Dr. Weitzel conducts research in many areas of medical device development for application in patients with renal and vascular diseases. Research interests include End Stage Renal Disease, vascular access for dialysis, dialysis access surveillance techniques, bioengineering, and novel imaging modalities including ultrasound strain and elasticity imaging. Dr Weitzel¿s research group and collaborators are developing a novel dialysis access surveillance technique (VF Doppler) with ongoing laboratory studies and clinical trials. This research includes development of the prototypes as well as testing measurement validity in the lab and clinically. Clinical studies are in progress to explore monitoring optimization. In the area of imaging, laboratory studies and early human trials are in progress to develop novel imaging methods to measure the mechanical properties of blood vessels, dialysis vascular access, and transplanted kidneys. Other areas of interest include artificial organ technologies and novel dialysis techniques, biopsy needle design and other medical device design.
