Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
This opportunity is not published. No applications will be accepted.
Modelling metabolism of ex vivo perfused pig livers
The liver is the most metabolically active organ of the human body. In this project, we will develop a model to analyse the different metabolic pathways which are active during ex vivo perfusion of pig livers.
It is known that the liver has the ability to regenerate. Liver resection (surgical removal of the diseased part of the liver) for the treatment of liver cancer has been carried out for a few decades but many tumors are inoperable because the removal of a too large piece of liver is fatal. In this context, therapeutic strategies for liver regeneration are being researched in which the growth of a healthy liver piece outside of the body is carried out until a sufficient size is reached, with subsequent transplantation and removal of the diseased part. To this end, an ex vivo liver perfusion machine is currently being developed to extend the viability of liver tissue outside of the body up to five days and allow its growth.
The liver is the metabolically most active organ of the human body. Numerous chemical reactions take place simultaneously inside the liver, i.e. it’s a chemical reactor. Metabolic models are being applied, in order to enhance the understanding of the underlying processes during ex vivo liver perfusion.
It is known that the liver has the ability to regenerate. Liver resection (surgical removal of the diseased part of the liver) for the treatment of liver cancer has been carried out for a few decades but many tumors are inoperable because the removal of a too large piece of liver is fatal. In this context, therapeutic strategies for liver regeneration are being researched in which the growth of a healthy liver piece outside of the body is carried out until a sufficient size is reached, with subsequent transplantation and removal of the diseased part. To this end, an ex vivo liver perfusion machine is currently being developed to extend the viability of liver tissue outside of the body up to five days and allow its growth. The liver is the metabolically most active organ of the human body. Numerous chemical reactions take place simultaneously inside the liver, i.e. it’s a chemical reactor. Metabolic models are being applied, in order to enhance the understanding of the underlying processes during ex vivo liver perfusion.
The goal of this project is to apply existing flux balance models to pig livers. Comprehensive metabolic models have been developed and described in literature for the study of rat livers. However, these models have not been applied to pig livers. In the scope of this thesis, a flux balance analysis model shall be modified and applied to the pig livers investigated in this project. For this purpose, given models from literature shall be computed and tested with available data from literature and thereupon, applied to the data gained from the pig liver experiments. The aim of this study is to identify certain pathways which are active during the course of the liver perfusion.
The goal of this project is to apply existing flux balance models to pig livers. Comprehensive metabolic models have been developed and described in literature for the study of rat livers. However, these models have not been applied to pig livers. In the scope of this thesis, a flux balance analysis model shall be modified and applied to the pig livers investigated in this project. For this purpose, given models from literature shall be computed and tested with available data from literature and thereupon, applied to the data gained from the pig liver experiments. The aim of this study is to identify certain pathways which are active during the course of the liver perfusion.
Dustin Becker, ML H14, +41 44 632 24 99, dbecker@ethz.ch
Dustin Becker, ML H14, +41 44 632 24 99, dbecker@ethz.ch