RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY

Development of Biosimulators and analysis tools

Spatio-temporal simulation of vital functions

The Medical Science is mostly described by written text. This method may lead to individual discrepancies in the level of understanding and skills obtained, because of difficulty in quantitative estimation in our mind. This project is, on the other hand, a groundbreaking attempt at quantitative and comprehensive understanding of functions of cells and tissues. We aim at finally reproducing human vital functions on computer. We believe that realization of this aim would not only signify technological progress but also enable participation of personnel from outside the medical sector, resulting in dramatic progress in the field of medicine.

We are conducting research, based on results from scientific experiments, into mathematically representing vital functions as a function of space and time using a computer, and simulating clinical conditions, treatments, and response to drugs.

Already, we have been successful in building a comprehensive model of cardiac muscle, and simulating an impairment in the pumping ability of the heart (i.e. the condition which appears during heart failure) and its response to drugs. We attached electrodes to ventricular muscle cells isolated from a guinea pig heart and applied electrical stimuli, measured changes in calcium concentration and muscular cell contractions, and replicated this on a computer. With this model, we are able to input a given experimental condition such as an application of a stimulus, and simulate the resulting changes in calcium concentration and contraction of the muscle cells. Next, we applied 5000 cell parameters replicated in the simulation to a model of the left ventricle of a human heart, and succeeded in replicating the overall movements of a human heart in a 3-dimensional model.

Nevertheless, we estimate that the extent of this simulation is only 10-20% of what is possible with the technology currently available. Our current aim is therefore a further refinement of this model of cardiac muscle cells. Additionally, we are attempting to base this model to develop other cell models, such as that of pancreatic insulin-secreting cells.

Development of a platform for bio-simulator

A further achievement of ours is that it is now possible to conduct a collective systems biology analysis of all the interactions which play a part in cardiac muscle contraction. Cellular membrane excitation, excitation contraction, energy metabolism such as mitochondrial ATP synthesis, and nervous control all closely interact in cardiac muscle contraction. We have developed a platform through which these can all be analyzed. We are working to continue improving this platform for use in our development of cell models with even greater efficiency.

Our ultimate aim is to develop a bio-simulator with a user interface suitable for practical use. We are also looking to develop educational material for the fields of medicine and physiology.

Concept of an interdisciplinary research center

A particular characteristic of our research is that it is an amalgamation of various academic fields, involving personnel with expertise in engineering, mathematics, IT, medicine, and pharmaceutical science.

Medical systems biology is currently under the spotlight as the field which would establish the basic technologies for the medicinal science and medical care of tomorrow. We hope to base our experience of this project to create a new research center in which the various fields amalgamate in order to nurture the young scientists of the next generation. In Spring 2009 saw the establishment of the Ritsumeikan University Research Center for Bio-simulation. We believe that a creation of a medical systems biology research center focused on our university will have great significance on the development of this new academic field.

For more information:

Please check Ritsumeikan University Research Database:

Ritsumeikan Researcher's Database

Keywords: Biological functions, Biosimulation, User interfaces, PathoPhysiological simulations, Drug effect simulations, Medical systems biology