Lifelines

The swirling lines in this picture, which look like electrical wires, are actually a computer simulation of the blood flowing through a vessel in the body. They've been created using the same kind of computer modelling programmes that engineers use to analyse airflow around aeroplanes, helping to make them more aerodynamic and efficient. Shifting from blue skies to bloodstream, these smaller scale models are helping to improve treatment for patients with kidney failure, who have to have their blood 'cleaned' regularly by hooking themselves up to a dialysis machine through a vein in their arm. By figuring out exactly how blood is flowing in vessels, researchers can design more effective dialysis techniques that reduce disruption to the patient's blood supply and keep their blood flowing smoothly.

Written by Kat Arney

Kat Arney

Writer

Dr Kat Arney is an award-winning science writer, broadcaster and public speaker, and is the founder and Creative Director of First Create The Media.

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• Image by Francesco Iori
• Imperial College London
• Copyright held by original author
• Supporters' Favourite in the British Heart Foundation's Reflections of Research Image Competition