Home Department: Computer Science
Mentor: Alison Marsden (Pediatrics - Cardiology and Bioengineering)

“Flow Simulations on Patient-Specific Cardiac Geometries to Inform Biventricular Reconstruction Surgeries”

The goal is to improve success of reconstruction surgeries using computational models of patient hearts. First, the Marsden lab will identify design parameters of the surgery, such as geometry and location of interventions, and measures of success (such as maximizing oxygen saturation). Then, using MRI data from the patients of Dr. Michael Ma, they will build a computational model of pre-surgical hearts in the software SimVascular before modifying them to replicate the surgical procedure and create a post-surgical model of the heart. They will then use these post-surgical models to run simulations with varied surgical parameters to determine which are most successful. This work will provide insight into identifying aspects of surgery that can be modified to improve heart reconstruction.