Our partner “Auckland Bioengineering Institute” (ABI) from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, has been awarded $15 million NZD for its “12 Labours”- project by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment in New Zealand. It is one of the largest research grants that New Zealand has funded to Universities. The ABI focuses on key research topics such as respiratory, cardiac electrophysiology and also musculoskeletal systems.
The main aim of the new “12-Labours”-project is to build digital models of various internal systems of the human body by using clinical research results. The project is included in the international Physiome Project, also carried out by ABI. In this international modelling framework all aspects of a human body shall be integrated, for example cells, organs, proteins. Therefore, it aims to develop a complete virtual human being.
This research project will have a strong influence on diagnosis and patient care. Furthermore, the bioengineering understanding of human physiology is essential for the future development of medical devices and clinical examinations.
As this is an international research area, researchers from New Zealand can cooperate with institutes from all over the world, due to this funding. The ABI has especially built up strong connections with various German institutions, in particular Fraunhofer institute and University of Stuttgart. Previous German funding of the IRTG GRK 2198 between our institute and Auckland University influenced today’s good cooperation between the Universities. As principal partner of the ABI our institute for Modelling and Simulation of Biomedical Systems will also be part of this new project.
You can read the MBIE release here and further info about the project from ABI here.