Emmy-Noether Group - BRAIn MechaNIcs ACross Scales
BRAINIACS
Figure 1: Methodological approach of the BRAINIACS project: closely linking experiments, modeling, and simulation.
Brain tissue is not only one of the most important but also the most complex and compliant tissue in the human body. While long underestimated, increasing evidence confirms that mechanics plays a critical role in modulating brain function and dysfunction. The Emmy-Noether research group BRAINIACS – BRAIn mechaNIcs ACross Scales – aims to establish novel computational tools based on nonlinear continuum mechanics that can facilitate early diagnostics of neurological diseases and advance modern treatment strategies. We bridge the scales from known biological processes on the cellular scale to macroscopic pathologies apparent through modern imaging techniques.
To achieve this goal, our group combines experimental and microstructural analyses with continuum scale modeling and simulation. Performing experiments hand in hand with modeling and simulation allows us to continually optimize both experimental and numerical procedures. Through the simultaneous investigation of mechanics and microstructure, we aim to not only understand the regional variations in brain structure and function, but also to quantify the adaptation of cells to changes in their mechanical environment.
Solved within a finite element framework, those models will help us to foresee the behavior of brain tissue under physiological and pathological conditions, and to simulate progression of disease or mechanically-induced loss of brain function.
After we had to cancel our BRAINIACS Xmas Party on December 20 due to illness, we now celebrated the successful and eventful year 2022 during our belated Xmas Party on January 17. Mold wine, ginger bread, and Spekulatius still created a Chistmassy atmosphere. We had a lot of fun talking about academ...
On November 30, we had the great honor to welcome the Legato team from the Université du Luxembourg. Many thanks to the Stéphanes (Stéphane Bordas and Stéphane Urcun) for giving such an impressive and comprehensive talk. It is not common that not only the scientific work is perfectly complementary b...
From September 6-9 the Virtual Physiological Human conference VPH 2022 was held in beautiful Porto, Portugal. It was a great opportunity to see how research results can finally be applied in the clinic or industry and to get in contact with new exciting potential future collaborators. It was an ho...
After two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 92nd annual meeting of the International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics was held in person again August 15-19 in Aachen. It was great to see so many familiar faces and to join a conference with almost the entire BRAINIACS team. We org...
From July 31 to August 5, 2022, the 15th World Congress on Computational Mechanics & 8th Asian Pacific Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM-APCOM) originally planned to take place in Yokohama, Japan, was held virtually. We organized two minisymposia on “0414 Exploring brain mechanics”, join...
