Our researchers use mechanical engineering expertise to optimise design and use of medical devices. We collaborate closely with clinicians, industry, philanthropists and not-for-profit funding agencies.
Stenting and stenosis (non-dialysis related)
To validate clinical findings for Concord Hospital cardiologists, we have developed a benchtop experiment to simulate a cardiovascular condition called myocardial bridging (MB).,聽MB聽allows聽the first benchtop data to be taken of the complex flow fields found during MB. An in-house designed and built, numerically controlled compression device mimics the movement of the myocardium to constrict a patient specific PDMS聽moulded聽coronary artery.聽We聽have聽also聽cured the PDMS to replicate arterial compliance properties.聽聽
In collaboration with the Prince of Wales Hospital, we have an ongoing study taking patient data and running both computational and experimental models to determine a predictive metric for stroke. Work this year has also begun on the growth of cells in 3D printed models to determine cell response to turbulent flow.聽
This area of research is funded by ARC Linkage grant LP150100574. We work closely with Prof. Len Kritharides and Dr Andy Yong from Concord Hospital.
New generation hemodialysis airtraps and implantable artificial kidneys
Dialysis for renal failure patients requires blood to be filtered extracorporeally (outside of the body). It is critical that聽air聽bubbles聽do not re-enter the blood flow,聽however,聽our research has found that current systems do not trap micro-bubbles. Our work in this area has been on two fronts:聽聽a new understanding of how micro-bubbles interact with a free surface, and new designs for new types of聽air聽traps.聽聽
We are also designing a new component for a type of implantable artificial kidney where we mimic the function of the (kidney) glomerulus with a microfluidic device; we have close involvement of dialysis staff and transplant surgeons.聽
We work closely with A/Prof Ramon聽Varcoe聽and Dr Shannon Thomas from Prince of Wales Hospital.聽聽
Microfluidics for cell separation, mixing and delivery
Our聽research is focused on聽using micro-fluidics innovations to solve clinical problems. We have designed and fabricated devices that provide cell separation聽and聽cell mixing.聽We聽have also studied the effects of different types of fluid in these devices, which impacts how we computationally model the device.聽聽
We聽are聽also聽proud to聽work in partnership with聽our聽industry聽partner,聽Inventia聽Life Science.聽Our work聽involves聽designing聽a new type of printhead for an innovative printer to print cells, allowing cancer drug research to be performed efficiently and effectively.聽We聽combine micro-fluidic design and fabrication, fluid dynamic analysis and experiments on cells to determine cell viability under shear stress.聽聽
This area of research is funded by our partners in industry. We work closely with Dr Aidan O'Mahoney from Inventia Life Science.
Control of hemodynamics can increase efficacy of arterio-venous fistulae
The use of patient-specific computer modelling for blood flow has shown great clinical potential. Our team of researchers聽have聽developed an ultrasound-based procedure to bypass prior limitations to enable regular and on-demand computer modelling.聽聽This聽system聽is used聽at the POW Hospital to take weekly scans of renal patients. We聽then use the scan data to develop computational fluid dynamic models of the blood flows, create 3D prints of the patient vasculature, and build benchtop models where we use tomographic PIV.聽聽
This allows the surgeons we partner with to create a personalized clinical solution for the patient. The results of our studies have provided the first insight into the hemodynamics of arterio-venous fistulae, the vascular access needed for dialysis patients, and transformed surgical techniques.聽
聽Abbott Vascular are sponsoring research for our team to聽optimise聽stent use in fistulas.聽聽
We work closely with A/Prof Ramon聽Varcoe聽and Dr Shannon Thomas from Prince of Wales Hospital.
Validation of fetal ultrasound indices
Within perinatal聽medicine, the聽major clinical issues are placentally mediated. The current tools used to determine risk and evaluate fetuses are crude and non-specific despite substantially more unexploited data existing within the raw ultrasound signal.聽聽
Our researchers聽have developed a non-invasive 3D perfusion estimation using Fractional Moving Blood Volume (3D-FMBV).聽聽We聽have built new and innovative computational and benchtop models to provide validation of this parameter, providing the evidence needed for clinical implementation.聽聽Our aim is to聽develop聽a modular expandable medical image analysis application (MIAA) platform.聽聽
This area of research is funded by 鲍狈厂奥听Biomed Seed Fund. We work closely with Dr Gordon Stevenson and Ana Gomes De Melo Tavares Ferreira from RHW.
3D printing for surgery
We are working with vascular and veterinary surgeons to develop聽customised聽solutions for surgeons to learn complex new techniques more effectively聽and聽develop聽for stenting techniques.聽聽
We are building:聽
- 聽Cannulation trainer to enable dialysis nurses to learn cannulation for hemodialysis vascular access, enabling realistic flashback in the needle and proving opportunities for patient realistic geometry and cannulating through stents,聽聽
- Model of equine skull and cranial arterial vasculature as a learning and teaching tool for surgical treatment of guttural pouch mycosis, requiring both geometry and radiographic realism聽聽
- 3D printed templates to guide fenestrated聽physician聽modified聽stent-grafts for聽fenestrated聽endovascular聽aneurysm聽repair (FEVAR)聽聽
We work closely with Dr Jasamine Coles-Black (The Austin Hospital), Dr Jason Chuen (The Austin Hospital), Dr Shannon Thomas (Prince of Wales Hospital) and Dr Stuart Ryan (Melbourne University).
Cardiovascular device solutions
Our聽team of mechanical and biomedical engineers work on signing new cardiovascular device solutions including improved stent designs, grafts and pumps. This聽involves聽computational modelling and experimental testing. We work with clinicians, medical manufacturers, philanthropists and not-for-profit funding agencies.聽聽
Projects include:聽Stent design optimization,聽personalised聽two stent bifurcation implant strategies and novel LVAD graft modelling聽聽
