Dr. John Higgins

Biography

John Higgins studies the dynamics of human pathophysiologic processes, developing mathematical descriptions of complex human disease phenotypes that change over time. His work in pathophysiology is described at molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal levels, showing clinically significant variation across time scales ranging from days to decades. Research conducted in his lab combines medical insight with dynamic systems theory, conducting experiments utilizing microfluidics, video processing, flow cytometry, and simulations, alongside large-scale analyses of medical databases. The pursuit of his research goals includes advancing fundamental understanding of the dynamics of human pathophysiology and improving patient diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Recent research projects have investigated physiologic and pathologic population dynamics of human blood cells related to forms of anemia, rheodynamics associated with vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease, and the immunologic response of patients to blood transfusion, emphasizing the importance of these pathophysiologic processes as states measured with temporal and spatial resolution, vital for productive mathematical modeling.

Research Interests