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Fluidics & Biotransport Phenomena Laboratory

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Welcome

The Fluidics and Biotransport Phenomena Lab was established in August 2005, focusing on the basic and applied research in the areas of fluid dynamics and micro/nano-scale transport phenomena that are closely related to life science. Currently we have interests in topics that fall into the following categories:

· Physicochemical hydrodynamics and mass transfer at interfaces

Liquid-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces are where a number of very interesting transport phenomena take place. Physicochemical properties of matters near an interface are very different than those in the bulk. Surface phenomena such as adsorption, reaction, slippage, deformation, stability, wetting or hydrophobicity, as well as electric and other interfacial energy, affect many chemical processes ranging from food, biomedical, cosmetic, to semiconductor industries. We currently study small-scale fluid behaviors and heat/mass transfer phenomena within an aqueous electrolyte and solutions containing biopolymers.

· Mechanics and transport phenomena of biological membranes

The most fundamental structure of biological cell membrane is a flexible and fluid-like lipid bilayer that forms a viscoelastic interface to maintain the integrity of the cell. Such membrane can resist stretching and bending in the physiological environment. Many membrane-embedded functional proteins are for cells to transport matter and communicate with other cells. We study membrane dynamics at the single cell level with application relevant to the microinjection process. We also study the effects of secretion molecules on cell proliferation in a small-scale fluid environment.