"BRIGE:Contribution of Purkinje Fiber Dynamics to Ventricular Fibrillation"

cherrybridge奖项通过增加工程师研究人员的多样性来保持全球竞争力，这些研究人员在其职业生涯的早期就开始了研究项目。bridge奖通过增加工程专业毕业生的数量，提高女性和少数族裔在工程领域的代表性，以及了解如何改善工程专业学生的招聘和保留，进一步扩大工程研究人员的参与。有证据表明浦肯野细胞网络可能参与室性心动过速，并且浦肯野细胞可以表现出周期加倍分叉，增强正常自动性，异常自动性和可能诱发心律失常的活动。然而，浦肯野涉及心室颤动的直接证据很难在实验上获得，这将使问题得到明确的解决。PI将使用数学建模和模拟来研究纤颤期间的浦肯野动力学，这种方法多年来一直是研究大范围空间和时间尺度上心律失常的心脏动力学和机制的有用工具。该方法将包括三个具体目标：1)使用离子电流测量创建犬浦肯野细胞的详细数学模型；2)建立犬心室解剖的详细模型，包括真实的浦肯野神经网络；3)确定犬心脏浦肯野纤维在心室颤动中的作用。新开发的浦肯野模型，以及新的犬心室解剖与浦肯野网络，将为评估浦肯野系统在诱发心律失常中的作用提供一种新的工具。确定浦肯野纤维对心律失常的发展或演变的贡献可能会在未来带来新的治疗途径。此外，所有结果将通过PI向其他研究人员和公众提供。该网站已经成为心脏和心脏建模信息的主要来源。这项基础研究有可能对未来的生物医学研究产生重大影响，为研究室性心律失常提供了一种额外的手段，并为治疗心脏病提供了一种可能的新方法。该研究将直接支持一名女研究员和一名女研究生，从而有助于提高工程领域的多样性。它还将通过课堂教学和通过网站传播信息，特别强调互动节目和动画，帮助将研究与正式和非正式教育结合起来。网站可视化工具将增强研究和教育的基础设施。通过网站取得的成果、参加多学科会议以及研究和教育活动的结合将促进信息的广泛传播。此外，对浦肯野纤维在室性心律失常中的作用的进一步了解可能会导致心律失常治疗的未来进展。这项bridge补助金将扩大所有工程师的参与和增加机会，包括那些在工程学科中代表性不足的群体。BRIGE拨款还将鼓励私家侦探作为独立调查员积极和有竞争力地从事研究。

EEC-0824399CherryBRIGE awards maintain global competitiveness by increasing the diversity of ENG researchers, who are initiating research programs early in their careers. BRIGE awards further the broaden participation of engineering researchers by increasing the number of engineering graduates, by improving the representation of women and minorities in engineering, and by understanding how to improve recruitment and retention of engineering students.Evidence suggests that the Purkinje network may be involved during ventricular tachyarrhythmias, and it is known that Purkinje cells can exhibit period-doubling bifurcations, enhanced normal automaticity, abnormal automaticity and triggered activity that may be proarrhythmic. However, direct evidence for Purkinje involvement in ventricular fibrillation is difficult to obtain experimentally at resolutions that would allow the matter to be settled definitively. The PI will investigate Purkinje dynamics during fibrillation using mathematical modeling and simulation, an approach that has been a useful tool for many years to study cardiac dynamics and mechanisms of arrhythmias over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The approach will encompass three specific aims: 1) create a detailed mathematical model of the canine Purkinje cell using ion current measurements; 2) develop a detailed model of canine ventricular anatomy, including a realistic Purkinje network; and 3) determine the contribution of Purkinje fibers during ventricular fibrillation in the canine heart. The newly developed Purkinje model, together with the new canine ventricular anatomy with Purkinje network, will provide a novel tool to assess the contribution of the Purkinje system during induced arrhythmias. Identification of Purkinje fiber contributions to arrhythmia development or evolution may lead to new avenues of treatment in the future. Furthermore, all results will be made available to other researchers and to the general public via the PI?s website, which is already established as a leading source of information about the heart and cardiac modeling. This basic research has the potential to have a significant impact on future biomedical research by providing an additional means to study ventricular arrhythmias and by suggesting a possible new approach for treating cardiac disease. The research will help to improve diversity in engineering by directly supporting a female investigator and a female graduate student. It will also help to integrate research with both formal and informal education through classroom teaching and dissemination of information via a web site, with a special emphasis on interactive programs and animations. Web-site visualization tools will enhance infrastructure for research and education. Results available via web sites, participation in multidisciplinary conferences, and integration of research and education activities will promote broad dissemination of information. In addition, the improved understanding of the contributions of Purkinje fibers during ventricular arrhythmias may lead to future advances in arrhythmia treatment.This BRIGE grant will broaden the participation of and increase opportunities for all engineers including those from groups underrepresented in the engineering disciplines. This BRIGE grant will also encourage the PI to become actively and competitively engaged in research as an independent investigator.