RII Track-4:NSF:Understanding the Fundamental Physics of Acousto-Magnetic Microswimmers to Realize Precise, Tunable Motion at Microscales

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Microscale synthetic devices (or microswimmers) that can offer precise and controllable motion at microscales have the potential to transform healthcare and bioengineering. For example, these devices can provide direct access to complex regions of the human body through on-board imaging and wireless data transmission to enable targeted drug delivery and localized medical interventions. However, despite considerable progress in microscale propulsion research, controlled, programmable and biocompatible motion of microswimmers is yet to be realized. This project combines external acoustic and magnetic fields to achieve tunable and computationally predictable motion at microscales. To this end, the PI will integrate his computational methods with experimental measurements using state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization facilities at the University of Pennsylvania. This systematic investigation will generate crucial insights into microscale propulsion and will provide a comprehensive understanding of microswimmer motion and its relation to acoustic and magnetic fields. This project will establish a long-term collaboration between the PI’s home institution of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Pennsylvania to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms that govern the microswimmer motion.This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-4 EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4) project would provide a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Synthetic devices (microswimmers) that offer controlled, powered, autonomous motion at microscales can enable novel applications such as diagnostic sensing and targeted drug delivery. However, an ideal propulsion strategy that combines advanced navigational capabilities with excellent biocompatibility is yet to be realized. The overarching goal of this research is to combine acoustic and magnetic fields to achieve controlled motion at microscales. To this end, the PI will integrate a novel fluid-structure interaction computational framework with advanced experimental approaches to perform extensive characterization of microswimmer motion and develop a predictive computational capability that can relate the microswimmer motion with external fields. The PI will adopt an integrated computational and experimental approach by working in collaboration with a team at the University of Pennsylvania to leverage state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization facilities for understanding microswimmer motion. Objectives will include to: (1) understand the relation between acoustic frequency, bubble oscillation modes, and the flow field around the microswimmer; (2) relate microswimmer trajectories with the external acoustic and magnetic fields; and (3) identify novel microswimmer designs and functionalities by exploring the parametric space via an integrated computational and experimental approach. This fellowship will lead to new fundamental knowledge on the physical underpinnings of acousto-magnetic microswimmers and will facilitate novel microswimmer trajectories, functionalities, and applications. Ultimately, the PI will utilize the knowledge gained during this fellowship to advance research infrastructure at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and sustain a long-term collaborative research effort for microscale propulsion.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.