Faculty Scholars

Faculty Scholar Ulf Schiller, Ph.D. at Clemson University, Clemson South Carolina

Ulf D. Schiller, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences

Contact: 864-656-2669 or uschill@clemson.edu  

Who is Professor Schiller?

Ulf Schiller holds M.S. degrees in Computer Science (2003) and Physics (2005) from the University of Bielefeld and a Ph.D. (2005) in Physics from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, after conducting his dissertation research at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson University. He joined Clemson University after postdoctoral stays at the University of Florida, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and the Centre for Computational Science at University College London. Schiller has extensive experience in developing novel scale-bridging algorithms and high-performance computing techniques for multiphysics transport phenomena. His research covers a broad range of topics in computational science, ranging from soft matter to biomedicine. Applications include self-assembly of nanofluids, droplet microfluidics, and patient-specific modeling of blood flow. Schiller’s research leverages the high performance computing capabilities of Clemson University’s Palmetto cluster for patient specific simulations of blood flow, with a focus on hemodynamics in cerebral aneurysms and prediction of portal pressure in the liver. His research group collaborates with clinicians to develop integrated computational and data-driven approaches that support diagnosis and risk-stratification in personalized medicine.

For more information, see his college profile.

How Professor Schiller's research is transforming health care

Computational biomedicine is a burgeoning area of multidisciplinary research concerned with computer-based modeling and simulation of physiological systems. It aims at advancing clinical practice through computational science applied to human health. The continuing growth of supercomputing facilities along with the development of efficient computational capabilities is expected to transform health science and clinical practice by supporting predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory medicine. Schiller’s research focuses on multiscale modeling and simulation of complex fluids such as blood or interstitial fluid. Flow is essential for the transport of nutrients and drugs, and flow dynamics is connected to cell mechanics and signaling in the surrounding tissue. In the cardiovascular system, the dynamics of blood flow in brain arteries is known to be a major factor affecting the risk of aneurysm formation and rupture, a primary cause of adult disability. The group uses patient specific models of cerebral arteries to simulate the flow properties and extract quantitative indicators (e.g., wall shear stress) that can support clinical diagnosis and decision-making. Another promising application of computer simulations is the prediction of portal pressure in patients with chronic liver disease. The group uses clinical CT images to reconstruct patient-specific models of the portal venous systems and performs simulations to quantify the impact of liver cirrhosis on portal pressure. The computer models support clinical diagnosis of portal hypertension and have the potential to reduce the need for invasive procedures, leading to reduced risks and costs in treatment of liver disease.

News and media related to Professor Schiller's research

Health Research Expertise Keywords

Computational Biomedicine, Multiscale Modeling and Simulation, Blood-flow in Patient-specific Vessel Geometries, Image Processing and Segmentation, Hemodynamics in Brain Aneurysms, Predictive Modeling of Portal Hypertension, Modeling of Stents and Flow Diverters