Particle manipulation and separation in micro-flows via acoustic waves

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The manipulation and separation of micro/nano-particles is becoming essential in several fields. Separating healthy cells from cancer cells in a blood stream is a classic example in biomedicine of great importance nowadays and for which there are currently no effective techniques available. Microfluidic technology provides promising features for high-performance manipulation and sorting applications as it allows precise and accurate control of the driving forces. Among the different driving force fields that could be applied, ultrasound-driven acoustic forces have often been used since they allow for gentle, label-free and purely mechanical manipulation of particle and cell suspensions. The aim of the current proposal is to investigate and improve acoustofluidic micro-systems, with applications for particle manipulation and sorting, to allow for realistic clinical particle sorting conditions (high throughput, high viscosity, different particle deformability, and shape). This aim will be achieved using front-edge experimental velocimetry and particle tracking techniques combined with numerical simulation tools.