University of Pennsylvania
njacobs@seas.upenn.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, 2014, University of Pennsylvania
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, 2007, University of Utah
Finite Element Predictions of Healthy and Degenerate Intervertebral Disc Mechanics
My research is developing and validating a finite element model of the disc,including the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus, first at a tissue-level and subsequently as a complete disc. The models will be used to study the disc internal stresses and strains at physiological loads and to quantify changes in magnitude and distribution that occur with degeneration and with therapeutic interventions.
Publications
- Lujan TJ, Underwood CJ, Jacobs N , Weiss JA: Viscoelastic tensile behavior of human ligament after interfibrillar glycosaminoglycan digestion. J Appl Physiol. In Review.
- Parker JT, Beutler DS, Sukavaneshvar S, Jacobs N , Solen K, Mohammad SF. Mitigation of coagulation by removing clotting factors part 1: in vitro feasibility study. ASAIO J. 2007 Jul-Aug;53(4):415-20.
Conference Papers
- Lujan TJ, Underwood CJ, Jacobs N , Weiss JA: Viscoelastic tensile behavior of human medial collateral ligament after interfibrillar glycosaminoglycan digestion. ORS, 2007. (podium presentation)
- Lujan TJ, Underwood CJ, Jacobs N , Weiss JA: Tissue Swelling During Extended Material Testing Of Ligaments. Abstract presented at ASME 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference.
- Bingham J, Griggs J, Jacobs N , Sukavaneshvar S. Thrombogenecity of Polymers Commonly used in Blood Contacting Devices. Abstract presented at BioInterface 2006, San Mateo, CA. December 4-6, 2006.