How blood-contacting devices affect platelets, clots, and bleeding
Official title: Computational Modeling of Device-Induced Platelet Activation and Receptor Shedding Relevant to Thrombosis and Bleeding in Device-Assisted Circulation
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11238491 · Data updated 2026-11-12
They are creating computer models to understand why heart pumps and other blood-contacting devices can make platelets trigger clots or bleeding in people who use them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | December 10, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $502,591 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL162940-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238491 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people who have or are candidates for blood-contacting devices (for example ventricular assist devices or other circulatory support) or who can provide blood samples for device-related testing.
✕Less likely to help
People without implanted blood-contacting devices or whose bleeding or clotting problems are unrelated to device-induced blood flow may not see direct benefits from this work.
What this research studies
The team will build a new computer model that mimics how platelets change shape and react when exposed to the unusual blood flow inside devices. They will combine this platelet model with fluid-flow simulations to map zones of high shear and stagnant flow within devices. Laboratory in-vitro tests and in-vivo experiments will be used to compare model predictions to real platelet behavior and receptor shedding. The aim is to produce simulations that better predict where devices may cause clotting or bleeding so designers can make safer devices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help engineers design blood-contacting devices that cause fewer clots and bleeding events for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CFD and empirical models have helped identify risky flow regions but have had limited success predicting platelet activation and receptor shedding, so this morphology-based modeling approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Zhongjun Jon — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Wu, Zhongjun Jon
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.