Professor of Anatomy & Cell Biology Campus Address: MS 5055Y Telephone: (317) 274-3423 E-mail: jwillia3@iupui.edu

Education and Former Affiliations

• Rhodes College, BS, 1978
• Cornell University, PhD, 1983
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1982-1986

Research Activities

We are exploring the physical effects of shock wave lithotripsy on kidneys. While shock wave therapy is used extensively for breaking up kidney stones, the damage done to the kidney during this therapy is little studied. In the long term, we seek to understand what part(s) of the shock wave lead to kidney damage. With this knowledge, clinicians can make better decisions about treatment options, and engineers can design lithotripters that are less damaging to the body.

Our work involves looking at damage to stones and injury to cells and tissues, and utilizes a variety of cell assays and physical methods (such as high-speed videography). We expose cells to shock waves in the lithotripter, and assess damage to to cavitation and non-cavitational forces. In a new venture, we will watch cells interact with shock waves on the stage of a microscope, using shock waves initiated by a focused laser blast.

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