Dr. Yu Feng Honored with 2025 President's Fellow Faculty Research Award
5/16/2025
Recognized for Pioneering Respiratory Research
Dr. Yu Feng, Associate Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma
State University (OSU), has been awarded the 2025 President's Fellow Faculty Research
Award. This prestigious accolade, accompanied by a $20,000 grant, supports tenured faculty
within five years of their tenure date in conducting groundbreaking research. Dr. Feng's recognition underscores his significant contributions to respiratory health
research, particularly his innovative work on the role of cilia in maintaining lung
health.
In addition to this honor, Dr. Feng has been a multiple-time recipient of the Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases (OCRID) Pilot Project awards. These awards have supported his development of advanced computational models, including digital twins of the human respiratory system. His research integrates computational fluid-particle dynamics (CFPD), discrete element methods (DEM), and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to simulate airflow, mucus dynamics, and particle interactions within the lungs. Such models are instrumental in designing targeted therapies for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
Dr. Feng's work has also garnered national attention. He secured a $550,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project titled “Improving Inhaler Design and Efficacy with a Novel AI-assisted Digital Human Testing Platform.” This initiative aims to enhance inhaler performance through patient-specific virtual testing environments, potentially improving drug delivery efficiency for individuals with chronic lung diseases.
Through his multiple OCRID Pilot Project awards and continued commitment to innovative research, Dr. Feng exemplifies the mission of OCRID to address prominent health issues in Oklahoma and beyond.