Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250
Education
Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 1990
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University, 1986
M.Eng., Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University, 1984
B.S., College Program (Interdisciplinary study of Mechanical Engineering and Biology), Cornell University, 1981
Employment History
| 2001 – present | Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC |
| 2000 – xxxx | Graduate Program Director, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC |
| 1996 – present | Director, UMBC Laboratory for Implantable Materials |
| 2005 – present | Professor (secondary), Department of Orthopedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine |
| 1996 – 2001 | Associate Professor (with tenure), Mechanical Engineering, UMBC |
| 1992 – 2005 | Adjunct Assistant Professor, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Maryland at Baltimore |
| 1990 – 1996 | Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC |
| 1981 – 1984 | Systems Reliability Engineer, RCA Missile and Surface Radar, Moorestown, NJ |
Honors and Awards
| 2009 – 2010 | President of the UMBC Faculty Senate |
| 2008 – 2011 | UMBC Presidential Teaching Professor |
| 2008 | Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biomedical Engineering (AIMBE) |
| 2008 | Member, Board of Directors, Maryland Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation |
| 2007 | UMBC Honors College Faculty of the Year |
| 2007 – 2008 | Society for Biomaterials, elected Member-at-Large |
| 2005 – 2006 | UMBC-NSF Advance Fellowship |
| 2004 | Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society |
| 2002 – 2003 | UMBC Humanities Teaching Fellow |
| 1998 | Anne Arundel Heart Ball Named Research Award (American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate) |
| 1998 | Coventry Award for Basic Science Research, Knee Society |
| 1994 | Outstanding Research Award, College of Engineering and Information technology, UMBC |
| 1993 | Tau Beta Pi Eminent Engineering |
| 1991 | Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Engineering and Information Technology, UMBC |
Research Interest
My research interests are to understand fundamental mechanisms of material behavior, and use that understanding to create new materials to solve problems based on materials performance and longevity. My research is focused on biomaterials: both materials that are manufactured to be implanted in the human body, and understanding human tissues as materials. The current studies in my lab concentrate on surface modifications to biomaterials to prevent wear and corrosion; micro- and nano-structural modifications to increase fatigue and fracture resistance; understanding the structure/function changes in human arteries that occur as a result of aging or disease, and responses to interventions used to treat heart disease. Our pursuits range from fundamental discovery of behaviors to practical applications to diagnose and treat arthritis and heart disease. Although the focus of the lab is on biomaterials and biomechanics, the fundamental mechanics of materials research we perform is also applicable to non-biological systems, for example fatigue and fracture of structural metals, polymers, and ceramics.
Classes Taught at UMBC
| ENME 204 ENME 220 ENME 301 ENME 444 ENME 489B/813B ENME 489G/813G |
Introduction to Design, with CAD Mechanics of Materials Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials Senior Design Biomechanics Advanced Materials and Biomaterials |
Selected Publications
Lanzer, P., Gijsen, F.J.H., Topoleski L.D.T., & Holzapfel G. (2010). Call for standards in technical documentation of intracoronary stents. Herz (Heart) 35: 27–33 (2010)
Schmidt, W., Lanzer, P., Behrens, P., Topoleski, L.D.T., & Schmitz, K.-P. (2009). On the mechanical performance of drug-eluting stents; a comparison of seven stent systems. Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention, [published on-line 2008] 73, 350–360.
Vesnovsky, O., Demian, H.W., Woods, T.O., & Topoleski, L.D.T. (2009). Molding parameters affect bending strength of spinal bone cement. Transactions, 33rd Annual Meeting, Society for Biomaterials, 406.
Ettienne-Modeste, G., & Toploeski, L.D.T. (2009). The rheological properties of lubricants containing bovine calf serum (BCS) for testing the wear behavior of the micro-textured carbide-CoCrMo alloy surface. Transactions, 33rd Annual Meeting, Society for Biomaterials, 367.
Ettienne-Modeste, G., & Toploeski, L.D.T. (2009). Material and mechanical characterization of the micro-textured carbide-CoCrMo alloy surface. Transactions, 33rd Annual Meeting Society for Biomaterials, 577.
Pinto, R.F., Johnson B.J., & Topoleski L.D.T. (2009). Changing the mechanical properties of PMMA bone cement with nano and micro particles. Transactions, 33rd Annual Meeting Society for Biomaterials, 578.
Topoleski, L.D.T. (2008). Chapter 2. Mechanical properties of materials. In C. Oatis (Ed.), Kinesiology: The Mechanics and Pathomechanics of Human Motion, 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkens.
Topoleski, L.D.T. (2008). Chapter 3. The biomechanics of bone. In C. Oatis (Ed.), Kinesiology: The Mechanics and Pathomechanics of Human Motion, 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkens.
O’Toole R.V., Andersen R.C., Vesnovsky O., Alexander M., Topoleski L.D.T., Nascone J.W., Sciadini M.F., Turen C., & Eglesder W.A. (2008). Locking screws offer no iomechanical advantage for crutch weight bearing of humeral shaft fractures. Journal Of Orthopaedic Trauma, 22(10), 709-15.
Sullivan, S.J.L., & Topoleski, L.D.T. (2007). The effects of initial component temperature on the apparent viscosity and set-up time of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement. The Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part B: Applied Biomaterials [published on line 21 August 2006], 81(1), 224-230.
Lanzer, P., & Topoleski, L.D.T. (2007). Chapter 8. Principles of percutaneous coronary interventions. P. Lanzer (Ed.),Coronary Arteries, Mastery of Endovascular Interventions: A Guide to Excellence. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.