Growth & Remodelling of the Porcine Brain: Experimental Characterisation

Peter Theobald (Cardiff University)

Tuesday 21st May 10:00-10:40 Lecture Theatre 116

Abstract

Accurate and precise brain modelling creates opportunity for enhanced trauma prevention, early disease diagnosis, and effective surgical intervention, all key pillars of the Precision Medicine strategy. Clinical imaging enables an anatomically accurate ‘digital twin’; however, these datasets do not quantify material properties. That brain characteristics are region-, gender- and age-specific, demands a versatile constitutive law that considers tissue growth and remodelling. In turn, versatile laws require a breadth of experimental data.

This presentation will describe the suite of structural and mechanical characterisation facilities, and our initial results generated from a porcine brain model. Data has been captured that includes the region-specific axonal dispersion and direction, via imaging techniques including light, confocal and electron-based microscopy. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging, providing measures on a gross scale, are incoming. Biomechanical testing has captured the shear and loss moduli of tissue from different regions, plus the biaxial response, with further experiments soon to encompass a greater spectrum of growth and remodelling.

It is hoped that these data will provide a valuable resource for colleagues investigating the development of more accurate laws, as the community drives towards more effective solutions.

Add to your calendar

Download event information as iCalendar file (only this event)