MechE Colloquium: Turbulent flow behind aortic valve prostheses

Abstract:  Blood flow through aortic valve prostheses is governed by the interaction between blood flow and valve structure. It comprises complex phenomena such as flow separation, vortex shedding, recirculation, hydrodynamic instabilities, and turbulence. We will present experimental and computational data to investigate how such flow phenomena affect the performance of these prostheses and how they may reduce valve durability or lead to thrombus formation. In particular, we will study the character of turbulent flow behind aortic valves and discuss methods for reducing the detrimental effects of valve turbulence.


Biography: Dominik Obrist is Professor of Cardiovascular Engineering at the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research of the University of Bern and is co-founder of the start-up URODEA, which invented the world’s first non-invasive solution for urinary retention. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from ETH Zurich and earned his doctoral degree in 2000 at the Department of Applied Mathematics of the University of Washington. From 2000 to 2005, he worked for the supercomputer company Cray Inc. In 2005, Dominik Obrist returned to academia as a senior researcher at the Institute of Fluid Dynamics of ETH Zurich, where he established a research group for biomedical fluid dynamics. His main research interests include the design of heart valve prostheses and the development of novel technology for diagnosing and treating microvascular diseases