Cell Impedance for Biomechanical Characterization and Disease Detection

Funded by DST INSPIRE Grant

A high throughput, non-invasive method to characterize red blood cells can be based on their electrical impedance information. A microfluidic channel with embedded electrodes can be used to apply alternating current field to single cells. The presence of the cell disturbs the field. This impedance information collected at different frequencies will be used to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy cells.

Microfluidic Approach to Study Mechanical and Fluid Dynamic Changes Caused by Biochemical Stimuli Leading to Endothelial Dysfunction

Funded by SERB Early Career Fellowship

Atherosclerosis or plaque formation in blood vessels is a fluid dynamics mediated problem with biological consequences. Blood flow is pulsatile in arteries and complex especially at bifurcations, bends and branching of blood vessels. It is in these zones that plaque formation is predominantly observed.

During a disease/ pathology (for e.g diabetes), biochemical signals are altered (e.g. high blood glucose) leading to endothelial dysfunction. It is reported that altered shear stresses experienced by endothelial cells can lead to dysfunction but the mechanism of how shear is altered is unclear.

Microfluidic approaches will be used to understand the interdependence of biochemical stimuli, arterial flow, wall properties and endothelial dysfunction.