Biomedical fluid mechanics research is aimed to reveal the mechanisms underlying the phenomena related to fluid mechanics, mass and heat transfer in disorders' development and to optimise treatments for better healthcare. Combining advances in medical imaging, biomaterials and pharmaceutical sciences, the research uses multiphysics modelling tools to simulate in vivo tissue environments for patient-specific analysis. Studies covers a range of physiological and physicochemical processes on the microscale and macroscale, including blood flow in the circulatory system, interstitial fluid flow and mass transport in tissues. Specific topics are:
(1) Multiscale modelling of drug delivery to brain tumours
The macroscale studies on this topic are focused on the delivery outcomes of advanced drug delivery systems and methods, such as nanoparticles, in the entire tissue. Output is to optimise the properties of drug delivery systems and their delivery strategies. The studies on the microscale are focused on those processes in the tissue microstructure, with the aims of deepening understanding of the diseases and determining the intrinsic properties of tissues.
(2) Image-based analyses of cardiovascular fluid dynamics
Based on the 3D realistic vessel geometry and patient-specific blood waveforms, this study aims to predict the 4D blood flow in cardiovascular diseases such as aneurysm, and to evaluate treatments, such as thoracic endovascular aortic repair with stent, for improvement.
Recent external projects
| 2023 | Evaluation and optimisation of thermosensitive hydrogel for controllable drug delivery against brain tumour, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, UK (W. Zhan, £6k) |
| 2022-2024 | Image-based modelling and optimisation of convection-enhanced delivery for combination therapy against heterogeneous human brain tumour, The Royal Society, UK (W. Zhan, £12k) |
| 2022-2024 | Gender differences in sex hormone transport in abdominal aortic aneurysm, The Royal Society, UK (Wenbo Zhan, £12k) |
| 2022 | Optimisation of infusion catheter posture for improving convection-enhanced drug delivery to brain cancer, Children's Brain Tumour Drug Delivery Consortium, Children with Cancer UK (Wenbo Zhan, £7k) |
Recent PhD Projects:
| 2021 - present | Yi Yang | Pore-scale investigation of drug transport in brain tumour tissue |
Selected papers
- Sunil, V., Mozhi, A., Zhan, W., Heng Teoh, J., Baban Ghode, P., Thakor, N., Wang, C.-H. (2022) In-situ Vaccination Using Dual Responsive Organelle Targeted Nanoreactors. Biomaterials, 290:121843.
- Zhan, W., Wang, C.-H. (2018) Convection Enhanced Delivery of Chemotherapeutic Drugs into Brain Tumour. Journal of Controlled Release, 271:74-87.
- Zhan, W., Wang, C.-H. (2018) Convection Enhanced Delivery of Liposome Encapsulated Doxorubicin for Brain Tumour Therapy. Journal of Controlled Release, 285: 212-229.