School of Engineering
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University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering |
Overview
Acute and chronic liver failure is a significant health risk to people of all ages. Transplantation is the primary treatment of choice for individuals suffering from acute liver failure. In these cases, a small amount of transplantable livers are available; a number of patients die while on the waiting list for a new organ. If their own liver function can be supplemented or replaced while waiting for transplant, their chance of survival would be greatly increased. For this reason, the use of bioartificial liver devices could prove to be very beneficial to the population.
The Gerlach group is performing investigational studies on various hepatocyte cell lines using a small scale, multi-compartment bioreactor. Our group continues their efforts with the design of a bioreactor that closely mimics physiological control systems. Our product provides finer control of media pH and reduces the large fluctuations associated with manual adjustment. The system we have developed automates real-time measurement and modification, which substantially decreases user intervention. The reservoir serves to house the pH electrode, which will sample the media at user specified intervals eliminating the need for a technician to draw samples. The LabView program then functions in analyzing the samples and delivering an output to a mass flow controller with a specified adjustment to the amount of CO2 flowing into the bioreactor. The imprecision of manual adjustment by the technician is eliminated by the automatic adjustment feature our system provides.Technical Drawings
Endcap Initial Reservoir Main Body
Deliverable
SBIR Grant Proposal
Design History Files
Specification
Product Design Specification Function Means Object Tree Human Factors Analysis
HFA Failure Mode Effects Analysis
FMEA Initial Hazard Analysis Fault Tree 510(k)
510(k)
Presentations
BE1160 - Final Presentation - Project Proposal (Dec.5, 2003) BE1161 - Project Update (Feb. 17, 2004) BE1161 - Final Presentation (Apr. 13, 2004)
Team Information
Team Members
Jon Washburn John Pani Marina Udowenko Mentors
George Gerlach, PhD Matt Baun
