Magneto-mechanical Sensors and Actuators for Platelet Biomechanics under Flow

这个项目将研究血液凝结的物理学。它将阐明血小板作用力和粘弹性在血栓形成过程中的作用，并将建立一种转换工具，可以产生针对血小板的生物力学数据。该项目将使人们能够更好地了解凝聚过程，超越经典的凝固级联。它不仅将推动止血和血栓形成领域的发展，而且还将促进生物力学、纳米材料和纳米磁学的发展。教育计划的重点是将研究概念纳入获奖者所在机构的生物力学课程，以及组织侧重于研究机会的K-12和本科生外联活动。该研究和教育计划通过让研究生和本科生参与研究，为后代提供纳米生物力学和生物技术方面的培训经验。该奖项的研究目标是开发一种微流控平台，可以测试血小板的生物力学特性，并测量其在凝血过程中的收缩力。血小板是人体内最小的细胞，但在止血方面是不可或缺的。在血栓形成中，血小板细胞骨架是改变细胞形状和产生肌动蛋白-肌球蛋白力量所必需的。该奖项的第一个任务将致力于通过增加纳米线的尺寸和改进纳米线的组成来制造强磁性纳米线。第二项任务是将纳米线嵌入微流控设备内的微柱中，这样外部磁场就可以用来向血小板施加力。第三项任务是在每个磁性微柱下建立纳米尺度的磁力计，以测量它们受小板力的偏转。

This project will investigate the physics of blood clotting. It will elucidate the role of platelet forces and viscoelasticity during clot formation and will establish a translational tool that can generate biomechanical-specific data on platelets. The project will enable a greater understanding of the coagulation process beyond the classical coagulation cascade. It will not only advance the fields of hemostasis and thrombosis, but also biomechanics, nanomaterials, and nanomagnetics. The educational plan focuses on integrating research concepts into courses on biomechanics at the awardee's institution as well as organizing K-12 and undergraduate outreach events that focus on research opportunities. The research and educational plans provide training experience for future generations in nanoscale biomechanics and biotechnology by involving graduate students and undergraduate students in the research.The research objective of this award is to develop a microfluidic platform that can test the biomechanical properties of platelets and measure their contractile forces during clotting. Platelets are the smallest cells in the human body, but are indispensable in hemostasis. In clot formation, the platelet cytoskeleton is necessary for changing cell shape and for producing actin-myosin forces. The first task of this award will work to fabricate strong magnetic nanowires by increasing the size and improving the composition of the nanowires. The second task will work to embed nanowires into microposts inside a microfluidic device so that an external magnetic field can be used to apply forces to platelets. The third task will work to build nanoscale magnetometers underneath each magnetic micropost to measure their deflection by platelet forces.