Worcester, Mass.— SEPT. 30, 2026—Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Zhenglun “Alan” Wei is aiming to improve prenatal diagnosis of the most common cardiac birth defect by going with the flow … of blood in tiny hearts.
Wei, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering , is leading a four-year project funded with $2,915,519 from the National Institutes of Health to develop a personalized model that will use detailed blood flow information collected from noninvasive tests to detect obstructions of the aorta in fetuses.
The project aims to improve prenatal testing so that doctors can spot problems in the aorta, a large blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body, before a baby is born and recommend treatments. Current testing relies on anatomic information, rather than blood-flow data, to assess fetal heart health.
“Standard prenatal testing and even specialized imaging often fail to detect anatomical problems in the fetal aorta,” Wei says. “By integrating detailed blood flow parameters, we will give doctors a more precise tool to use when diagnosing congenital heart defects.”
Wei is working on the project with Professor Zhongqiang Zhang and Associate Professor Fangfang Wang , both of WPI’s Department of Mathematical Sciences , and Dr. Shuping Ge , a pediatric cardiologist and researcher with the Geisinger healthcare system in Pennsylvania. The researchers are focusing on a specific condition called coarctation of the aorta , which involves a narrowing, or pinch, in the aorta as it leaves the heart.
Coarctation of the aorta restricts blood flow to the body and forces the heart to work harder to pump blood. The condition accounts for an estimated 6% to 8% of all cardiac birth defects.
Diagnosing coarctation of the aorta, especially before birth, can be challenging. Standard ultrasound testing and specialized echocardiograms, noninvasive tests that use sound waves to create images and generate data about a fetus, often fail to detect anatomical and blood flow abnormalities in a developing heart. In addition, ultrasound-based tests sometimes falsely suggest that an abnormality is present even when no such defect exists.
If not diagnosed early and repaired with surgery, infants with coarctation of the aorta can suffer lifelong health problems, such as high blood pressure, or even die.
The researchers led by Wei will improve detection by building a digital twin model, a viewable digital replica of an individual patient’s cardiovascular system. The model will integrate multidimensional, patient-specific data to support clinical decision-making, including assessment of whether a fetal heart defect is present.
The team will build their model using fetal heart data collected at more than 15 cardiology programs across North America that are part of the Fetal Heart Society. The database includes information collected during two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasound tests that were performed on hundreds of racially and ethnically diverse pregnant women, including some whose babies were confirmed after birth to have heart defects.
Wei and his team have already used information in the database to create a model that represents blood flow in healthy fetal hearts. Going forward, the team will build its new model by focusing on measurements that reflect force on fetal blood vessel walls, pressure and flow through a narrowed fetal artery, and the resistance that can occur when freshly pumped blood collides with other blood in a vessel.
The researchers will then test the accuracy of their model in laboratory experiments using 3D-printed silicone models of fetal aortas, fluid, and pumping mechanisms. Finally, data from the Geisinger database will be used to evaluate blood flow metrics for better diagnosis of aorta narrowing in the future.
The work builds on Wei’s development of computational and experimental models for blood flow mechanics. His fetus-related research has been supported by the American Heart Association’s Second Century Faculty Independence Award and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Trailblazer Award, prestigious honors recognizing the innovation, significance, and potential clinical impact of his work. He also has collaborated on research to develop pediatric medical devices and 3D-printed blood vessels for heart bypass surgery .
Wei says that development of a validated digital twin model for coarctation of the fetal aorta will lay a solid foundation for future human studies that could lead to more accurate screening tools and better health outcomes for children with the birth defect.
“Surgeons can repair many heart problems in babies, but the first, and most important, step is detecting problems,” Wei said. “The earlier we can identify a condition, the more time clinicians and families have to plan for the baby’s care. The goal of my lab is to improve the detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease and, ultimately, to help ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time.”
About Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a top-tier, STEM-focused university with an R1 research classification and global leadership in project-based learning. Founded in 1865, WPI’s distinctive approach integrates classroom theory with real-world practice, preparing students to tackle critical challenges through inclusive education, impactful projects, and interdisciplinary research. With more than 70 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 18 academic departments and over 50 global project centers, WPI advances knowledge and innovation in fields such as life sciences, smart technologies, advanced materials and manufacturing, and global innovation. Learn more at www.wpi.edu .
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