MasterNanosciences, nanotechnologies

Transport of fluids at small scale in biological organisms is achieved by active microstructures. In the airways, the cerebral ventricles or the female reproductive tract, propulsion is achieved by carpets of ciliated cells, which are microscopic, active and flexible finger-like structures of a few dozen micrometers in length. The small intestine mucosa is covered by active finger-shaped or leaf-shaped microstructure of a few hundred micrometers in length called villi which increase peripheral mixing and mass transports.

Several hydrodynamic and transports phenomena have been proposed to explain and model mixing phenomena for these active microstructures. The aim is to experimentally investigate the relative role of each mechanism using flow visualisation, microfluidic and micromechanical techniques.

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https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0094994
https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/10.0011793

Opened to: student in Master 1 Soft Matter and Biophysics    
Expected skills: mechanics of micro systems, microfluidics, mass transfers, image and signal processing, active matter; complex fluids