Brian Carlson, Ph.D.
Department of Bioengineering
"Vascular Mechanics and Modeling of the Circulatory System"


ABSTRACT

Mathematical models are critical to the development and understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing physiological systems.  Some of the basic concepts of vascular mechanics will be described and examples of these concepts will be developed into models used to represent the cardiovascular system.  These models can be highly conceptualized, such as the lumped parameter modeling of the entire cardiovascular system, or can take into consideration spatial and temporal detail describing mechanisms at the network, individual vessel or even cellular level. 

Modeling of these systems also provides a quantitative construct to compare to experimental data.  These comparisons can then be used to not only refine the models but aid in providing direction for further experimental observations of the phenomena in question.  In this seminar, vascular mechanics and models at the whole cardiovascular system, microvascular network and individual vessel levels will be briefly presented along with possible applications to the assessment and treatment of diseases such as atherosclerosis, sickle cell disease and hypertension.