N.Z. Moore Cerebrovascular Biomechanics Lab

Overview

The Cerebrovascular Biomechanics Lab is working to determine the key information to perform computational fluid structure interaction modeling of cerebrovascular disease with a focus on cerebral arteriovenous malformations and application to stroke and cerebral aneurysms. This lab collaborates with the Bioengineering Computational Biomodeling Core, Neuroimaging, Neuropathology, and the Case Western Reserve University Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department.

Key Projects:

Cerebral Vessel Mechanics and Histology

Project Goals: 

1. To determine the mechanical behavior of cerebral arteries, veins, and arteriovenous malformations.
2. To understand the key mechanical histological components of cerebral vasculature.

Prior Funding:

1.  The AVM and Aneurysm Foundation

Ongoing Funding: 

1. Neurological Institute Startup Funding
2. NI Clinician Scientist Research Development Award

Fluid Structure Interaction Modeling of Cerebrovascular Systems

Project Goals: 

1. To determine the necessary parameters needed to accurately model cerebral arteries, veins, aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations.
2. To predict natural history and rupture risk of cerebrovascular pathology using fluid structure interaction modeling.

Prior Funding:

1. The AVM and Aneurysm Foundation

Ongoing Funding: 

1. Neurological Institute Startup Funding
2. NI Clinician Scientist Research Development Award

Fluid Flow Models and Imaging

Project Goals: 

1. To obtain fluid and pressure data from anatomically correct 3D printed cerebrovascular fluid flow models for computational fluid dynamics simulations.
2. To validate preoperative imaging data to obtain fluid and pressure data prior to surgical and endovascular treatment procedures.

Imaging Techniques:

• 4D Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography
• 4D Flow 3T and 7T MRA
• Low Frequency Ultrasound

Prior Funding:  Joe Niekro SNIS Research Grant

Current Funding:

1. Neurological Institute Startup Funding
2. NI Clinician Scientist Research Development Award

Publications

Computational Fluid Structure Interactions in the Human Cerebrovascular System: Part 1. A Review of the Current Understanding of Cerebrovascular Biomechanics. Nishanth Thiyagarajah, Rebecca Achey, Majid Rashidi, Nina Z. Moore. ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy; Special Issue on New Trends in Simulation of physiological flows. Aug 2022, 5(3): 030801

Computational Fluid Structure Interactions in the Human Cerebrovascular System: Part 2. Rebecca Achey, Nishanth Thiyagarajah, Keyvon Rashidi, Majid Rashidi, Nina Z. Moore. A Review of Current Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Structural Mechanics in Cerebrovascular Pathophysiology. Accepted to the ASME Journal of Engineering and Science in Medical Diagnostics and Therapy; Special Issue on New Trends in Simulation of physiological flows. Published online March 17, 2022. 

Endovascular Management of AVM-Associated Intracranial Aneurysms: A Systematic Literature Review. Mohamed E. El-Abtah, Jordan C. Petitt, Ahmed Kashkoush, Rebecca Achey, Mark Bain, Nina Moore. World Neurosurg. 2022 May 18;164:257-269. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35597540 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.05.051

Nishanth Thiyagarajah, Alex Witek, John Tsiang, Thomas Masaryk, M. Shazam Hussain, Richard Prayson, Mark Bain, Nina Z. Moore. Histological Analysis of Intracranial Cerebral Arteries for Elastin Thickness: An Atlas for Computational Modeling.  In Review. 

Publications for Nina Moore.

Members & Collaborations

Nina Z. Moore, MD, MSE
Biomechanics Lab Director and Principal Investigator

Majid Rashidi, PhD, Co-Investigator
Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Case Western Reserve University

Ahmet Erdemir, PhD, Co-Investigator
Associate Staff
Director, Computational Biomodeling (CoBi) Core
Lerner Research Institute Biomedical Engineering Department

Thomas E. Patterson, Ph.D, Co-Investigator
Project Staff Scientist
Cerebrovascular Center

Daniel Thomeer, MSE, Co-Investigator
Fluid Structure Interaction Research Engineer

Clinical Collaborators:

Neuroimaging:

• Stephen Jones, MD, PhD
• Mark Lowe, PhD

Skull Base Neurosurgery:

• Varun Kshettry, MD
• Roger Murayi, MD

Neuropathology:

• Richard Prayson, MD

Biomedical Engineering/Vascular Surgery:

• Paul Bishop, PhD

Cerebrovascular Center:

• Mark Bain, MD, MS
• Shazam Hussain, MD

• Gabor Toth, MD
• Jenny Tsai, MD
• Peter Rasmussen, MD
• Thomas Masaryk, MD

3D Printing Core Lab:

• Nadeem Parkar, MD
• Ryan Klatte, BSE

Lab Members

Keyvon Rashidi,  BME
Case Western Reserve University

Mark Davison, MD
BSE in Mechanical Engineering from MSU, Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery Residency

Maximos McCune
Research Assistant Cerebovascular Biomechanics Laboratory

Nishanth Thiyagarajah
Research Assistant Cerebrovascular Biomechanics Laboratory

Cynthia Uzoukwu
BME from University of Maryland

Ahmed Kashkoush, MD
BME from University of Pittsburg, Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery Residency

Rebecca Achey, MD
CCLCM, Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery Residency

Alan Gordillo
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Katrina Mikofalvy
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Alexandra (Sasha) White
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Jack Xiao
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Parminder Singh Mathaun
University of Montana