Brains in motion: computational modelling of the brain's waterscape

European Society for Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Colloquium, February 2024 (online)

Your brain has its own waterscape: whether you are reading, thinking or sleeping, fluid flows through or around the brain tissue, clearing waste in the process. These biophysical processes are crucial for the well-being and function of the brain. In spite of their importance we understand them but little, and mathematical and computational modelling could play a crucial role in gaining new insight. In this talk, I will give an overview of mathematical, mechanical and numerical approaches to understand mechanisms underlying pulsatility, fluid flow and solute transport in the human brain. Topics include fluid-structure interactions, generalized poroelasticity, mixed finite element discretizations and preconditioning, uncertainty quantification, and optimal control.