Seminar: When Soft Tissue Meets Hard Calcification

WHEN SOFT TISSUE MEETS HARD CALCIFICATION: A MULTISCALE APPROACH TO AORTIC BIOMECHANICS The human aorta is a complex biological structure whose mechanical behaviour depends on the composition and organisation of its extracellular matrix. Pathological processes, including atherosclerosis and aneurysm formation, alter the structure and mechanical response of the aortic wall. Calcification introduces further complexity through the presence of rigid mineral deposits within compliant soft tissue. In vascular disease, the location and extent of calcification can influence arterial compliance and local stress distributions, with potential consequences for vessel function and wall integrity. In this Masterclass, the relationships between aortic wall microstructure and mechanical behaviour will be explored using experimental findings from healthy and diseased human tissues. Particular attention will be given to the heterogeneous structure and mechanical properties of vascular calcifications and their interaction with surrounding tissue. The integration of mechanical testing and structural characterisation will be discussed, together with selected computational findings illustrating the biomechanical implications of these structural features. Magdalena Kobielarz, PhD, DSc, is a Professor and Head of the Biomedical Engineering Division in the Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland. Her research focuses on experimental biomechanics and biomaterials, particularly the relationships between microstructure and mechanical properties of biological tissues. She specialises in vascular biomechanics, including the mechanical behaviour of healthy and pathological aortic walls, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and vascular calcifications. Her research combines experimental mechanical testing with advanced structural characterisation techniques. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and a research monograph on the biomechanical significance of mineral deposits in the aortic wall. Professor Kobielarz has undertaken research fellowships at Graz University of Technology and The University of Western Australia. Professor Kobielarz is a 2026 UWA Gledden Visiting Fellow, working with Professors Adam Wittek and Karol Miller at the Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, UWA. This seminar is an in-person event only.