LIFD Early Career Researcher Spotlight: Cristina Teleanu

Thesis Title: Automated Workflow for Haemodynamic Analysis of Aortic Root Pre- and Post-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

School/Faculty: CDT in Fluid Dynamics, School of Computing

Supervisors: Dr. Zeike Taylor, Dr. Nishant Ravikumar, and Dr. Toni Lassila

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m in the final year of my PhD – and my fourth year in the CDT program at Leeds. Before this, I completed an MEng in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. I have always leaned towards biomedical research, and by my final year, I was particularly interested in cardiovascular engineering. I chose the Fluids CDT because I knew the master’s year would give me solid skills for my research, so it seemed like a good fit. Outside of research, I enjoy activities like hiking, running, climbing, skiing – really, anything that gets me moving. And, of course, I enjoy spending time with my dog.

What is your research about? My research focuses on analysing blood flow through diseased aortic valves using fluid-structure interaction simulations. The goal is to replicate clinical trials digitally, or in-silico. I run patient-specific simulations before and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and then compare the results with clinical data for each patient. This is all part of a bigger project aimed at establishing in-silico trials as an intermediate step before clinical trials – it’s a way to reduce risks for patients and costs associated with clinical trials.

What do you wish you knew before starting a PhD? I wish I’d known how valuable it is to be part of a research group with similar skills. Being able to discuss challenges with people who understand them, and can even lend a hand when needed, is incredibly helpful. I also wish I had realised how slow research can be – especially if, as it often is the case, you’re working alone.

What are your plans for the future? My plan is to train as a Clinical Engineer, which would mean working in hospitals and interacting with patients directly. While I enjoy the work I do in my PhD, I would like my career to take a more clinical angle. Ideally, I would still be involved in research as a Clinical Engineer – I think I would miss that aspect if it were entirely absent from my work.