Projecte matriculat

Títol: A Simplified Calcium-Based Model of Human Cardiomyocytes for the Analysis of Arrhythmias in Whole-Heart Data

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Tutor/a o Cotutor/a: ALVAREZ LACALLE, ENRIQUE

Departament: FIS

Títol: A Simplified Calcium-Based Model of Human Cardiomyocytes for the Analysis of Arrhythmias in Whole-Heart Data

Data inici oferta: 25-06-2026      Data finalització oferta: 25-02-2027

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Estudis d'assignació del projecte:

GR ENG SIS BIOLÒG 23

Lloc de realització:
EEABB

Paraules clau:
Cellular biophysics, Electrophysiology, Mathematical modelling, Computational biology, Dynamical systems, Calcium signalling, Human cardiomyocyte, Calcium alternans, Cardiac arrhythmias

Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
Cardiac arrhythmias are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that abnormalities in intracellular calcium handling play a key role in the initiation and maintenance of many arrhythmias. In particular, calcium alternans, characterized by beat-to-beat oscillations in intracellular calcium concentration, are known to promote electrical instability and increase the risk of arrhythmogenesis.

The objective of this project is to develop a simplified mathematical model of a human cardiomyocyte that incorporates a reduced representation of intracellular calcium dynamics. Particular emphasis will be placed on reproducing and understanding calcium-driven high-periodicity rhythms at tachycardic pacing rates, with repetition patterns occurring every four or eight beats. The resulting model should remain computationally efficient enough for future applications involving the analysis of whole-heart electrophysiological data.

The student will review the physiological basis of cardiac electrophysiology and intracellular calcium cycling, and become familiar with simplified dynamical models used in cellular biophysics. Starting from an existing electrophysiological model, a simplified calcium compartment will be incorporated and the resulting model will be implemented and analyzed in MATLAB.

Numerical simulations will be used to investigate the model response under different pacing conditions. Parameter estimation and parameter exploration techniques will be employed to identify model configurations capable of reproducing high-periodicity calcium dynamics, as well as parameter regimes associated with stable behavior. The student will analyze the mechanisms responsible for the transition between these dynamical regimes and assess the suitability of the model as a computationally efficient tool for future whole-heart studies.

Orientació a l'estudiant: Bon coneixement de MATLAB i anglès.

Horari d'atenció a estudiants i dades de contacte per a l'assignació del projecte:
Bisetmanal a convenir

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