Building a detailed, realistic model of human blood flow is a formidable mathematical and computational challenge. Livermore researchers are addressing this challenge through the enhancement of HARVEY, an open-source parallel fluid dynamics application designed to model blood flow in patient-specific geometries.

LLNL researchers will use HARVEY to achieve a better understanding of vascular diseases as well as cancer cell movement through the bloodstream. Computational results will be validated through rigorous comparison with in vivo and in vitro measurements.

Establishment of a robust research platform could have direct impact on patient care. For example, by studying the impact of cell characteristics on the movement of circulating tumor cells, the team hopes to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms driving cancer metastasis to inform clinical decisions and improve treatment options. HARVEY is also an enabling capability for the BAASIC initiative, the goal of which is to apply the power of extreme computing, data analytics, and revolutionary sensor technologies to enable a new era of predictive biology.

Collaborating institutions on the HARVEY project include Duke University, Arizona State, University of Arizona, Mayo Clinic, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Scripps Research Institute, the University of Southern California, Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.