Engineering

Dr William Ronan

BE, PhD

Contact Details

Lecturer
Biomedical Engineering
Alice Perry Engineering Building
University of Galway

Biography

I completed my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at NUI Galway (graduating in 2013 and funded by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology Embark Scholarship) on the mechanics of cells. This research primarily focused on development and implementation of constitutive material models and adhesion models using the finite element method. During this time, I spent one year as a visiting scholar in the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2013, I was awarded a SFI Short-Term Travel Fellowship which I used to visit the University of Cambridge. This research collaboration expanded on my previous doctoral work to examine the kinetics and mechanics of cell adhesion. In 2014, I began a post-doctoral research project at the Cambridge Centre for Micromechanics on the tensile ductility and toughness of lattice materials & polymer foams. I returned to NUI Galway in 2016, originally as a faculty member in Mechanical Engineering, before moving to my current role in Biomedical Engineering.

For more information, please see my personal website http://www.mechbio.ie/

Research Interests

Finite Element modelling
Solid mechanics
biomechanics
cell mechanics
biomedical engineering
mechanical engineering
numerical simulations

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	'Multiscale Experimental and Computational Modeling Approaches to Characterize Therapy Delivery to the Heart from an Implantable Epicardial Biomaterial Reservoir' Shirazi RN;Islam S;Weafer FM;Whyte W;Varela CE;Villanyi A;Ronan W;McHugh P;Roche ET; (2019) 'Multiscale Experimental and Computational Modeling Approaches to Characterize Therapy Delivery to the Heart from an Implantable Epicardial Biomaterial Reservoir'. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 8 (16) [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'Multiscale Experimental and Computational Modeling Approaches to Characterize Therapy Delivery to the Heart from an Implantable Epicardial Biomaterial Reservoir' Shirazi, RN;Islam, S;Weafer, FM;Whyte, WD;Varela, CE;Villanyi, A;Ronan, W;McHugh, P;Roche, ET (2019) 'Multiscale Experimental and Computational Modeling Approaches to Characterize Therapy Delivery to the Heart from an Implantable Epicardial Biomaterial Reservoir'. Advanced Healthcare Materials, [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Inter-ply angle influence on the out-of-plane compressive response of polyethylene fibre laminates' O'Masta, MR;Russell, BP;Ronan, W (2018) 'Inter-ply angle influence on the out-of-plane compressive response of polyethylene fibre laminates'. Composites Part A-Applied Science And Manufacturing, 110 :11-20 [DOI] [Details]
	(2017)	'Modeling of Biodegradable Polyesters With Applications to Coronary Stents' Shine, R;Shirazi, RN;Ronan, W;Sweeney, CA;Kelly, N;Rochev, YA;McHugh, PE (2017) 'Modeling of Biodegradable Polyesters With Applications to Coronary Stents'. Journal Of Medical Devices-Transactions Of The Asme, 11 [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'A comparison of two quasi-static computational models for assessment of intra-myocardial injection as a therapeutic strategy for heart failure' Fan, YL;Ronan, W;Teh, I;Schneider, JE;Varela, CE;Whyte, W;McHugh, P;Leen, S;Roche, E (2019) 'A comparison of two quasi-static computational models for assessment of intra-myocardial injection as a therapeutic strategy for heart failure'. International Journal For Numerical Methods In Biomedical Engineering, 35 (9) [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2012)	'Stability enhancement of an atomic force microscope for long-term force measurement including cantilever modification for whole cell deformation' Weafer, PP;McGarry, JP;van Es, MH;Kilpatrick, JI;Ronan, W;Nolan, DR;Jarvis, SP (2012) 'Stability enhancement of an atomic force microscope for long-term force measurement including cantilever modification for whole cell deformation'. Review Of Scientific Instruments, 83 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'The effect of remodelling and contractility of the actin cytoskeleton on the shear resistance of single cells: a computational and experimental investigation' Dowling, EP;Ronan, W;Ofek, G;Deshpande, VS;McMeeking, RM;Athanasiou, KA;McGarry, JP (2012) 'The effect of remodelling and contractility of the actin cytoskeleton on the shear resistance of single cells: a computational and experimental investigation'. Journal Of The Royal Society Interface, 9 :3469-3479 [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Numerical investigation of the active role of the actin cytoskeleton in the compression resistance of cells' Ronan, W;Deshpande, VS;McMeeking, RM;McGarry, JP (2012) 'Numerical investigation of the active role of the actin cytoskeleton in the compression resistance of cells'. Journal Of The Mechanical Behavior Of Biomedical Materials, 14 :143-157 [DOI] [Details]
	(2013)	'Computational investigation of in situ chondrocyte deformation and actin cytoskeleton remodelling under physiological loading' Dowling, EP;Ronan, W;McGarry, JP (2013) 'Computational investigation of in situ chondrocyte deformation and actin cytoskeleton remodelling under physiological loading'. Acta Biomaterialia, 9 :5943-5955 [DOI] [Details]
	(2013)	'Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Role of Stress Fiber Contractility in the Resistance of Osteoblasts to Compression' Weafer, PP;Ronan, W;Jarvis, SP;McGarry, JP (2013) 'Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Role of Stress Fiber Contractility in the Resistance of Osteoblasts to Compression'. Bulletin Of Mathematical Biology, 75 :1284-1303 [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Penetration of confined ceramics targets' Das, S,Ronan, W,Wadley, HNG,Deshpande, VS (2018) 'Penetration of confined ceramics targets'. Extreme Mechanics Letters, 18 :45-57 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'The tensile tensile ductility of cellular Solids: The role of imperfections' Ronan, W,Deshpande, VS,Fleck, NA (2016) 'The tensile tensile ductility of cellular Solids: The role of imperfections'. International Journal Of Solids And Structures, 102 :200-213 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Modelling the degradation and elastic properties of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) films and regular open -cell tissue engineering scaffolds' Shirazi, RN,Ronan, W,Rochev, Y,McHugh, P (2016) 'Modelling the degradation and elastic properties of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) films and regular open -cell tissue engineering scaffolds'. Journal Of The Mechanical Behavior Of Biomedical Materials, 54 :48-59 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2016)	'Effects of material thickness and processing method on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) degradation and mechanical performance' Shirazi, R.N., Aldabbagh, F., Ronan, W., Erxleben, A., Rochev, Y., McHugh, P. (2016) 'Effects of material thickness and processing method on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) degradation and mechanical performance'. Journal Of Materials Science-Materials In Medicine, 27 (10):1-12 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2015)	'A thermodynamically motivated model for stress-fiber reorganization' Vigliotti, A and Ronan, W and Baaijens, FPT and Deshpande, VS (2015) 'A thermodynamically motivated model for stress-fiber reorganization'. Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology, :1-29 [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2015)	'Cooperative contractility: The role of stress fibres in the regulation of cell-cell junctions' Ronan, W,McMeeking, RM,Chen, CS,McGarry, JP,Deshpande, VS (2015) 'Cooperative contractility: The role of stress fibres in the regulation of cell-cell junctions'. Journal Of Biomechanics, 48 :520-528 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2014)	'Cellular contractility and substrate elasticity: a numerical investigation of the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion' Ronan, W,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, JP (2014) 'Cellular contractility and substrate elasticity: a numerical investigation of the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion'. Biomechanics And Modeling In Mechanobiology, 13 :417-435 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2014)	'On the role of the actin cytoskeleton and nucleus in the biomechanical response of spread cells' Reynolds, NH,Ronan, W,Dowling, EP,Owens, P,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, JP (2014) 'On the role of the actin cytoskeleton and nucleus in the biomechanical response of spread cells'. Biomaterials, 35 :4015-4025 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2013)	'Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Role of Stress Fiber Contractility in the Resistance of Osteoblasts to Compression' Weafer, PP,Ronan, W,Jarvis, SP,McGarry, JP (2013) 'Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Role of Stress Fiber Contractility in the Resistance of Osteoblasts to Compression'. Bulletin Of Mathematical Biology, 75 :1284-1303 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2013)	'Computational investigation of in situ chondrocyte deformation and actin cytoskeleton remodelling under physiological loading' Dowling, EP,Ronan, W,McGarry, JP (2013) 'Computational investigation of in situ chondrocyte deformation and actin cytoskeleton remodelling under physiological loading'. Acta Biomaterialia, 9 :5943-5955 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2013)	'Simulation of the Mechanical Response of Cells on Micropost Substrates' Ronan, W,Pathak, A,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, JP (2013) 'Simulation of the Mechanical Response of Cells on Micropost Substrates'. Journal Of Biomechanical Engineering-Transactions Of The Asme, 135 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2012)	'Stability enhancement of an atomic force microscope for long-term force measurement including cantilever modification for whole cell deformation' Weafer, PP,McGarry, JP,van Es, MH,Kilpatrick, JI,Ronan, W,Nolan, DR,Jarvis, SP (2012) 'Stability enhancement of an atomic force microscope for long-term force measurement including cantilever modification for whole cell deformation'. Review Of Scientific Instruments, 83 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2012)	'Numerical investigation of the active role of the actin cytoskeleton in the compression resistance of cells' Ronan, W,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, JP (2012) 'Numerical investigation of the active role of the actin cytoskeleton in the compression resistance of cells'. Journal Of The Mechanical Behavior Of Biomedical Materials, 14 :143-157 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2012)	'The effect of remodelling and contractility of the actin cytoskeleton on the shear resistance of single cells: a computational and experimental investigation' Dowling, EP,Ronan, W,Ofek, G,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,Athanasiou, KA,McGarry, JP (2012) 'The effect of remodelling and contractility of the actin cytoskeleton on the shear resistance of single cells: a computational and experimental investigation'. Journal Of The Royal Society Interface, 9 :3469-3479 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]

Conference Publications

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	*Bioengineering in Ireland 2020* Bernini, Martina and Ronan, W. and Vaughan, T.J. (2020) Comparison of Permanent and BioRESORBABLE Stents in Femoropopliteal Applications: A Preliminary Finite Element Analysis Bioengineering in Ireland 2020 Carlow, Ireland, [Details]
	(2020)	*Bioengineering in Ireland (BINI 2020)* Bernini, Martina and Ronan, W. and Vaughan, Ted (2020) Comparison of Permanent and BioRESORBABLE Stents in Femoropopliteal Applications: A Preliminary Finite Element Analysis Bioengineering in Ireland (BINI 2020) Carlow, Ireland, [Details]
	(2021)	*26th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESBiomech 2021)* Bernini, Martina and Colombo, M. and Antonini, L. and Dunlop, C. and Hellmuth, R. and Chiastra, C. and Ronan, W. and Vaughan, T.J. (2021) Nitinol Stent Oversizing in Patient-Specific Femoral Arteries: An Experimental and Finite Element Study 26th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESBiomech 2021) Milan, Italy (online), [Details]
	(2022)	*SMST2022* Bernini, M and Lucchetti, A and Dunlop, C and Hellmuth, R and Ronan, W and Vaughan, TJ (2022) Spiral Laminal Flow Technology in a Self-Expanding Nitinol Stent: Investigation on the Manufacturing Process SMST2022 , pp.51-52 [Details]
	(2010)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, 2010* Ronan, W;Deshpande, VS;McMeeking, RM;McGarry, P (2010) FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CYTOSKELETAL REMODELING DURING MICROPIPETTE ASPIRATION PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, 2010 , pp.433-434 [Details]
	(2012)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B* Ronan, W;Deshpande, VS;McMeeking, RM;McGarry, JP (2012) INVESTIGATION OF STRESS FIBER AND FOCAL ADHESION EVOLUTION UNDER APPLIED MECHANICAL LOADING PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B , pp.689-690 [Details]
	(2012)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B* Reynolds, NH;Ronan, W;Dowling, EP;McGarry, JP (2012) INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE OF STRESS FIBER CONTRACTILITY AND NUCLEUS GEOMETRY IN THE RESPONSE OF CELLS TO MICROPIPETTE ASPIRATION PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B , pp.699-700 [Details]
	(2014)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE - 2013, PT B* Weafer, P;Reynolds, N;Ronan, W;Dowling, E;Jarvis, S;McGarry, P (2014) ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVE RESPONSE OF CELLS TO CYCLIC LOADING USING A MODIFIED AFM SYSTEM PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE - 2013, PT B [Details]
	(2014)	*7th World Congress of Biomechanics* Reynolds, N.H.; Ronan, W.; Dowling, E.P.; Owens, P.; McMeeking R.M.; McGarry, J.P. (2014) Investigation of the biomechanical behavior of stress fibers and nucleus deformation in spread cells using a novel micropipette aspiration technique 7th World Congress of Biomechanics Boston, USA, [Details]
	(2013)	*19th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics* Reynolds, N.H.; Weafer, P.P.; Ronan, W; McGarry, J.P., (2013) Analysis of the active response of cells to cyclic loading using a modified AFM system 19th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics Patras, Greece, [Details]
	(2013)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE - 2013, PT B* Weafer, P.; Reynolds, N.; Ronan, W.; Dowling, E.; Jarvis, S.; McGarry, J.P. (2013) ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVE RESPONSE OF CELLS TO CYCLIC LOADING USING A MODIFIED AFM SYSTEM PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE - 2013, PT B [Details]
	(2011)	*Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Summer Bioengineering Conference* Ronan, W.; Deshpande, V.S.; McMeeking, R.M.; McGarry, J.P. (2011) Simulation of Stress Fiber Remodeling and Mixed-Mode Focal Adhesion Assembly During Cell Spreading and for Cells Adhered to Elastic Substrates Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Summer Bioengineering Conference Famington, PA USA, [Details]
	(2011)	*56th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society* Ronan, W.; Dowling, E.P.; McGarry, J.P. (2011) Computational Modeling of the Actin Myosin Cytoskeleton in Chondrocytes 56th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society New Orleans, LA, USA, [Details]
	(2011)	*Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Summer Bioengineering Conference* Dowling E.P.; Ronan, W.; Deshpande, V.S.; McMeeking, R.M.; Athanasiou, K.A.; McGarry J.P. (2011) Remodeling and contractility of the actin cytoskeleton during the shear deformation of single chondrocytes Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Summer Bioengineering Conference PA, USA, [Details]
	(2011)	*TERMIS-EU 2011* Ronan, W.; McGarry, J.P. (2011) Active Computational Modelling of Cytoskeletal Remodelling During Cell Spreading TERMIS-EU 2011 Granda, Spain, [Details]
	(2010)	*Proceedings of the ASME 2010 Summer Bioengineering Conference* Ronan, W.; Deshpande, V.S.; McMeeking, R.M.; McGarry, J.P. (2010) Finite Element Analysis of Cytoskeletal Remodeling During Micropipette Aspiration Proceedings of the ASME 2010 Summer Bioengineering Conference Naples, Fl, USA, [Details]
	(2010)	*18th Annual Symposium on Computational Methods in Orthopaedic Biomechanics* Dowling E.P.; Ronan, W.; Athanasiou, K.A.; McGarry J.P. (2010) Simulating the Role of Actin Cytoskeleton Remodeling in the Shearing of Chondrocytes 18th Annual Symposium on Computational Methods in Orthopaedic Biomechanics New Orleans, LA, USA, [Details]
	(2012)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B* Reynolds, NH,Ronan, W,Dowling, EP,McGarry, JP, (2012) INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE OF STRESS FIBER CONTRACTILITY AND NUCLEUS GEOMETRY IN THE RESPONSE OF CELLS TO MICROPIPETTE ASPIRATION PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B , pp.699-700 [Details]
	(2012)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B* Ronan, W,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, JP, (2012) INVESTIGATION OF STRESS FIBER AND FOCAL ADHESION EVOLUTION UNDER APPLIED MECHANICAL LOADING PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PTS A AND B , pp.689-690 [Details]
	(2011)	*Annual meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society 2011* Ronan, W.H., Reynolds, N.H., McGarry, J.P. (2011) Contribution Of Stress Fiber Remodeling To The Response Of Cells To Micropipette Aspiration Annual meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society 2011 Hartford, CT, USA, [Details]
	(2010)	*PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, 2010* Ronan, W,Deshpande, VS,McMeeking, RM,McGarry, P, (2010) FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CYTOSKELETAL REMODELING DURING MICROPIPETTE ASPIRATION PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME SUMMER BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE, 2010 , pp.433-434 [Details]

Conference Paper

	Year	Publication
	(2018)	“Torsion of a Curved Elastic-Plastic Guidewire”, 10th European Solid Mechanics Conference (ESMC2018), Bologna, Italy, July 2-6. Shirazi, R.N., Clancy, M., Higgins, C., Mooney, I., McHugh, P.E. and Ronan, W. (2018) “Torsion of a Curved Elastic-Plastic Guidewire”, 10th European Solid Mechanics Conference (ESMC2018), Bologna, Italy, July 2-6. Conference Paper [Details]
	(2018)	“Finite Element Modelling of Crystallization and its Effects on the Mechanical Performance of Bio-erodible Polymeric Scaffolds (BPS)”, 10th European Solids Mechanics Conference (ESMC2018), Bologna, Italy, July 2-6. Shine, R., McHugh, P.E. and Ronan, W. (2018) “Finite Element Modelling of Crystallization and its Effects on the Mechanical Performance of Bio-erodible Polymeric Scaffolds (BPS)”, 10th European Solids Mechanics Conference (ESMC2018), Bologna, Italy, July 2-6. Conference Paper [Details]
	(2011)	Influence of Actin Cytoskeletal Remodelling on the Shear Resistance of Single Chondrocytes: A Computational and Experimental Investigation. 17th Annual Conference of the Bioengineering Section of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Galway. Dowling E.P., Ronan, W., Athanasiou, K.A., McGarry J.P. (2011) Influence of Actin Cytoskeletal Remodelling on the Shear Resistance of Single Chondrocytes: A Computational and Experimental Investigation. 17th Annual Conference of the Bioengineering Section of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Galway. Conference Paper [Details]
	(2011)	Active Computational Modelling of Cytoskeletal Remodeling During Compression & Spreading. Bioengineering In Ireland 17, Galway, Ireland. Ronan, W., Deshpande, V.S., McMeeking, R.M., McGarry, J.P. (2011) Active Computational Modelling of Cytoskeletal Remodeling During Compression & Spreading. Bioengineering In Ireland 17, Galway, Ireland. Conference Paper [Details]
	(2009)	Finite Element Modelling of Stress Fibre and Focal Adhesion Evolution Under Applied Mechanical Loading. Bioengineering In Ireland 15, Limerick, Ireland. Ronan, W., McGarry, J.P., McMeeking, R.M., Deshpande, V.S. (2009) Finite Element Modelling of Stress Fibre and Focal Adhesion Evolution Under Applied Mechanical Loading. Bioengineering In Ireland 15, Limerick, Ireland. Conference Paper [Details]

Conference Poster

	Year	Publication
	(2018)	“Computational modelling of whip and lag observed in elastic-plastic guidewires”, 8th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB2018), Dublin, Ireland, July 8-12. Shirazi, R.N., Clancy, M., Higgins, C., Mooney, I., McHugh, P.E. and Ronan, W. (2018) “Computational modelling of whip and lag observed in elastic-plastic guidewires”, 8th World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB2018), Dublin, Ireland, July 8-12. Conference Poster [Details]

Presentation

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	“Computational Investigation of Nitinol Guidewire Handling in a Tortuous Path”, Shape Memory and Superelastic Technology Conference and Exposition (SMST2019), Konstanz, Germany, May 13-17. McGrath, D.J., Shirazi, R.N., Moloney, M., Higgins. C., Mooney, I., McHugh, P.E. and Ronan, W. (2019) “Computational Investigation of Nitinol Guidewire Handling in a Tortuous Path”, Shape Memory and Superelastic Technology Conference and Exposition (SMST2019), Konstanz, Germany, May 13-17. Presentation [Details]

Reviews

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	A review of the integrity of metallic vehicle armour to projectile attack. Lenihan, D;Ronan, W;O'Donoghue, PE;Leen, SB (2019) A review of the integrity of metallic vehicle armour to projectile attack. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD Reviews [DOI] [Details]

Modules Taught

Term/Year	Module Title	Module Code
2016/2017	Computational Methods in Engineering Analysis	BME 402
2016/2017	Surgical & Medical Practice	SU 404
2016/2017	Biotransport	BME4101
2016/2017	Biomedical Design	BME 3126