High pressure inertial microfluidics toolbox for nanoscale control of particle position and dynamics for cancer diagnostic applications (INERTIA)

This interdisciplinary programme is aiming at development of beyond the state of the microfluidics for exosome-based cancer diagnostics.

Exosomes are secreted from different forms and stages of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, may reveal markers for diagnosis, prognosis and assist stage-specific intervention. This includes a better diagnosis paving the way to personalized therapy.

However, the isolation and characterization of exosomes presents unique challenges due to their exceptionally small size.

The project aims to build new physical understanding of the dynamics of different types of nanosized bioparticles in inertial and elasto-inertial microfluidics, including exosomes.

We will study flows through straight and curved channels, including experimentally and numerically investigation of nanoparticle dynamics, including size and shape as a parameter for nanoparticle focusing and separation.

Collectively, we will extend the inertial and elasto-inertial microfluidics toolbox beyond state of the art both theoretically and experimentally and apply it clinically for cancer diagnostics.

We expect our methodology and the outcome of our studies to have significant implications for cancer diagnosis in general, and to provide a reliable tool for monitoring of therapy response, in the end improving the opportunities for personalized therapy.