EGH424 Biofluids

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This unit is an advanced unit in medical engineering. Towards a professional medical engineer, It is designed to build up your knowledge and skills to examine the particular properties of the biological fluids and to introduce techniques to analyse their behaviour. This unit introduces the fundamental principles of fluid dynamics that are used to explain the mechanisms of biological flows and their interrelationships with physiological processes, in health and in disease. You will work together with peers to learn basic numerical methods in solving the flow of biofluids and propose design concepts by taking consideration of biological fluid property and behaviour. You will build on EGB323 Fluid Mechanics and LSB231 Physiology to develop your engineering knowledge and skills, with particular emphasis on an improved ability in applying the biological fluid dynamics principles in development of strategies for disease prevention or medical device design. 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Explain flow properties of biofluids in fluid mechanics in relation to their physiological function at a mastered level.
2. Solve numerical problems in fluid mechanics, related to the flow of biofluids, at a mastered level.
3. Communicate analysis of fluid mechanics, to a lay audience using graphical, mathematical and engineering techniques mastered level.
4. Analyse fluid flow over surfaces in mechanical design, for biofluids using engineering software packages, at a mastered level.
5. Apply self-management & teamwork strategies in fluid mechanics to solve biomedical problems at a mastered level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Lecture: Formal lectures from experienced professional engineers to give you insight into professional engineering knowledge, skills and attributes. The lectures will introduce you to the basic building blocks of knowledge required to characterise and model the flow of real fluids. Practical examples will be used to illustrate these principles. Tutorial exercises will give you practice at applying the knowledge and principles outlined in the lectures. Worked solutions will be made available progressively during the semester.
• Practical 1: You will work in groups to conduct an endovascular fluid dynamics experiment. 
• Practical 2: You will learn the basics in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and perform CFD simulations on examples that are related to Practical 1. You will need to submit an individual report as a result of Practical 1 and Practical 2. 
• Group assignment: You will undertake a group assignment to develop your ability to access information, increase your understanding and communicate your findings. You will submit a group report. 

To complement timetabled activities, you will be provided with videos, readings, web site, tools that you can access flexibly to complete your learning in this unit.

You are expected to:

• View of all learning materials in a timely manner
• Attend formal lectures and work on the tutorial questions
• Engage with your peers, preferably face-to-face, to conduct your group assignment and practicals
• Provide leadership to your team with respect to your assumed team role
• Maintain notes and critical reflections on your group contributions to inform assessment

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative feedback will be provided on reports. You are encouraged to view your group as a learning community and to share and discuss emergent ideas in the design process.

Each assessment submission will be marked against criteria and standards which will be shared with you at the beginning of semester through Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics. Marked assessment will include feedback from markers, against the criteria.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit has been designed to give you the opportunity to show your learning against the unit learning outcomes. You will be assessed based on the group written report, individual report and the end-of-semester examination. You will work as a team on your group assignment to produce design criteria and a design concept for a portable or implantable version of the device allocated to your group. This will involve research into the physiology of the natural organ and existing technology used to replace the function of the organ. From this you are to develop design criteria for an artificial organ and a design concept for such an organ. Each group will produce a group written report. You will also be required to write a brief report based on your attended practical and computer workshops.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Group Report

You will be required to review different kinds of biomedical devices that interact with biofluids. From fluid dynamics point view, you will need to propose a design and investigate the fluid flow behavior and wall shear stress. You will have a better understanding the links between fluid dynamics with medical device design. This is a group exercise to write a report.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Individual Report

During the semester you will undertake computational/practical workshops concerning the flow properties of real fluids. You will discuss how the biofluids concepts are related to cardiovascular disease. You will write a formal written report that will be marked.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Examination (written)

You will be required to solve problems concerning the flow of biofluids and their interaction with devices and surfaces and interpret the function of biofluids in relation to their physiological function.

“If campus access is restricted at the time of the central examination period/due date, an alternative, which may be a timed online assessment, will be offered. Individual students whose circumstances prevent their attendance on campus will be provided with an alternative assessment approach.”

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Reference book(s)

Douglas JF, Gasiorek JM & Swaffield JA,
Fluid Mechanics,
Pitman International Press.

Rubenstein DA, Yin W, Frame MD
Biofluid Mechanics
Academic Press, Elsevier, Oxford, 2012

Risk Assessment Statement

You will be informed of any requirements pertaining to a safe workplace. In lectures, tutorials and such, the information will include location of fire exits and meeting points in case of fire. If you do not follow legitimate instructions or endanger the safety of others or do not act in accordance with the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, you will be required to leave the session.

You will be required to undertake practical sessions in the laboratory under the supervision of members in the teaching team and technical staff. Prior to entry to a laboratory space you must complete the Undergraduate Health, Safety and Environment Induction (annual completion requirement). You will be advised of requirements of safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes or steel capped shoes, lab coat, and safety glasses). The unit’s Canvas site will provide you with a copy of the risk assessment and will provide you with details on how to perform the laboratory tasks safely.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Individual Report, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Individual Report, Examination (written)
3. 
   Relates to: Group Report
4. 
   Relates to: Group Report

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Group Report
2. 
   Relates to: Group Report

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Group Report
2. 
   Relates to: Individual Report

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Group Report
2. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Individual Report, Examination (written)
3. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Group Report