Research Projects

Early detection and progressive monitoring are crucial for cancer patient survival. To facilitate effective cancer treatment, the application of microfluidics in cancer therapy is being explored. This proposal combines the expertise of Fluid mechanics researchers from Vellore Institute of Technology and Radiation Oncology doctor from CMC, Vellore. Microfluidic devices have proven effective in cancer cell detection and separation, but understanding compound droplet dynamics is vital for targeted drug delivery. Cancerous cancer cells differ in stiffness and flexibility, which can be used to differentiate between cancer and normal cells. A compound drop model was proposed to account for the impact of the nucleus on cell deformation. Understanding the hydrodynamics of compound droplets is essential for designing droplet-based systems. The project aims to study the dynamics of deformation compound droplets in straight and curved micro channels experimentally and numerically. It also intends to study the behavior of compound droplets when they negotiate an obstruction in micro channels. The study will consider different flow configurations, capillary number, middle phase viscosity, and radius ratio of shell fluid to encapsulated droplet. Fluid properties will be chosen to replicate circulating cancer cell dynamics in blood vanes. Experience from CMC collaborators in cancer therapy will be used to select substances for the study and interpret numerical results to real-time conditions. A lab-scale experimental test will be developed to experiment the movement of cancer cells as droplets. This research is the first of its kind at the national level, and knowledge creation and sharing will be crucial for both the Indian medical field and biomedical device industry players.