Research Assistant
Archie Lightbody-Gee is a research assistant at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) with a background in mechanical design, manufacturing and experimental fluid dynamics. He worked as a civil and mechanical drafter for 12 years before completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering at QUT in 2021. Archie developed his medical engineering skillset during his degree, designing and building equipment for producing tubular melt electro written scaffolds, a machine for molding flexible anatomical models and a high-precision instrument for replicating the effects of blood trauma in medical devices. These projects were completed in collaboration with research groups at QUT, Griffith University and the Innovative Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology Laboratory (ICETLab) at Prince Charles Hospital. Archie’s research experience has also given him practical skills in precision machine design, electronics, embedded microcontrollers and control systems.
Having returned to research after working as a professional engineer in the heavy industrial and aerospace industries, Archie’s current focus is the development of apparatus for testing a prototype artificial heart valve. This project is in collaboration with Brisbane cardiologists seeking to develop the valve for clinical use. The apparatus will also provide robust and versatile experimental infrastructure to researchers at QUT. To validate the heart valve design and achieve clinical translation, Archie is building an ISO standards-compliant benchtop heart simulator which replicates realistic cardiovascular fluid dynamics using idealised heart chambers and other circulatory system components.