Biomechanical modeling of vascular disease

The accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid vessels and the formation of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) are among the most common vascular diseases that need clinical attention.

Given the significant spatial correlation of vessel wall pathology and mechanical stress, biomechanical research might help to better understand and more effectively treat these diseases.

This project aims at developing a biomechanics-based simulation environment towards the exploration of vascular diseases.

The proposal integrates multi-disciplinary perspectives and foresees the collection and analysis of medical images and vessel tissue samples, information that is then used to calibrate and validate constitutive models and organ-level simulations.

We plan the structural and hemodynamic assessment of patient-specific pathologies to gain a holistic biomechanical understanding of vascular diseases.

Our established network of collaboration will ensure that the necessary multidisciplinary scientific competence is available in all aspects.

KTH Solid Mechanics will closely collaborate with the Department of Vascular Surgery at the Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, and the project will gain from collaboration with the Mechanics & Advanced Materials Group, at the University of Pavia, Italy.