Two DEMI students, Bernardo Henriques and João Vau, had the opportunity to carry out scientific missions at the Centre Ingénierie et Santé (CIS) of Mines Saint-Étienne, France, during February 2026, within the framework of the bilateral cooperation program PESSOA (Ref. 2024.07108.CBM).
Bernardo and João, who are enrolled in the Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, joined a research team that also included Professors Tiago Silva and Moisés Brito. They worked side by side with French researchers led by Stéphane Avril. During the missions, computational algorithms, experimental protocols, and computational resources were discussed, addressing advanced topics such as Growth & Remodelling modelling of aortic aneurysms, integration of hemodynamic simulations with neural networks, and the development of biaxial testing on human aortic tissue.
In his dissertation work, Bernardo Henriques is developing a computational platform to predict the growth and remodelling of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms, while João Vau focuses on integrating hemodynamic simulations with neural networks to assess aneurysm rupture risk, both under the supervision of DEMI professors.
The project, entitled “Computational Modelling of Fluid-Structure Interaction in Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms Using Machine Learning, In Vivo and Experimental Data”, is coordinated by Professor and researcher José Xavier (NOVA FCT / UNIDEMI) and is part of the research project AneurysmTool (PTDC/EMD-EMD/1230/2021). José Xavier also undertook an extended stay in Saint-Étienne between January and February 2026, further strengthening the bilateral collaboration.
This scientific cooperation, at the interface between engineering and medicine, demonstrates that Mechanical Engineering is present everywhere, from the human body to satellites. Reality is far more than mechanics; however, those who master the fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering are well equipped to tackle countless challenges across diverse fields.
This initiative also highlights the crucial role of international mobility programs in the advanced training of DEMI students.
