Research @ VBBL

At the Vascular Biomechanics and Biofluids Laboratory (VBBL) we investigate the role of mechanics in vascular disease. Modeling biological systems experimentally and numerically is important to gain a fundamental understanding of the in vivo vascular condition. Image-based modeling techniques and numerical methods can yield the flow and structural variables for select regions of interest in the vasculature. With the continuous improvement of computer architectures and the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence tools, one can envision computational solutions to a multiphysics problem being used by physicians as predictive tools in the clinic.

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The vision set forth for research at VBBL is based on the development of image-based computational modeling tools that can be readily utilized in a clinical setting to assess the need for surgical or endovascular interventions in a timely manner. In this regard, it is necessary to quantify the relationships between vascular biology, structure, and biomechanical forces, and use simulation tools developed from patient-specific clinical data. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide physicians with physics-based metrics they can use to assess treatment options for their patients.​