Sep. 12, 2012 While most medical research focuses on the chemical interactions between cells and other substances in the body, Kartik Balachandran, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, looks at how mechanical forces affect body tissues. Balachandran explained that diseases such as hypertension exert a mechanical force on tissues, which often goes overlooked in the medical field. Currently, he is focusing on the effects of hypertension on heart valves. Patients with