Lattice Boltzmann methods for bioengineering applications

Computational techniques have gained wider acceptance and application within biomedical and bioengineering applications. Among the most potent numerical techniques for simulating biological flows in complex geometries is the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). It is appropriate for cases where the implementation of boundary conditions can be difficult when applying other methods and in cases where parallelization of the computations is needed to simulate large systems. In this work, we report on the LBM methodology and applications, drawing mainly from our research on using LBM to simulate flows in scaffolds and perfusion bioreactors. The flow-induced stresses can be predicted with LBM, and vital information about the successful culture of cells can be generated. In addition to the simulation of flow, the LBM can be used in conjunction with particle-based techniques to simulate mass transfer in the flow field. The combination of LBM with Lagrangian particle tracking or Lagrangian scalar tracking is also highlighted.