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
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-2-ERG
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Funding Scheme
MC-ERG - European Re-integration Grants (ERG)Coordinator
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom