Home > Research > Multi-Scale Modeling Initiative

E-mail this page

Multiscale Modeling of the Heart in Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease

Contents

• Contact Information
• Funding Agency 
• Research Emphasis 
• Disease Focus 
• Scales Examined 
• Biomedical, Biological &  Behavioral Areas
• Modeling Methods & Tools  
• Software Development 

Contact Information

Principal Investigator/Contact
Daniel Beard
Medical College of Wisconsin
Phone: (414) 456-5752
Fax: (414) 456-6568
E-mail: dbeard@mcw.edu

Co-PIs and Collaborators
Nicolas Smith
University of Auckland

Peter Hunter
University of Auckland

Grant Number - 1-R01-EB-005825-01

Funding Agency

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIH-NIBIB)

Back to Top

Research Emphasis

This proposal establishes a collaboration spanning molecular, cellular, tissue, and whole-organ levels of modeling to develop a multi-scale model of cardiac metabolism.

The multi-scale integrative framework developed in this proposal will provide new insights and enable prediction of the mechanisms of metabolic function and dysfunction in the heart. The researchers’ long-term goal is to develop the computational power to simulate the metabolic and regulatory mechanisms acting in disease and to quantify the impact of therapeutic agents on these mechanisms.

By developing a platform to simulate whole heart function under a variety of settings, including hypertrophy, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and combinations of these factors, the developed model will serve as a prototype for the future applications in the computer-aided design and optimization of therapeutics.

Abstract

Disease Focus 

Cardiovascular Disease

Back to Top

Scales Examined 

Time Scales

• Microsecond (μs)
• Millisecond (ms)
• Second (s)
• Minutes
• Hours
• Days
• Months

Biological Scales

• Molecular
• Molecular Complexes
• Sub-Cellular
• Cellular
• Multi-Cellular Systems
• Tissue
• Organ
• Organ Systems
• Organism

Length Scales 

• Micrometer (μm)
• Millimeter (mm)
• Centimeter (cm)
• Ten centimeter

Back to Top

Biomedical, Biological and Behavioral (BBB) Areas and Percent Focus

50%. We are exploring the role of energy metabolism and cardiac substrate selection in metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease. We wish to understand the coupled metabolic, electrical, and mechanical response of heart to physiological challenges, including ischemia, hypoxia, and acidosis.

Modeling Methods and Tools (MMT)Areas and Percent Focus

50%. We are developing differential equation-based deterministic models of cardiac cells and tissue and whole heart. To integrate cellular and mitochondrial electrophysiology, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial metabolism, cell mechanics, coronary substrate transport and blood tissue exchange, and whole-heart mechanics of contraction into a common framework, we must develop and extend models at each scale to merge together. Next, to make computations feasible on the resulting large-scale systems, we are developing parallel algorithms, and adaptive mesh methods. 

Software Development