Cardiovascular Engineering

Research Topics

Cardiovascular Simulations and Fluid Dynamics | Clinical Support and Clinical Research for Assist Devices | Development of Blood Pumps & Components | Electrospinning for Grafts and Scaffolds | In-vitro, Ex-vivo, In-vivo experiments | Mechanical Characterization of Biomaterials and Soft Tissues | Monitoring and Control of Cardiac Assist Devices | Neural Control of the Cardiac Activity

Research Area Representative

Heinrich Schima

Research Groups

Cardiovascular Dynamics & Artificial Organs Group | Additive Manufacturing for Medical Research Group

More about this research area

Cardiovascular Simulations and Fluid Dynamics

Local flow properties in the cardiovascular area can be linked to diseases and outcomes.

Cardiovascular diseases and treatment equipment interact dynamically and strongly with the cardiovascular system. Clinical tools are mainly limited to imaging data and therefore experimental setups can be an important tool to gain insights into disease mechanisms.

Development of Blood Pumps & Components

Detailed KnowHow and Various Technologies for development of blood pumps and components.

Over the years, our group has been developing multiple devices and device components, including even a TotalArtificialHeart for Clinical use, and hydraulic simulators for very different purposes.

Clinical Support and Clinical Research for Assist Devices

LVAD Outcomes Research Evidence Based Patient Management to Optimize Clinical Outcomes.

Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) are an established therapeutic option for patients with chronic heart failure but adverse events (AEs), such as bleeding, infection, pump thrombosis (PT) and stroke have been associated with the use of these devices. The search for potential clinical risk factors and early predictors are of great interest to reduce AEs and hospital readmissions. Continuous monitoring and the adherence to guidelines and target ranges are essential to identify problems early and achieve optimal outcomes.

Electrospinning for Grafts and Scaffolds

Electrospinning is a technique to manufacture small fibers(Ø 200nm – 2µm) from various materials. Our group specializes in the spinning of biostable and biodegradable polymers from a dissolved state. The process has the potential to provide scaffolds with micro- to nanoscale topography and high porosity that is similar to the natural extracellular matrix and therefore useful in tissue engineering applications. The deposition of the fibers happens usually in a chaotic fashion. One of our aims is to increase the control the orientation of the deposited fibers.

In-vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo experiments

After numerical and hydraulic simulation, our work must be validated in the biological setting.

Algorithms, procedures, diagnostic devices and implants have to be validated before the next steps to industry transfer and clinical application. To minimize unevitable animal experiments, our group has developed potent tools for in-vitro and ex-vivo-investigations, which are performed in the Center of Biomedical Research within close cooperation in the Boltzmann-Institute for Cardiovascular Research.

Mechanical Characterization of Biomaterials and Soft Tissue

Static and dynamic characterization of biomaterials and tissues under physiological conditions.

In order to ensure that implants and medical devices are properly adapted to the organism, biomechanical tests are essential. Both for the characterization of biomaterials and their durability, as well as for information about biological tissues and their changes after surgery. These tests have to cover a wide range of operating points, from tiny structures that require special handling and measurement methods to large bones.

Monitoring and Control of Cardiac Assist Devices

The complex management of patients with left ventricular assist devices can be improved by developing tools to better understand the patient-state throughout their therapy. Additionally, automatic decision making modules can actively adjust therapy to meet changing patient demands.

Neural Control of the Cardiac Activity

The cardiac activity is orchestrated by a complex interaction of hemodynamic, neural and hormonal control. Here we are concerned with understanding the influence of neural control on cardiac chronotropy, inotropy, and dromotrpy and with the development of neuroprostheses to restore and/or improve closed-loop cardiac neural control.