PN 4: Coupled problems in biomechanics and systems biology

Coordinators: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Ehlers, JP Oliver Röhrle, Ph. D.
Research Areas: B, C, D
Number of projects: 4 + 1 JP seed project

The goal of the Project Network 4 is to investigate and to promote theoretical and computational methods in the general field of coupled problems in biomechanics and systems biology. The need for further development in this field is motivated and inspired by the idea of an overall human model, which aims at the desire to predict the interaction of the human body with its environment in a very detailed and sophisticated manner.

At present, state-of-the-art research aims at the description of isolated parts of the human body. In particular, this addresses hard biological tissues like teeth or bones with all their articulating joints as well as soft biological tissues like muscles, organs, articular cartilage, intervertebral discs and general connective tissue. These investigations include active and passive tissue deformation, where, for instance, the muscle contraction is driven by electric activation, the flow of blood in arteries and veins is driven by heart activities, the flow of interstitial fluid is driven by pressure gradients and osmosis as well as further electro-chemical effects leading to swelling and shrinking phenomena. More-over, living systems exhibit a modelling and remodelling strategy, as they can grow and recover after injuries or even mutate into harmful growth processes like it is the case in tumours.

All projects of Project Network 4 at a glance:

4-1
Coupling of micro and macro models for complex flow and transport processes in biological tissues
Project Coordinators: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Helmig, PD Dr.-Ing. Jennifer Niessner, Dr. rer. nat. Bernd Flemisch
Research Associate: Dipl.-Ing. Katherina Baber
Institute of Hydraulic Engineering

More about the project | Project abstract |  Status report

4-2
Growth, modelling and remodelling of biological tissue
Project Coordinators: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Ehlers, PD Dr.-Ing. Bernd Markert
Research Associate: Dipl.-Ing. Robert Krause
Institute of Applied Mechanics

More about the project | Project abstract |  Status report

4-3
Multi-body simulation of the human spine: calculation of internal loads and multi-scale coupling with finite element analysis
Project Coordinators: Dr. rer. nat. Syn Schmitt, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Ehlers
Research Associate: Dipl.-Ing. (DH) Tille Karoline Rupp
Institute of Sport and Movement Science, Institute of Applied Mechanics

More about the project | Project abstract |  Status report

4-4
Using 1D-3D coupled skeletal muscle models to realistically simulate the influence of skeletal muscles forces on lumbar spine mechanics
Project Coordinator: JP Oliver Röhrle, Ph. D.
Research Associate: Dipl.-Ing. Michael Sprenger
Institute of Applied Mechanics

More about the project | Project abstract |  Status report  

4-5
A micromechanical model for strain-induced crystallization of polymers at failure (JP seed project)
Project Coordinator: JP Christian Linder, Ph. D.
Research Associate: Xiaoxuan Zhang
Institute of Applied Mechanics

Project abstract