Alexeev came to Georgia Tech at the beginning of 2008 as an assistant professor. His research background is in the area of fluid mechanics. He uses computer simulations to solve engineering problems in complex fluids, multiphase flows, fluid-structure interactions, and soft materials.
This CAREER award supports research and education to develop a computational model to explore elastic polymer networks. Polymer networks involve individual long chain-like molecules that are interconnected to form a three-dimensional solid-like material. They are common in many biological and synthetic systems, for example cell cytoskeletons, medical implants, and cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Alexeev will employ the computational model to investigate the behavior of microscopic capsules made of soft polymeric gels that change their shape and volume in response to changes in local temperature or level of acidity. Among the many applications of these responsive microcapsules, they can be used for delivering drugs to a specific location within the body thereby enhancing the effect of the drug. Alexeev will use computer simulations to investigate the release of different solutes from responsive microcapsules and will probe how this process can be regulated by tailoring capsule material properties and geometry. Assemblies of microcapsules will be also investigated in order to understand how multiple capsules can be programmed to self-organize and perform complex collective functions. The latter could be utilized to create new typos of self-regulating drug delivery systems that could adapt their action to specific therapeutic conditions.
To advance science and engineering education, Alexeev will organize a video clip competition among undergraduate students at Georgia Tech. The students will prepare short educational YouTube videos that explain various fluid phenomena in a manner accessible for high-school students and the general public. A graduate level Computational Fluid Mechanics course will be developed preparing students to use advanced computational methods to solve engineering problems. Alexeev will host a science teacher and high-school students from the Atlanta Public School system that will work on computational projects in the his lab.
