This year’s Biomedical Engineering “Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher” award has been presented to Leila DeCampos.
Leila was co-mentored under BME adjunct faculty Dr. Allison Payne (Radiology) and BME faculty member Dr. Doug Christensen in the Focused Ultrasound Lab at the Utah Center for Advanced imaging Research (UCAIR, Radiology) for the past 2 years. During this experience, Leila produced skills in modeling applications of focused ultrasound as a noninvasive treatment for breast cancer, neuromodulation and other conditions. Her research centered on characterizing different UCAIR ultrasound transducers used to produce and apply ultrasonic energy to tissues for various therapeutic uses. Leila completed critical acoustic and physics characterization procedures for five ultrasound transducers, analyzing 300+ data sets using MATLAB software processing, simulation and modeling routines. Leila has advanced UCAIR computational simulation modeling capabilities and data handling and processing responsibilities that feed back to clinical strategies. As a dedicated BME major on the Dean’s list each semester she has been enrolled, Leila understood time management and discipline in order to contribute to UCAIR research.
Leila has presented her work at several conferences such as the UCAIR Annual Research Symposium and has submitted to present at the next annual International Symposium for Therapeutic Ultrasound Conference. UCAIR senior lab members have submitted their findings in academic and medical publications and conference presentations aided by Leila’s results. She is currently co-author of a full research manuscript with her UCAIR mentors.
Beyond her UCAIR research, Leila has collaborated in a 4-member BME student team to design and build a prototype of a force sensor to measures pelvic floor muscle strength in women to improve diagnosis and monitoring of pelvic floor disorders. She served as the team’s quality engineer, ensuring that requisite patient-device safety regulations were followed, reducing risk via FMEA and FTA analysis.
Asked about Leila’s work and impact, her advisor, Dr. Alison Payne, remarked, “Leila’s work in non-linear acoustic modeling is foundational and widely applicable for therapeutic ultrasound applications. Her understanding of acoustic measurements and simulation techniques is benefiting ongoing research including projects that are treating brain disorders and breast cancer.”
Congratulations, Leila, on the well-earned BME Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher award!