We present tension-compression mechanical data, nonpregnant vs. pregnant comparison, and mechanical parameters fit to a microstructurally-inspired material model for the human uterus, with tissue fiber architecture characterized via optical coherence tomography. The pregnant human uterus was found to be less stiff, more extensible, and more dispersed in its fiber architecture compared to nonpregnancy.

This manuscript was written by Shuyang Fang, Camilo Duarte, Daniella Fodera, and Lei Shi in collaboration with the Hendon Structure Function Imaging Laboratory.

Preprint – bioRxiv
Equilibrium Tension and Compression Mechanical Properties of the Human Uterus

We proposed two new parametric methods to model the at-term human uterus: one with numerous detailed measurements of the uterine coronal shape and one with an averaged uterine coronal shape. We compared the two new parametric modeling methods to our previous parametric modeling approach and to models generated from MRI segmentation through computational simulations of uterine pressurization. These approaches make it possible to study a wide range of maternal anatomy in birthing simulation.

This article is written by Erin Louwagie, Divya Rajasekharan, and Arielle Feder.

Article – Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
Parametric Solid Models of the At-term Uterus From Magnetic Resonance Images

“My hope is that we could take a simplistic ultrasonic scan of maternal anatomy and be able to assess how this uterus is going to grow and stretch, and better time when labour is going to happen.” Check out the linked article.

The Myers Lab celebrates Shuyang Fang successfully defending his doctoral thesis. His research investigated the mechanical properties of the human uterus, nonhuman primate cervix, and fetal membrane-uterine wall adhesion. Great work Dr. Fang!

Adriana Delagarza, Madeline Skeel, and Gabriel Guerra Trigo presented their summer research at the Columbia Undergraduate Research Symposium. Great work, all!

The Myers Lab congratulates Nicole Lee on successfully defending her doctoral thesis. Her research investigated the mechanical role of extracellular matrix components in cervical remodeling. Way to go Dr. Lee!

We proposed a new material model that captures the tension–compression asymmetric material responses and the remodeling characteristics of both human and mouse cervical tissue. We present tension-compression mechanical data, nonpregnant vs pregnant comparisons, a full 3-D statistical mechanics model, links to raw data, and material model implementation in FEBio.

This article is written by Lei Shi.

Article – Acta Biomaterialia
Three-dimensional anisotropic hyperelastic constitutive model describing the mechanical response of human and mouse cervix

We enjoyed having Miccaella Lejwa in the lab this summer as a 2022 SURE Fellow! Her research focused on running computational simulations of maternal anatomy at low risk for preterm birth.

The members of the Myers lab have been on the move this year, attending conferences and working with collaborators. We’re so happy to see everyone in-person!