Lisa Prahl Wittberg

The core of my research is fluid dynamics with focus on complex fluids commonly found in the human body (such as blood).  The research is aimed at enhancing physical understanding of flow physics in order to enable better treatment in different clinical applications such treatment with ECMO, respirators and dialysis.  My research group seeks developing tools and methods to enable advancing the understanding of the underlying processes. An example for such tools and models is the modelling and early detection of development of thromboembolic pathologies in clinical situations. The research is of both numerical and experimental character and is carried out in close collaboration with clinical partners.

Projects are currently focused in the following areas:

• Fluid mechanical characterization of blood flow in artificial devices:
  • Artificial heart-lung machine components (e.g. pumps and cannulae)
  • Arterio-venous fistula (hemodialysis)
  • Modelling of thrombo-embolism under clinical conditions
  • Drug delivery modelling
• Development of early, non-invasive detection techniques of thrombosis in life support devices.
• Atherosclerosis: Development of models and predictive indicators for initiation and progress of the pathological process
• Flow in breathing support devices (e.g. NCPAP)
• Quality assurance of flow simulations: Sensitivity assessment of fluid mechanical simulations due to model and numerical parameter (boundary conditions)