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Figure 1. in silico, in vivo, and in vitro CSF experiments. Laser Doppler vibrometry surface motion analysis of an in vitro spinal cord model (left), in vivo MR pulse wave velocity measurement in the spinal canal (center), and an in vitro cerebrospinal fluid system model (right).

Welcome to the NMTL

The Neurohydrodynamics and Medical Technology Lab (NMTL) is led by Bryn Martin in conjunction with the Laboratory of Hemodynamics and Cardiovascular Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and collaborating institutions. We investigate the pathophysiology of craniospinal and cerebrovascular disorders from a hydrodynamic and biomechanical perspective and develop related medical technologies. The purpose of neurohydrodynamics.com is to:

1. foster collaboration and discussion between medical doctors and engineers
2. provide in vivo and in vitro experimental data for improving modeling capabilities
3. increase interest in neurohydrodynamic disorder research

News

Date	Announcement
2011-07-19	The 1st CSF hydrodynamics symposium was a great success! Click here for a video of Dr. Martin's talk on neurohydrodynamics, 4DMRI measurements, and in vitro modeling of CSF.
2011-06-15	NMTL submitted a Bertarelli Foundation EPFL/Harvard collaborative research grant with neurosurgeon Joseph Madsen and Tomer Anor.
2010-12-01	Dr. Martin featured on the Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation's exciting new researchers, research projects and proposals.
2010-10-02	NMTL's research grant approved by the Swiss National Science Foundation to develop a coupled hydrodynamic model of the cardiovascular and cerebrospinal fluid system!

Backgroud

Figure 2. Pulsatile movement of cerebrospinal fluid around the spinal cord at the second cervical vertebrae level in a healthy young subject.

Figure 3. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the cervical spinal subarachnoid space without nerve roots included. Reconstruction based on magnetic resonance images of the cervical spinal subarachnoid space conducted on a healthy young subject.

What is neurohydrodynamics?

Neurohydrodynamics is a division of neural engineering that investigates the hydrodynamics of the neurological system in health and disease. It applies engineering principles and design concepts to neural engineering to help close the gap between fluid mechanics and neurosurgical and neurological medicine. Neurohydrodynamics combines fluid mechanics principles with neuroscience to help improve neurological disorder healthcare in terms of medical diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. Click here for some more information on cerebrospinal fluid biomechanics.

Key words

Neurohydrodynamics, cerebrospinal fluid, craniospinal disorders, chiari malformation, syringomyelia, hydrocephalus, neural drug delivery, spinal cord blood flow, cerebral blood flow, cerebral perfusion and autoregulation, sleep disorders, sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure, computational fluid dynamics, MRI, 4DMRI and pcMRI, neuroengineering, neuroscience, biofluid mechanics, neuroscience, neuroengineering, medical technology, neuromonitoring.

Research

Figure 4. Ongoing research projects at the Laboratory of Neurohydrodynamics and Medical Technology (NMTL).

The NMTL's research includes in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies that are conducted closely with medical collaborators and can be divided into projects involving 1) clinical tools and measurements and 2) modeling. Figure 4 shows ongoing projects at the NMTL with the names of key collaborators. For a complete list of collaborators click here.

Clinical tools and measurements

• Intraoperative aortic graft hemodynamics
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): influence on the cardiovascular and cerebrospinal fluid system
• 4D MRI in craniospinal disorders
• 4D MRI in cerebral blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid hydrodynamics
• Cerebrospinal fluid pulse wave velocity in craniospinal disorders

Modeling

• Coupled cardiovascular and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) system
• Hydrocephalus
• Spinal cord blood flow
• Aortic graft hemodynamics
• Cerebrospinal fluid: in vitro and computational fluid dynamics models

List of ongoing projects

Please click on the links below to learn more about the current, available, and past research projects at the NMTL.

• Current projects that we are working on.
• Available projects for M.S. or B.S. students that we are working on.
• Past projects that have been completed.

Research team

Please click here to see members of the NMTL research team. We are seeking motivated students for the fall 2011 semester and external collaborators. Please email Bryn Martin if you are interested in joining the laboratory or collaboration.

Publications

For a list of NMTL publications please click here.

External links

• Take a moment to visit the | NMTL Youtube channel to see some videos of our work.
• Click here for external links to related laboratories, conferences, and organizations.