Sofia Battaglia is currently a PhD student in “Mechanical, Manufacturing, Management, and Aerospace Innovation” at the University of Palermo, in collaboration with the Ri.MED Foundation. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2022 from the University of Palermo and her Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2025 from the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. During the second year of her Master’s program, she carried out a research internship at the Ri.MED Foundation, where she contributed to the fabrication of an esophageal graft for tissue engineering applications. In this context, she gained experience in the fabrication and characterization of polymeric scaffolds, including electrospinning, mechanical testing, and microscopy and histological analysis techniques.

Sofia’s PhD research focuses on the development and characterization of an engineered Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) device for the treatment of portal hypertension. The aim of the project is to design an innovative stent capable of dynamically modulating the lumen of the device through an internal regulation mechanism, with the goal of improving hemodynamic control and reducing complications associated with conventional TIPS devices.

To achieve this goal, the research integrates in silico and in vitro approaches. In an initial phase, computational models based on finite element simulations are developed to analyze the mechanical behavior of the system under physiological conditions. Subsequently, the numerical results are supported by in vitro studies through the development of an experimental fluidic setup to evaluate the device’s behavior under controlled conditions. Research activities include device design, CAD modeling, and numerical simulations using software such as SolidWorks and Abaqus.