My research focuses on the way in which fluid forces in blood flow affect cardiovascular function. One aspect is to generate controlled in-vitro flow environments that accurately mimic the complex blood flow conditions found the human body facilitating highly detailed measurements which are not otherwise possible. Such tools are aimed at investigations of disease mechanisms, development of implantable devices and drug evaluation. Recent examples include: 

Targeted lab-on-a-chip devices: a microfluidic devices which mimic flow in a vessel wall 

Flow control: development of devices to replicate patient specific blood pressure and flow waves 

New algorithms: combining computer simulation and experimental measurements to obtain data sets that could previously only be measured in separate independent experiments. For example to simultaneously measure time resolved blood flow (pressure, flow shear) and biological activity (cell adhesion, thrombus stability, fluorescent receptor markers). Key publications: Pinar et al, PLoS ONE 2015, Nesbitt et al, Nature Med 2009. NHMRC Project grant APP1126536 2017-2019