Fundamental studies performed in solution can help answer biomedical questions: manipulation of individual molecules (protein, DNA) by flow in Nanopipettes and characterization of membrane proteins by separation in a supported bilayer. In microfluidics, the scaling law we established relating microdroplet size to tangential shear (Chemical Engineering Science 138:128-139 (2015)) aids in the generation of biomimetic Microparticles to mimic red blood cells or crystal encapsulation.
All these experiments on complex systems are enriched by microfluidic Simulation that allows to describe them using the finite element modeling tool COMSOL. Through simulation, we are also interested in other projects such as flow in a microfluidic diode to control drug delivery, chemotaxis of immune cells, effects of venous valve stiffness in thrombosis, use of microwaves to probe tissues and biofluids, and nucleation in confined environments.
Through experiments and simulations, we aim for innovative medical devices such as a non-invasive blood glucose sensor, a valveless micro drug pump, and encapsulated microcrystals for localized therapy and diagnosis.
