# Supplement: Hemolysis Prediction Software Development

> **NIH NIH R01** · LEHIGH UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $230,000

## Abstract

Multiscale Predictive Modeling of Blood Cell Damage with Experimental Verification
This proposal aims to develop a multiscale model to characterize blood cell damage under complex flow
conditions. Blood damage is an important concern for various blood wetting medical devices. In literature, blood
damage criterion is typically obtained through empirical fitting of experimental hemolysis data in a specific
device, yet little is known about cellular scale process of blood cell damage, which hinders the accurate
evaluation of blood damage in a general medical device. The goal of this proposal is to study blood cell
damage at molecular and cellular level using combined computational modeling and experimental approaches.
Specifically, we will develop a multiscale model that links molecular scale pores formation to cell membrane
damage and hemoglobin release.
The multiscale computational modeling will be applied for the first time to study of cellular flow over various
channel geometries and clinically relevant devices with consideration of both hydrodynamics and membrane
damage dynamics. Specifically, we plan to:
1) Develop a multiscale red blood cell membrane damage model. A localized coarse-grained molecular
dynamics model at the high stress region will be concurrently linked with a network based cellular membrane
model.
2) Couple the cell membrane damage model with local fluid flow through Immersed Boundary method to
study cell deformation, pore formation and membrane rupture. Such computational model will be applied to
predict blood cell damages in a channels with different geometries and flow conditions. A generalized cellular
level blood cell damage model will be developed.
3) Verify the developed multiscale blood cell damage model using AFM measurements, microfluidic tests, and
Couette-type blood-shearing devices. A few designed tests will be performed to evaluate cell damage based on
hemoglobin analysis of individual cells under controlled stress history and compared to the simulation results.
Finally, the developed blood damage model will be applied to study hemolysis in a ventricular assist device.
The proposed multi-scale model can directly correlate the microscale state of the cell membrane to local
stresses as well as predict cell damage in device with complex geometry and flow condition. Such model could
serve as a predictive tool for hematologic biomedical device design and optimization.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10166011
- **Project number:** 3R01HL131750-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yaling Liu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $230,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-01-09 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10166011

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10166011, Supplement: Hemolysis Prediction Software Development (3R01HL131750-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10166011. Licensed CC0.

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