The Pinton Lab

About Us

Our lab is interested in the nonlinear propagation of ultrasound and mechanical waves and their applications to medical imaging and therapy. Our research has been motivated by the observation that, for intense sources, the speed of wave propagation is no longer constant. This complicates the existing mathematical framework surrounding mechanical waves, but it also creates exciting new opportunities in medical imaging. 

The goal of our work consists of three parts:

• Developing the physics and simulation tools that describe nonlinear wave propagation.
• Developing new diagnostic ultrasound imaging methods, including super-resolution imaging. 
• Characterizing shear shock wave propagation and its relationship to traumatic brain injury.

Our Department

The Pinton Lab belongs to the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering between the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University (NCSU). This collaboration brings together the engineering expertise of NCSU and the nationally renowned UNC School of Medicine to create an unparalleled research environment for biomedical engineering. 

Our lab also belongs to the UNC-NC State Ultrasound Research Consortium. The Ultrasound Consortium consists of a large group of faculty from UNC and NC State whose research focuses on developing and applying novel ultrasound technologies for diagnostic medical imaging, targeted therapeutics, sensing, and industrial applications. The Consortium frequently collaborates with imaging businesses in the surrounding Research Triangle Park, bringing together academic and industry researchers to further medical imaging.