CAREER: Integration of Prior Knowledge and Patient-specific Observations in Vascular Growth and Remodeling Models

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI

Investigators

Abstract

The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award is to combine a computational model of a vascular disease with patient-specific clinical data in order to develop an integrative approach to make clinically relevant predictions. The system investigated integrates prior knowledge and uncertainties in modeling and in clinical measurements. The goals are (i) to develop computational methods that integrate vascular disease models, prior knowledge, and patient-specific observations to predict vascular growth and remodeling for the individual patient and (ii) to demonstrate the utility of the proposed approach in clinical management of abdominal aortic aneurysms. In particular, results from this investigation will be applied to predict the stability of proximal neck dilation after endovascular aneurysm repair and estimate the stress and rupture potential in the wall of the aneurysm. Vascular disease is the primary cause of death in the US and western countries. Providing new technologies for precise estimation of the stage of such diseases and reliable predictions of the outcomes of clinical treatment, this CAREER project will have significant impact on medical care, social welfare, and economics. If successful, this project will illustrate how to transfer an advanced, but deterministic, computational model to clinical applications. This will promote new collaboration between biomedical engineers and physicians by providing a systematic tool that they can integrate with their expertise. The education plan focuses on integrating previously developed individual education and public outreach programs to provide K-PhD students and general public research experiences in biomedical engineering and to promote participation of minority and underrepresented students in biomedical engineering research and education. Specifically, an interdisciplinary summer program will offer a diverse environment for high school, undergraduate, graduate students, and high school teachers to team up and create innovative ideas for biomedical research, public outreach and K-12 curricula.