Virtual Modelling of Cell and Tissue Growth in Bioreactors

Prof. Mark Thompson, Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Recent advances in bioengineering at the Monash Faculty of Engineering have involved the establishment of advanced facilities in inter-disciplinary research, with input form areas of applied bioscience research. In recognition of the rapid expansion in progress of these interdisciplinary areas, the faculty has established a new division of biological engineering, to explore innovation at the boundaries between bioscience and engineering. This proposal specifically builds on existing strengths in bioreactor development. Engineering skills and resources over the past have to date attempted to understand the intricate mechanical properties of fluid movement in these closed cell growth systems. Simple in concept, the design of bioreactors has evolved in sophistication of operation and application, particularly in industry.

Recent advancements in computer based modelling are now being extended to the molecular and biochemical regulators form the building blocks of cells and tissues. Parameters such as population dynamics, growth kinetics and responses to drugs can all be modelled accurately and reproducibly using these systems, under the banner of "computational biology". Such capabilities will greatly enhance ongoing engineering of bioreactor design, efficacy testing of these designs for live cultures, and optimization of bioreactor operation systems. It is hoped that the same computational framework will form the basis of a larger project beyond growing cells and tissue more effectively, such as cell manipulation and sorting technology.

• To implement and virtual cell and tissue modelling approaches to parallel experimental bioreactors,
• To integrate data obtained in simulations with other engineering data and process (CFD for fluid agitation),
• To further integrate with advanced image processing capabilities being developed at the Division of Biological Engineering, and
• To run complete systems in an experimental bioreactor using embryonic stem cells.