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Platelets in an arteriole of 50 microns in diameter

A Stochastic Molecular Dynamics Method for Multiscale Modeling of Blood Platelet Phenomena

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
George Karniadakis
Brown University
Phone: (401) 863-1217
Fax: (401) 863-3369
Email: gk@cfm.brown.edu
Project Website: http://www.cfm.brown.edu/crunch

Co-PIs and Collaborators
Martin Maxey 
Brown University

Peter Richardson
Brown University

Alex Yakhot
Ben Gurion University, Israel

Spencer Sherwin
Imperial College, UK

Helen Christou
Childrens Hospital, Boston

Grant Number - 506312

Funding Agency

National Science Foundation (NSF)

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Research Emphasis

Blood platelets play a central role in hemostasis and in the formation of thrombi, which may result in heart attack, stroke or sudden death. They are micron-size cells - smaller than red blood cells - and when activated they become adhesive for other activated platelets and they adhere to the vessel wall. Their strong interaction with nano-size proteins at the subendothelium matrix activates and reshapes them from passively traveling discoids to active spiny spheres. The length and time scales characterizing such interactions as well as platelet-blood flow interactions span several orders of magnitude.

This project proposes a multiscale modeling methodology with focus on flow-modulated phenomena such as cell adhesion and aggregation at the micron-scale, and including nanoscale effects representing the main protein interactions.

The potential impact of this work is great as it will provide a new simulation capability for studying biomolecular interactions in blood vessels, organs and the entire arterial tree in a few hours instead of days or even weeks on a supercomputer. This, in turn, will allow fundamental studies at the molecular and cellular level and interaction with macroscales not currently possible with existing methodologies. In addition, the research will contribute to the ultimate objective of simulating the entire arterial tree, including rheology, stimulus, medicine intake, etc. in a comprehensive physiological simulation to determine the formation and remediation of thrombi.

Hemostasis is the arrest of bleeding, whether it be by normal vasoconstriction (the vessel walls closing temporarily), by an abnormal obstruction (such as a plaque) or by coagulation or surgical means (such as ligation).
Thrombus is a blood clot in a blood vessel or within the heart. Thrombi is the plural of thrombus.

Abstract

Disease Focus

Cardiovascular / Thrombosis and platelet diseases 

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Scales Examined 

Time Scales

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

Biological Scales

• Cellular
• Multi-Cellular Systems
• Tissue
• Organ
• Organ Systems

Length Scales 

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

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

50% - Platelet Aggregation

Modeling Methods and Tools (MMT)Areas and Percent Focus

50% - Dissipative particle dynamics   

Software Development