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Multi-scale modeling of digestion in small intestines

Micro-Scale Transport - Critical Link Between Molecular-Scale Absorption and Macro-Scale Mixing in Gut Physiology and Function 

Contents

• Contact Information
• Funding Agency 
• Research Emphasis 
• Disease Focus 
• Scales Examined 
• Biomedical, Biological &  Behavioral Areas
• Modeling Methods & Tools  
• Software Development 

Contact Information

Principal Investigator/Contact
James Brasseur
The Pennsylvania State University
Phone: (814) 865-3159
Email: brasseur@psu.edu

Co-PIs and Collaborators
Andrew Webb
The Pennsylvania State University 

Nadine Smith
The Pennsylvania State University

Jack Wood
Ohio State University

Shiyi Chen
Johns Hopkins University

Grant Number - 506215

Funding Agency

National Science Foundation (NSF)

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Research Emphasis

Digestion and pharmaceutical efficacy of the small bowels depends on the transport of molecules originating in the bulk flow across the mucosal epithelium, and the transport of secreted molecules to the bulk flow with macro mixing at the 1-2 cm scale.

The process of digestion therefore relies on highly coupled multiscale transport and mixing processes that span several orders of magnitude from the macro scale (~ 1-2 cm), to the micro scale (villi~100 - 500 μm), to sub micron scale (microvilli ~ 1 μm), and ultimately to the molecular scale.

Villi and Microvilli refer to the multitudes of finger-like protuberances.

This project focuses on the details and neurophysiologic controls of absorption and secretion through systems models that integrate the entire range of scales from macro-mixing to molecular absorption. It centers on villi-induced micro-transport as a critical link to absorption. 

Researchers aim to conduct animal experiments in which micro-coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to quantify space-time mucosal and villi motion in vivo.

In vivo stands for ‘in the living organism’, as opposed to ‘in vitro’ (in the laboratory). 

Disease Focus

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Scales Examined 

Time Scales 

• Millisecond (ms)
• Second(s)
• Minutes
• Hours

Biological Scales

• Molecular
• Molecular Complexes
• Sub-Cellular
• Cellular
• Multi-Cellular Systems
• Tissue
• Organ
• Organ Systems

Length Scales 

• Nanometer and below (nm)
• Micrometer (μm)
• Millimeter (mm)
• Centimeter (cm)
• Ten centimeter

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Biomedical, Biological and Behavioral (BBB) Areas and Percent Focus

50% - Intestine function and physiology, digestion, gut absorption, and gastro-intestinal diseases.

Modeling Methods and Tools (MMT)Areas and Percent Focus

50% - Lattice-Boltzmann numerical algorithms, molecular dynamics, multi-grid methods, micro-coil magnetic resonance imaging, and animal experiments. 

Software Development