Cardiovascular and Urological Biomechanics Research Group
Lally Lab, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
About US
Our research is focused on cardiovascular and urological tissue mechanics and imaging. We aim to gain critical insights into the role of mechanics in cardiovascular and urological diseases.
Using non-invasive vascular imaging techniques, such as Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging, we aim to develop novel diagnostic techniques for early detection of vascular degeneration.
We also use in vitro and in silico modeling approaches to aid the design and development of intravascular medical devices for the treatment of existing vascular disease.
Prof. Caitríona Lally is a Professor in Bioengineering within the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Principal Investigator in the Trinity Centre for Biomedical (TCBE) in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). She received her BEng (Mechanical Engineering) and MEng (Biomedical Engineering) degrees from University of Limerick and in 2004 she obtained a PhD from Trinity College Dublin in the area of arterial biomechanics and cardiovascular stenting. Immediately following her Ph.D., she took up a lecturing position in the School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at Dublin City University, and was appointed senior lecturer in 2014. She returned to TCD in 2015 as a Professor in Bioengineering.
Using non-invasive vascular imaging techniques, such as Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging, we aim to develop novel diagnostic techniques for early detection of vascular degeneration.
We also use in vitro and in silico modeling approaches to aid the design and development of intravascular medical devices for the treatment of existing vascular disease.
Prof. Caitríona Lally is a Professor in Bioengineering within the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Principal Investigator in the Trinity Centre for Biomedical (TCBE) in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). She received her BEng (Mechanical Engineering) and MEng (Biomedical Engineering) degrees from University of Limerick and in 2004 she obtained a PhD from Trinity College Dublin in the area of arterial biomechanics and cardiovascular stenting. Immediately following her Ph.D., she took up a lecturing position in the School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at Dublin City University, and was appointed senior lecturer in 2014. She returned to TCD in 2015 as a Professor in Bioengineering.
Our research
Lab News
research team
Dr. Jhaleh Amirian
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Development of implantable urological devices – experimental approach
Dr. Dylan Armfield
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Development of polymeric heart valve leaflets
Dr. Carolina Martins
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Experimental analysis of artificial urinary sphincters to improve treatment of urinary incontinence
Dr. Maria Vittoria Mascolini
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Development of implantable urological devices – In-silico approach
Dr. Conall Quinn
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Computational and experimental analysis of artificial urinary sphincters to improve treatment of urinary incontinence
Vacancies
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Positions Available:
Applications are invited for the following AMBER -Industry partner collaborative funded research position:
The aim of this project is to test human urological tissues and based on this data to develop a bench-top system for testing urological devices which can aid in the optimisation of these
devices. The work will involve materials testing, biomaterials synthesis and characterisation, 3D printing, test rig design and medical device testing. The researcher will work closely with other members of a multidisciplinary team including PIs, clinicians, engineers, postdoctoral research fellows and postgraduate researchers in the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering and the industry partner. About the Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER): AMBER is a Research Ireland funded centre that provides a partnership between leading researchers in materials science and industry. More information can be found at http://ambercentre.ie
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
- Undertake academic research under the direction of the PI
- Engage and collaborate with industry partner and researchers involved in the project
- Undertake appropriate administrative/management/leadership activities and tasks
- Mentor and supervise undergraduate and/or graduate students and provide training
- in relevant research activities
- Collaborate with other researchers within Lally lab, TCBE and AMBER
Funding Information
Co-funded project between AMBER Research Ireland Centre and a multi-national Industry partner.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a PhD in biomedical engineering
Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)
- Extensive experience and expertise in soft tissue testing (including cadaveric tissue), in-vitro rig design and development, biomaterials characterisation and medical device design (Essential)
- Data analysis and computer programming (e.g. Matlab, Labview python) (Desirable)
Skills & Competencies
- Excellent writing and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Project management and organisational skills
- Flexible, self-motivated and willingness to adapt to the project needs
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team
- Possess the capability and confidence to solve technical challenges
- Enthusiastic, motivated and committed to personal development
Summary of Project #2: Novel biomimetic polymeric heart valve development
Applications are invited for the following AMBER -Industry partner collaborative funded research position:
The aim of this project is to create and test biomimetic silicone-MEW valves and optimise these devices. The work will involve materials testing, biomaterials synthesis and characterisation, 3D printing, Melt-electrowriting, valve building and pulse duplicator/accelerated wear testing. The researcher will work closely with other members of a multidisciplinary team including PIs, clinicians, engineers, postdoctoral research fellows and postgraduate researchers in the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering and with the industry partner.
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
- Undertake academic research under the direction of the PI
- Engage and collaborate with industry partner and researchers involved in the project
- Undertake appropriate administrative/management/leadership activities and tasks
- Mentor and supervise undergraduate and/or graduate students and provide training in relevant research activities
- Collaborate with other researchers within Lally lab, TCBE and AMBER
Co-funded project between AMBER Research Ireland Centre and a multi-national Industry partner.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a PhD in biomedical engineering
Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)
- Extensive experience and expertise in materials testing and 3D printing (Essential)
- Ideally MEW printing, biomaterial characterisation and medical device design and testing (Desirable)
- Finite element analysis (Desirable)
- Data analysis and computer programming (e.g. Matlab, Labview python) (Desirable)
- Excellent writing and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Project management and organisational skills
- Flexible, self-motivated and willingness to adapt to the project needs
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team
- Possess the capability and confidence to solve technical challenges
- Enthusiastic, motivated and committed to personal development
About the Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER): AMBER is a Research Ireland funded centre that provides a partnership between leading researchers in materials science and industry. More information can be found at http://ambercentre.ie
About Lally Group: The postdoctoral research positions will be based in the Lally Lab (http://www.lallylab.eu) within the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering (TCBE) and the Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER) in Trinity College Dublin. Prof. Lally leads a multidisciplinary research group in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. The goal of the Lally lab is to develop in vitro and in-silico testing platforms for the optimisation and development of medical devices, particularly cardiovascular and urological devices, through the advancement of knowledge of soft tissue mechanics and the use of non-invasive imaging techniques.
About the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering (TCBE): TCBE is a key research centre in Trinity College combining fundamental research with translation to clinical practice. TCBE provides a structure to bring bioengineers, basic scientists, and clinicians together to focus on important clinical needs and has four key research themes: Medical Devices, Neural Engineering, Biomechanics & Mechanobiology, Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine. More information on TCBE can be found at https://www.tcd.ie/biomedicalengineering
How to apply: Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), to:
Prof. Tríona Lally, PhD
Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.
Email: lallyca@tcd.ie. Positions will remain opened until 12 Noon (Irish Standard Time), 17 July 2026. Only short-listed applications will be acknowledged.
publications
Funding & Partnerships
ERC Starting Grant
FibreRemodel
Frontier research in arterial fibre remodelling for vascular disease diagnosis and tissue engineering
Summary
Each year cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms cause 48% of all deaths in Europe. Arteries may be regarded as fibre-reinforced materials, with the stiffer collagen fibres present in the arterial wall bearing most of the load during pressurisation. Degenerative vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms alter the macroscopic mechanical properties of arterial tissue and therefore change the arterial wall composition and the quality and orientation of the underlying fibrous architecture. Information on the complex fibre architecture of arterial tissues is therefore at the core of understanding the aetiology of vascular diseases. The current proposal aims to use a combination of in vivo Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging, with parallel in silico modelling, to non-invasively identify differences in the fibre architecture of human carotid arteries which can be directly linked with carotid artery disease and hence used to diagnose vulnerable plaque rupture risk. Knowledge of arterial fibre patterns, and how these fibres alter in response to their mechanical environment, also provides a means of understanding remodelling of tissue engineered vessels. Therefore, in the second phase of this project, this novel imaging framework will be used to determine fibre patterns of decellularised arterial constructs in vitro with a view to directing mesenchymal stem cell growth and differentiation and creating a biologically and mechanically compatible tissue engineered vessel. In silico mechanobiological models will also be used to help identify the optimum loading environment for the vessels to encourage cell repopulation but prevent excessive intimal hyperplasia. This combination of novel in vivo, in vitro and in silico work has the potential to revolutionise approaches to early diagnosis of vascular diseases and vascular tissue engineering strategies
Frontier research in arterial fibre remodelling for vascular disease diagnosis and tissue engineering
Summary
Each year cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms cause 48% of all deaths in Europe. Arteries may be regarded as fibre-reinforced materials, with the stiffer collagen fibres present in the arterial wall bearing most of the load during pressurisation. Degenerative vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms alter the macroscopic mechanical properties of arterial tissue and therefore change the arterial wall composition and the quality and orientation of the underlying fibrous architecture. Information on the complex fibre architecture of arterial tissues is therefore at the core of understanding the aetiology of vascular diseases. The current proposal aims to use a combination of in vivo Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging, with parallel in silico modelling, to non-invasively identify differences in the fibre architecture of human carotid arteries which can be directly linked with carotid artery disease and hence used to diagnose vulnerable plaque rupture risk. Knowledge of arterial fibre patterns, and how these fibres alter in response to their mechanical environment, also provides a means of understanding remodelling of tissue engineered vessels. Therefore, in the second phase of this project, this novel imaging framework will be used to determine fibre patterns of decellularised arterial constructs in vitro with a view to directing mesenchymal stem cell growth and differentiation and creating a biologically and mechanically compatible tissue engineered vessel. In silico mechanobiological models will also be used to help identify the optimum loading environment for the vessels to encourage cell repopulation but prevent excessive intimal hyperplasia. This combination of novel in vivo, in vitro and in silico work has the potential to revolutionise approaches to early diagnosis of vascular diseases and vascular tissue engineering strategies