Microfluidic and Biomimetic Ciliary Systems
New materials, microfluidics and biomimetic systems are providing new insghts in biological cilia and fluid flow. We are working to produce ciliated cell cultures capable of clearing mucus in a microfluidics setting, as well stretchable scaffolds for such cell cultures to study the effect of tidal breathing on ciliary development. Finally, we have developed a method for fabricating magnetically actuated nanorod arrays as biomimetic cilia. In addition to having potential applications as versatile microfluidic devices, our artificial cilia can serve as a model platform for the study of ciliary hydrodynamics.
Mucociliary Clearance
Stretchable Scaffolds