Alain Kassab of UCF is applying engineering to confront problems that arise from a type of pediatric open-heart surgery by developing a self-powered injection jet shunt. The shunt uses the heart’s own energy to alleviate increased pressure caused by a surgically rerouted circulatory system.

Children born with a defective ventricle typically undergo a series of surgeries to reconfigure the heart and circulatory system—creating what is known as Fontan circulation, which bypasses the faulty ventricle. Even though this surgical treatment began nearly 30 years ago, nearly half of these patients still do not survive beyond the age of 20, said Kassab.

• Alain Kassab