Biomechanical aspects of individual and clusters of cells : techniques and applications
by
Sala de Conferências
Departamento de Física FCTUC
My initiation to biomedical engineering was my Ph.D. studies: structure-function relationships of human aortic heart valves. This “state of mind” continued to guide my research until today.
This presentation will focus on experimental techniques used to study the mechanics of individual blood cells, of bacteria and of endothelial cells in-vitro. Physiological and pathological conditions are considered. The measured mechanics are related to their structure, and their environment (surfaces, medium, pathological state, pharmaceutical agents etc.). Applications include design of antibacterial surfaces and tissue engineering, with the use of appropriate bioreactors.
What is lacking is the appropriate modelling of these systems in order to proceed from basic phenomenological studies to a more complete understanding of the pertinent physiology and, therefore, to more successful applications.
Paulo Silva, Marcos Gouveia