William M Torres, Ph.D.
Dr. Torres specializes in the use of multi-disciplinary methods such as quantitative image analysis and computational modeling to promote the effective design of medical technology. He has expertise in the use of finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and three-dimensional anatomical reconstruction for the mechanical analysis of biological tissues and the recreation of in-vivo biological flows. Furthermore, he has extensive experience in the use of large animal disease models, non-invasive echocardiographic imaging, and multi-photon histological analysis.
Throughout the course of his doctoral research at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Torres worked extensively with unique large animal models of heart failure to characterize the rate and extent of adverse remodeling secondary to different phenotypes of heart disease. This work motivated the intelligent design of targeted biomaterial-based therapeutics for post-myocardial infarction care to mitigate these adverse outcomes. Furthermore, he invented a clinically-translatable tool for the advanced biomechanical analysis of the human heart from readily-available echocardiographic imaging.
CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2019
- B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2014
National Institute of Health Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Recipient, 2015-2019
National Science Foundation I-Corps Recipient and 1st place in the start-up pitch competition, University of South Carolina, 2018
Procter & Gamble FIRST conference technical challenge runner-up, 2017
Publications
Torres WM, Jacobs J, Doviak H, Barlow SC, Zile MR, Shazly T, Spinale FG. Regional and temporal changes in left ventricular strain and stiffness in a porcine model of myocardial infarction. American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2018; 315(4): H958-H967.
Conference Papers and Abstracts
Torres WM, Mealy JE, Jacobs J, Doviak H, Barlow SC, Burdick JA, Shazly T, Spinale FG. Biomaterial-Based Delivery of a Small Molecule Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Limits Adverse Biomechanical Changes Throughout the Left Ventricle Following Myocardial Infarction. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 2018; 24(8): S40.
Mealy JE, Barlow SC, Doviak H, Jacobs J, Torres WM, Burdick JA, Spinale FG. Targeted Delivery and Controlled Release of a Small Molecule Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Using a Self-Assembling Hydrogel Following Myocardial Infarction. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 2018; 24(8): S17.
Conference Presentations
Torres W, Shaw T, Suarez K, Eberth J, Lessner S, Shazly T. Identifying geometric determinants of hemodynamics in the human carotid artery prior to endarterectomy. 11th International Symposium on Biomechanics in Vascular Biology and Cardiovascular Disease, 2016.
Prior Experience
Co-Founder and Director of Consulting, Torres-Prim Biomedical, LLC, March 2017 – December 2019
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, University of South Carolina, August 2014 – March 2019
Research Intern, Wake Forest University – Virginia Polytechnic Institute, May 2013 – August 2013
Professional Affiliations
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
National Biomedical Engineering Society
CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2019
- B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2014
National Institute of Health Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Recipient, 2015-2019
National Science Foundation I-Corps Recipient and 1st place in the start-up pitch competition, University of South Carolina, 2018
Procter & Gamble FIRST conference technical challenge runner-up, 2017