Iranian Researchers Create Pulse-Like Flow with Microfluidic Chip
Reza Azadian Farsani, who conducted this research as part of his master's thesis, said that the technology, by accurately simulating the biological conditions of the body on a small scale, provides a powerful tool for studying cell behavior, disease modeling, drug screening, and tissue engineering. In this research, a microfluidic chip capable of producing a pulse-like flow similar to the heart was designed, simulated, and manufactured.
“The main goal of this research was to recreate hemodynamic forces and create a pulse-like flow with physiological conditions similar to the left ventricle of the human heart to study the development of heart cells,” he added.
Noting that the designed chip includes fluid and air flow paths, a cell culture chamber, and a precise control system that allows the generation of periodic deformations at a rate of 75 times per minute, Azadian Farsiani said, “A combination of experimental and simulation methods was used to evaluate the performance of the chip and analyze the mechanical forces acting on the cells. The static pressure generated in the chip was measured using a precision pressure sensor, and the strain and stresses acting on the membrane were analyzed using numerical simulation in COMSOL software. The membrane deformation was also modeled and investigated using the ideal gas relations and pressure measurements.”
“These analyses helped improve the design and performance of the chip and accurately recreated the natural conditions of the heart. The designed chip with the ability to recreate the hemodynamic conditions of the heart provides a powerful tool for studying the behavior of heart cells, engineering heart tissue, and developing new therapeutic methods, and can be an effective step in research related to cardiovascular diseases,” Azadian Farsiani said.
In a relevant development in August, a knowledge-based company in Iran had used nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology and artificial intelligence to design a smart and portable device for monitoring cardiovascular health that allows for early detection of heart attacks and blood clots in just 15 minutes and without the need to visit medical centers.
Accurate measurement of key heart health markers, portable design and easy use without the need to be present at medical centers, smart user interface for displaying results and alerts in the mobile application and wireless connection and online sending of results to the treating physician are among the key features of the portable health monitoring device.
A set of new technologies has been used in making this device, including nanotechnology and micro-technology to accelerate molecular reactions in microfluidic channels in order to increase the accuracy and speed of sample analysis, photonics (immunofluorescence) for using antibodies labeled with fluorescent dyes to accurately detect optical changes in a blood sample, biotechnology to measure cardiac markers such as Troponin (a heart attack indicator) and D-dimer (a blood clot and embolism indicator), artificial intelligence for data processing and sending timely alerts for taking medication or performing therapeutic measures, and digital health (e-Health) for real-time connection to the mobile application and the treating physician to facilitate communication and rapid response.
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