Seminar"Complex Particle Dynamics in Straight Rectangular Microchannels: Inertial Migration of Cells, Asymmetric Particles, and Soft Materials"Takayuki Suzuki

Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics (Shen) Unit would like to invite you to the seminar by Takayuki Suzuki on March 5 (Thursday).
 
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Date:   March 5, 2026
Time:  11:00-12:00
Venue: B503, OIST
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Speaker:

Takayuki Suzuki
PhD student
Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics)
Johns Hopkins University

Title:

Complex Particle Dynamics in Straight Rectangular Microchannels: Inertial Migration of Cells, Asymmetric Particles, and Soft Materials

Abstract:

Inertial microfluidics has emerged as a powerful platform for passive, high-throughput manipulation of particles and cells, but its extension to complex fluids, asymmetric geometries, and soft materials remains poorly understood. In straight microchannels operating at moderate Reynolds numbers, inertial forces drive cross-streamline particle migration despite laminar flow conditions, enabling precise control of particle trajectories and forming the basis for a wide range of emerging applications. Realizing these capabilities, however, requires a detailed understanding of the underlying fluid mechanics and a rigorous characterization of the diverse particle systems used in modern microfluidic platforms. This seminar presents an integrated experimental investigation of the factors governing inertial particle migration and rotation in straight rectangular microchannel, with emphasis on (i) the characterization of unconventional materials for next-generation inertial microfluidic devices, (ii) the influence of particle geometry and mass distribution, and (iii) the role of suspending-fluid rheology. First, analysis and characterization workflows are developed for particle systems with nonstandard and dynamically evolving size and material properties, exemplified by micron-scale DNA-hydrogels that undergo controlled swelling and porosity changes through sequence-specific programming, laying the groundwork for future inertial microfluidic sorting. Second, the inertial behavior of faceted particles is investigated by experimentally characterizing lateral migration and rotational dynamics, including the establishment of a characteristic length scale and a revised scaling of description Jeffery-orbit rotation. Third, the effects of non-Newtonian, polymeric media on cell inertial focusing are examined, including the impact of polymer concentration, polymer type, and cell size. Together, these studies provide a comprehensive assessment of the experimental assessment of inertial focusing in complex particle systems and introduce quantitative metrics and scaling relationships that guide the design of future inertial microfluidic technologies.

Host:
Prof. Amy Shen