Computational Modelling Group

Biomechanics

Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems, using methods from engineering mechanics. Areas included under this topic are musculoskeletal modelling, orthopaedics, cardiovascular biomechanics and soft tissue modelling. Since many bioogical systems are complex, it can be beneficial to use engineering methods to calculate approximations of their mechanical behaviour.

For queries about this topic, contact Hans Fangohr.

View the calendar of events relating to this topic.

Projects

Centre for Doctoral Training in Next Generation Computational Modelling

Hans Fangohr, Ian Hawke, Peter Horak (Investigators), Susanne Ufermann Fangohr, Thorsten Wittemeier, Kieran Selvon, Alvaro Perez-Diaz, David Lusher, Ashley Setter, Emanuele Zappia, Hossam Ragheb, Ryan Pepper, Stephen Gow, Jan Kamenik, Paul Chambers, Robert Entwistle, Rory Brown, Joshua Greenhalgh, James Harrison, Jonathon Waters, Ioannis Begleris, Craig Rafter

The £10million Centre for Doctoral Training was launched in November 2013 and is jointly funded by EPSRC, the University of Southampton, and its partners.

The NGCM brings together world-class simulation modelling research activities from across the University of Southampton and hosts a 4-year doctoral training programme that is the first of its kind in the UK.

Coronary Artery Stent Design for Challenging Disease

Neil Bressloff (Investigator), Georgios Ragkousis

In this work, a method has been setup to (i) reconstruct diseased patient specific coronary artery segments; (ii) use the new supercomputer to run many simulations of this complex problem and (iii) assess the degree of stent malapposition. The aim now is to devise a stent delivery system that can mitigate this problem

How far can we stretch the MARTINI?

Syma Khalid (Investigator), Ric Gillams

To date, coarse-grained lipid models have generally been parameterised to ensure the correct prediction of structural properties of membranes, such as the area per lipid and the bilayer thickness. The work described here explores the extent to which coarse-grained models are able to predict correctly bulk properties of lipids (phase behaviour) as well as the mechanical properties, such as lateral pressure profiles and stored elastic stress in bilayers. Such an evaluation is crucial for understanding the predictive capabilities of coarse-grained models.

Image Based Modelling of Fluid Flow through Lymph Nodes

Tiina Roose, Bharathram Ganapathisubramani, Geraldine Clough (Investigators), Laura Cooper

In this project we are using images of mouse lymph nodes to investigate the fluid transport pathways through it. The images of the nodes are taken using selective plane illumination microscopy, and synchrotron micro computed tomography. The fluid flow is modelled using Darcy's law in COMSOL Multiphysics and the models are run on the Iridis cluster.

Investigations of Lymphatic Fluid Flow

Tiina Roose, Bharathram Ganapathisubramani, Geraldine Clough (Investigators), Laura Cooper

The lymphatic system performs three main roles returns interstitial fluid back into the blood stream to maintain tissue fluid homeostasis. The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of how the lymph flows through the system by creating three dimensional fluid structure interaction models of the secondary lymphatic valves and image based models of lymph nodes.

Microstructural modeling of skin mechanics

Georges Limbert (Investigator), Emanuele Zappia

Microstructural modeling of skin mechanics to gain a mechanistic insight into the biomechanics of the skin.

Modelling mechanoreceptor reaction to tissue deformation

Mark Taylor (Investigator), Gwen Palmer

This project involved the modelling of a piece of knee joint capsule, which will produce an electrical output when mechanically stimulated. The model is based on expermental work carried out by P. Grigg and A.H. Hoffman (1982).

Modelling neuronal activity at the knee joint

Mark Taylor, Tiina Roose (Investigators), Gwen Palmer

The function of the knee joint is reliant on proprioception, which involves the response of nerve endings in the tissues at the joint. This project will be concentrating on the neuronal activity, caused by mechanical stimuli, of the more common receptors found at the knee (Ruffini, Paciniform, Golgi and Nociceptor).

There are three stages to this project:
1. Modelling the behaviour of each individual receptor, with the use of the Hodgkin-Huxley model [1].
2. These models will then be applied to the soft tissues around a knee, where a global deformation of the tissue will result in local stimulation of receptors.
3. The soft tissue models will then be applied to structures in the knee.

[1] - Hodgkin, A.L. and A.F. Huxley, A quantitative description of membrane current and its application to conduction and excitation in nerve. Journal of Physiology, 1952. 117: p. 500-544.

Multi-objective design optimisation of coronary stents

Neil Bressloff, Georges Limbert (Investigators), Sanjay Pant

Stents are tubular type scaffolds that are deployed (using an inflatable balloon on a catheter), most commonly to recover the shape of narrowed (diseased) arterial segments. Despite the widespread clinical use of stents in cardiovascular intervention, the presence of such devices can cause adverse responses leading to fatality or to the need for further treatment. The most common unwanted responses of inflammation are in-stent restenosis and thrombosis. Such adverse biological responses in a stented artery are influenced by many factors, including the design of the stent. This project aims at using multi-objective optimisation techniques to find an optimum family of coronary stents which are more resistant to the processes of in-stent restenosis (IR) and stent thrombosis (ST).

MXL Project

Mark Taylor, Junfen Shi (Investigators)

‘MXL’ is short for “Enhanced patient safety by computational Modelling from clinically available X-rays to minimise the risk of overload and instability for optimised function and Longevity”. This is an international EU-funded project which the Bioengineering Sciences Research Group at Southampton is involved in. For more information, visit http://www.m-x-l.eu

Respiratory mask modeling

Jacques Ernes

Abaqus modelling of repiratory masks, bioengineering, Health sciences

Statistical model of the knee

Mark Taylor (Investigator), Francis Galloway, Prasanth Nair

Development of methods for large scale computational testing of a tibial tray incorporating inter-patient variability.

The tarsal intersegmental reflex control system in the locust hind leg

David Simpson, Philip Newland (Investigators), Alicia Costalago Meruelo

Locomotion is vital for vertebrates and invertebrates to survive. Despite that feet are responsible for stability and agility in most animals, research on feet movements and their reflexes is scarce.
In this thesis, the tarsal reflex responses of locust will be studied and modelled with ANNs to achieve a deeper comprehension of how stability and agility is accomplished.
The choice of ANNs is linked to the applicability of the method into other fields, such as technological designs or medical treatment.

µ-VIS Computed Tomography Centre

Ian Sinclair, Richard Boardman, Dmitry Grinev, Philipp Thurner, Simon Cox, Jeremy Frey, Mark Spearing, Kenji Takeda (Investigators)

A dedicated centre for computed tomography (CT) at Southampton, providing complete support for 3D imaging science, serving Engineering, Biomedical, Environmental and Archaeological Sciences. The centre encompasses five complementary scanning systems supporting resolutions down to 200nm and imaging volumes in excess of one metre: from a matchstick to a tree trunk, from an ant's wing to a gas turbine blade.

People

Neil Bressloff
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Geraldine Clough
Professor, Medicine (FM)
Simon Cox
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Hans Fangohr
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Jeremy Frey
Professor, Chemistry (FNES)
Bharathram Ganapathisubramani
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Philip Newland
Professor, Biological Sciences (FNES)
Ian Sinclair
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Mark Spearing
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Mark Taylor
Professor, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Peter Horak
Reader, Optoelectronics Research Centre
Tiina Roose
Reader, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Prasanth Nair
Senior Lecturer, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
David Simpson
Senior Lecturer, Institute of Sound & Vibration Research (FEE)
Ian Hawke
Lecturer, Mathematics (FSHS)
Georges Limbert
Lecturer, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Philipp Thurner
Lecturer, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Anatoliy Vorobev
Lecturer, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Syma Khalid
Principal Research Fellow, Chemistry (FNES)
Richard Boardman
Senior Research Fellow, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Dario Carugo
Research Fellow, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Dmitry Grinev
Research Fellow, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Ugur Mart
Research Fellow, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Gwen Palmer
Research Fellow, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Roxana Aldea
Postgraduate Research Student, Mathematics (FSHS)
Ioannis Begleris
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Rory Brown
Postgraduate Research Student, Civil Engineering & the Environment (FEE)
Paul Chambers
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Laura Cooper
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Alicia Costalago Meruelo
Postgraduate Research Student, University of Southampton
Enrique Cuan-Urquizo
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Robert Entwistle
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Francis Galloway
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Ric Gillams
Postgraduate Research Student, Chemistry (FNES)
Stephen Gow
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Joshua Greenhalgh
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
James Harrison
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
William Hurndall
Postgraduate Research Student, Electronics and Computer Science (FPAS)
David Lusher
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Sanjay Pant
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Alvaro Perez-Diaz
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Maximillian Phipps
Postgraduate Research Student, Chemistry (FNES)
Craig Rafter
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Hossam Ragheb
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Georgios Ragkousis
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Kieran Selvon
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Ashley Setter
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Jonathon Waters
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Thorsten Wittemeier
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Emanuele Zappia
Postgraduate Research Student, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Elena Vataga
Technical Staff, iSolutions
Petrina Butler
Administrative Staff, Research and Innovation Services
Susanne Ufermann Fangohr
Administrative Staff, Civil Engineering & the Environment (FEE)
Jan Kamenik
Alumnus, University of Southampton
Kenji Takeda
Alumnus, Engineering Sciences (FEE)
Jacques Ernes
External Member, Technical University of Eindhoven
Mario Orsi
External Member, Queen Mary University of London
Junfen Shi
None, None