The focus of the research centers around two respiratory diseased states: asthma and emphysema.
Advancements in computational modeling technology allows researchers to correlate two and three dimensional models with the various diseased states studied. Experimenters work toward improving insight into the anatomy and imaging techniques of the lungs so that better ways to correlate the lung's mechanics and physiology can be discovered.
Lung mechanics data is also taken from human subjects suffering from asthma and emphysema as well as healthy individuals. The goals throughout these experiments remain to infer and accurately correlate the differences in physiology through the data representing the differences in lung mechanics. The principle investigation involves the determination of physiological differences between patients suffering from respiratory diseases and healthy individuals by comparing the lung mechanics data of the subjects.
The laboratory maintains a dedication to the improvement of the technology that drives the research field. Current instrumentation goals include the development of a robust platform to carry out real-time processing of lung mechanics data, implementing new modes of ventilation on a clinical ventilator platform in order to monitor and maintain patient health on mechanical ventilators, and improve the current methods for acquiring lung mechanics data in human subjects.
Title: A New Paradigm for Mechanical Ventilation
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NSF
The major goal of this project is to advance a new paradigm in ventilation that can solve two crucial deficiencies: 1)inadequate diagnostics on mechanical function; and 2) the propensity for ventilator induced lung injury.
Title: Role of Inflammation on Airway Constriction in Asthma
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NIH
The major goals of this project are to establish how inflammation creates specific patterns of construction during asthma. The current proposal is the competitive renewal of this.
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NSF
The major goal of this project is to advance a new paradigm in ventilation that can solve two crucial deficiencies: 1)inadequate diagnostics on mechanical function; and 2) the propensity for ventilator induced lung injury.
Title: Role of Inflammation on Airway Constriction in Asthma
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NIH
The major goals of this project are to establish how inflammation creates specific patterns of construction during asthma. The current proposal is the competitive renewal of this.
Title: Regional Gas Trapping in Bronchoconstricted Normals and Asthmatics
Principal Investigator: Jose Venegas, SubContract PI: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NIH
The major goal of this project is to correlate mechanical evidence of airway closure via frequency dependence of lung impedance with PET imaging evidence of closure. This effort is a subcontract to Kenneth R. Lutchen for the support of a graduate student to enable the mechanical measurements desired by Dr. Venegas.
Principal Investigator: Jose Venegas, SubContract PI: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NIH
The major goal of this project is to correlate mechanical evidence of airway closure via frequency dependence of lung impedance with PET imaging evidence of closure. This effort is a subcontract to Kenneth R. Lutchen for the support of a graduate student to enable the mechanical measurements desired by Dr. Venegas.
Title: Role of mechanical forces in the progression of emphysema
Principal Investigator: B. Suki; Co-Investigator: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NIH
The goal of this project is to study the role of mechanical forces and collagen failure in the progression of emphysema in various genetic mouse models of the disease. Dr. Lutchen will consult on the measurements of mechanical impedance in small animals.
Principal Investigator: B. Suki; Co-Investigator: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NIH
The goal of this project is to study the role of mechanical forces and collagen failure in the progression of emphysema in various genetic mouse models of the disease. Dr. Lutchen will consult on the measurements of mechanical impedance in small animals.
Title: New insights into lung structure and function through acoustic morphometry
Principal Investigator: B. Suki; Co-Investigatory: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NSF
The goal of this project is to investigate whether crackle sound can be used to analyze lung structure. Dr. Lutchen will consult on modeling interpretation of lung sounds in a branching human lung.
Principal Investigator: B. Suki; Co-Investigatory: K.R. Lutchen
Agency: NSF
The goal of this project is to investigate whether crackle sound can be used to analyze lung structure. Dr. Lutchen will consult on modeling interpretation of lung sounds in a branching human lung.
© 2004 Boston University's Respiratory and Physiological Systems Identification Laboratory
Human Lung (top left) from Tawhai et al. 2000
Title: Connective tissue mechanics in emphysema and fibrosis
Principle Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NIH
The goal of this project was to study the physical basis of lung tissue hysteresis in the normal, emphysematous and fibrotic lung.
Principle Investigator: B. Suki
Agency: NIH
The goal of this project was to study the physical basis of lung tissue hysteresis in the normal, emphysematous and fibrotic lung.
Title: Nonlinear system identification for tracking the mechanical and structural
status of the lungs.
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-investigator: Bela Suki
Agency: NSF
The goal of this project was to apply nonlinear system identification tools to better understand lung mechanical properties.
status of the lungs.
Principal Investigator: K.R. Lutchen, Co-investigator: Bela Suki
Agency: NSF
The goal of this project was to apply nonlinear system identification tools to better understand lung mechanical properties.