Mechanical cell alterations, such as changes in stiffness and morphology, play a significant role in several blood diseases. Therefore, targeting cells’ physical properties presents opportunities for intervention and can help in the development of novel diagnoses and therapeutic strategies. The lack of clinical relevance of such biophysical parameters is due to the very low measurement throughput and tedious op...
Microgravity simulation is essential for studying particle dynamics in space-related applications where traditional gravitational effects are absent. This study presents a numerical investigation of particle behavior in a clinostat-driven microfluidic channel, aiming to simulate microgravity conditions. A computational model was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze the impact of channel size, particle di...
Malaria still affects millions of people each year, posing a persistent public health challenge. One major hurdle is the increasing resistance of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to the current therapeutic drugs, which calls for alternative treatment strategies. This work takes a first step in exploring whether targeted drug delivery systems using nanocarriers can provide a promising solution to mitigat...
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a widely used material in the production of microfluidic devices and biomodels, due to its exceptional mechanical, chemical and biocompatible properties. Recently, a novel class of devices known as microphysiological systems have emerged, combining microfluidic technology and cell culture, mimicking the microphysiological features of the human body to facilitate the study of both ...
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) exhibits unique properties that make it essential in various biomedical applications. This systematic review critically examines current research on PDMS surface modification methods, focusing on enhancing its biocompatibility and functionality. Following a rigorous selection process aligned with PRISMA guidelines, 83 relevant studies published between 2013 and July 2024, out of 938 ...
This work reports the design and fabrication of a polymeric microfluidic device, with a hyperbolic contraction, to promote extensional flow and allow the single cell mechanical characterization, in vitro, of healthy and malaria-infected red blood cells (RBCs). The obtained results show an extensional flow profile of the velocity across the microchannel for both healthy and infected RBCs, while the ability of th...
Over the last decade, researchers have developed a variety of new analytical and clinical diagnostic devices. These devices are predominantly based on microfluidic technologies, where biological samples can be processed and manipulated for the collection and detection of important biomolecules. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the most commonly used material in the fabrication of these microfluidic devices. Howev...
The evolution in the biomedical engineering field boosts innovative technologies, with microfluidic systems standing out as transformative tools in disease diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Numerical simulation has emerged as a tool of increasing importance for better understanding and predicting fluid-flow behavior in microscale devices. This review explores fabrication techniques and common materials of m...
The issue of thermal control for space missions has been critical since the early space missions in the late 1950s. The demands in such environments are heightened, characterized by significant temperature variations and the need to manage substantial densities of heat. The current work offers a comprehensive survey of the innovative materials and thermal fluids employed in the aerospace technological area. In ...
The evolution in the biomedical engineering field boosts innovative technologies, with microfluidic systems standing out as transformative tools in disease diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Numerical simulation has emerged as a tool of increasing importance for better understanding and predicting fluid-flow behavior in microscale devices. This review explores fabrication techniques and common materials of m...