Objective First, a simulation environment of the sarcomere will be developed by using lumped parameter models. This model will be incorporated into existing models of the cardiac contraction to eventually build a multi-scale model of the cardiovascular loop. At a later stage, this model will be coupled to local 3D models of cardiac devices. The study will focus on one specific application in cardiovascular engineering: valve closure force. Whilst forces of closure of prosthetic heart valves are an important characteristic with respect to the design, they are very difficult to quantify. Also, cavitation might be a problem, as could lead to catastrophic failure or blood damage. Closure lasts for only about 35 ms, and there are no adequate models that can predict or quantify the effect of local/cellular events of chemical, biochemical or mechano-electrical nature at the ventricular level on the closure forces. For potentially high-risk patients is possible that pharmacokinetical intervention may reduce the cavitation potential of the valve and risk of fracture. We propose to develop the first coherent multi-scale model of the system taking into account the cellular mechanisms of cardiac contraction, with feedback between electrochemical events in the vessel wall and detail haemodynamic characteristics of the flow Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants Keywords Biomedical engineering Biophysics Computational biology Medical physics Simulation engineering Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) PEOPLE-2007-2-2.ERG - Marie Curie Action: "European Reintegration Grants" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-2-ERG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-ERG - European Re-integration Grants (ERG) Coordinator UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON EU contribution € 45 000,00 Address GOWER STREET WC1E 6BT LONDON See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Greta Borg - Carbott (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data