ICBT 2025

Organizers: T.Christian Gasser, Michele Marino, Nele Famaey

Key words: vascular tissue, blood, multiscale, multi field, uncertainty, validation

Computational Mechanics meanwhile plays a prominent role in the analysis and modeling of the human vascular system and its diseases. Simulations of the vascular mechanical system and its interaction with biological processes can advance the understanding of physiological and pathological mechanisms and may open a door to the development of new treatment options and medical devices. Though classical mechanical concepts of course hold, they are challenged by quite a few aspects when applied to problems that incorporate living tissue material and in vivo patient specific geometries. There usually exist a large uncertainty and variation in (highly nonlinear and anisotropic) material properties, a multiscale nature of the materials at hand, a lack of access to samples for experimental testing, a clear definition of a reference frame, difficulties in geometry capturing and the mechano-biochemical interplay, where mass conservation and time-constant material properties are not guaranteed, just to name a few. Therefore, robust and efficient numerical models are needed that appropriately consider the complex interplay between the various fields involved, such as solids, fluids, transport and diffusion, biochemical and electrical processes involved. Additionally, appropriate data capturing, quantification of the uncertainties and modeling error involved, is necessary to build trust and applicability of computational models to real world clinical questions and problems and to drive development of new treatment techniques and diagnostic tools. Contributions that consider

• Multi-disciplinary models integrating biology in biomechanical
  descriptions,
• Multiscale constitutive modeling across length-scales,
• Integrated imaging & computation approaches,
• Uncertainty quantification and reduced order models,and
• Development and validation of boundary conditions

are particularly welcome in this minisymposium.

Organizers: Frank Walther, Meike Stiesch

Key words: Stress-shielding, lattice structures, Ti6Al4V, WE43, multiscale, tissue integration

Additive manufacturing, and in particular metal 3D printing using laser powder bed fusion, opens up new possibilities for the production of patient-specific implants with complex internal architectures and optimized mechanical and biological properties.
This symposium will take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to the design, fabrication, and characterization of such implants, bridging the gap between technical innovation and clinical application. A major focus will be on the development of advanced cellular structures and functional surface modifications to improve the mechanical integrity and biological integration of metallic implants. Cellular designs, inspired by nature and optimized by computational methods, aim to reduce stress shielding and adapt implant stiffness to the surrounding bone tissue. These structures are evaluated through extensive mechanical characterization, including tensile, compression, and fatigue loading, to understand the influence of surface features, porosity, and geometry on surface and structure integrity. Surface properties are further tailored using polishing, etching, and multi-layer coatings to modulate cell adhesion and tissue response. Advanced techniques are used to analyze the surface morphology and composition at multiple scales. Parallel in vitro studies evaluate how different surface conditions affect cell behavior, supporting the design of biologically favorable implant surfaces. By integrating experimental data with simulation-based design tools, the digital and physical methods can be combined to create next-generation implants with predictable performance.
We welcome contributions from a wide range of disciplines - including materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and clinical research - to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the entire implant development process, from digital modelling to biological evaluation.

Organizers: Anna Pandolfi, Philippe Buechler

Key words: vascular tissue, blood, multiscale, multi field, uncertainty, validation

The mini-symposium explores the latest advancements in patient-specific models of the eye, with a particular focus on the identification of material properties and the development of innovative computational and theoretical models. The biomechanics of the eye involves complex multiphysics interactions – mechanics, fluidic, optical – that require advanced modeling techniques to accurately capture the interplay between ocular tissues. These models also rely on the precise characterization of the tissue properties. Cornea, lens, vitreous, and retina exhibit heterogeneous age-dependent material properties that are challenging to characterize, especially when considering how the tissues change between patients and with each pathology. Accurate identification of these properties is essential for creating realistic models that can simulate eye behavior in both normal and pathological states. Accurate tissue characterization is essential for ensuring the fidelity of biomechanical models. Therefore, this mini-symposium will also highlight recent advances in data acquisition techniques, such as high-resolution imaging modalities and biomechanical testing, that are opening new opportunities for capturing tissue-specific mechanical properties. For example, imaging technologies such as optical coherence tomography and magnetic resonance elastography allow for detailed mapping of ocular tissue deformations, allowing to spatially map tissue properties, facilitating the development of more accurate patient-specific models. By discussing innovations in material property identification and computational modeling, the symposium highlights how combining experimental data with advanced simulation techniques can lead to a more personalized approach in ocular healthcare.