauma while ensuring the circulatory support is still effective.
“This comprehensive approach aims to provide us with clear data that matches real-life conditions and clinical scenarios, improving our understanding of the flow-induced mechanisms of blood trauma.”
Currently, there is a limited understanding of how pulsatile flow patterns and cannula design influence blood trauma and complications such as thrombus formation and left ventricular distension that patients receiving VA-ECMO can develop. It is hoped the study will inform the development of safer ECMO protocols, contributing to the growing field of personalised mechanical circulatory support.
“In the short term, our findings will support more informed clinical decision-making around cannula positioning, flow settings, and pulsatile management during VA-ECMO therapy. This will ultimately lead to improving patient stability, decreasing ICU stay durations, and lowering healthcare costs.
“Looking further ahead, the study’s evidence-based recommendations will contribute to the refinement of ECMO device design and control strategies. The collaboration with clinicians and engineers will ensure that the outcomes are not only scientifically rigorous but also directly applicable to real-world practice.”
Dr Jessica Benitez is a Biomedical Engineer with a PhD in Cardiovascular Biomechanics and Master’s Degrees in Medical Physics. Her expertise spans computational modelling, medical imaging analysis, and experimental tissue characterization. Her research focused on cardiovascular diseases across various anatomical structures, including carotid arteries, coronary arteries, heart, and intracranial aneurysms. Dr Benitez has developed innovative methods to assess stresses on plaque components and arterial walls, contributing to advancements in cardiovascular health and disease management. With ICETLab her research will focus on computational and experimental fluid dynamics on the circulatory system.
CCRG’s Innovative Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology Laboratory (ICETLab) works to facilitate the transition of innovative cardiovascular technologies from idea to clinical implementation, whilst also investigating the clinical challenges facing existing technology.
TPCHF Emerging Researcher Grants, administered by The Common Good, an initiative of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, provide an opportunity for early post-doctoral researchers to develop their skills and experience, while building research capacity at TPCH. The grants provide researchers with funding to use on a project that can be achieved within 1-2 years.