Nature has consistently been a source of inspiration for engineering applications. Recently, a team of researchers found new inspiration in the vascular network and created a new type of fluidic system called VasFluidics.
The fluidic system has the ability to control fluid compositions through reactions between fluids and channel walls, which is a capability that traditional fluidic systems do not have. This innovative work was carried out by Professor Anderson Ho Cheung Shum’s Microfluidics and Soft Matter Team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering. This groundbreaking discovery has been published.research project, published in Nature Communications and titled “Vascular network-inspired fluidic system (VasFluidics) with spatially functionalisable membranous walls,” was led by Yafeng Yu, who discussed the remarkable control over blood compositions in vessels. This control served as inspiration for the design of new fluidic systems. The research team, led by Professor Shum, was inspired by the natural fluidic system of the blood vascular network, leading to the development of VasFluidics. This fluidic system features functionalisable membrane walls similar to those found in blood vessels.VasFluidic channels have thin, soft walls that can change the composition of liquids through physical or chemical methods. This study illustrates the capabilities of VasFluidics in processing fluids. By depositing solutions or applying enzymes to different areas of the channels, specific molecules can physically pass through some regions of the channel walls, while others undergo chemical changes. The outcomes are similar to the processes of glucose adsorption and metabolism in the human body. VasFluidics sets itself apart from traditional fluidic systems due to these unique capabilities. The channel walls of traditional devices are quite different from those of VasFluidics.The pores in traditional microfluidic devices can’t effectively interact with fluids, according to Yafeng Yu. The new method, which involves 3D printing and self-assembly of soft materials, allows for the printing of one liquid within another and the assembly of soft membranes at the interface. Professor Shum’s group, in addition to their work in microfluidics, also studies the assembly of soft materials at the liquid interface. Their previous research on soft materials provides a foundation for creating VasFluidic devices.VasFluidics has exciting possibilities, particularly for creating microtubule structures and bioinks. This technology has the potential to be combined with cell engineering to create artificial blood vessel models. These models could be used in biomedical applications such as organ-on-chip and organoids. Dr. Yi Pan, a former PhD student in Professor Shum’s group and now an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine at Southwest Jiaotong University, emphasized the potential of this research. Another contributor, Dr. Wei Guo, who is a Research Assistant Professor in Professor Shu’s group, also highlighted the significance of this research.m’s team stated, “In addition to the scientific value and potential medical uses of this research, it also ignites our creativity. The human body’s vascular tissue, which serves as an effective transportation network, has undergone millions of years of evolution. This study’s demonstration of synthetic systems like VasFluidics has the potential to recreate vascular tissue, marking a significant step forward in our quest to imitate and utilize nature’s highly accurate and efficient systems.”
Professor Shum and his team have been concentrating on advanced microfluidic methods to advance the boundaries of precise biomedical applications.o) The research team is focused on improving liquid control and efficient (bio)liquid sample analysis using microfluidics. They are determined to move beyond traditional setups and explore the full potential of microfluidics for biofluid processing and analysis. This requires new paradigms for designing and fabricating fluidic devices.
“Our ultimate objective is to harness microfluidics for highly sensitive analysis of human body fluids, contributing to precision medicine and ultimately improving human health,” Professor Shum stated.
Professor Shum anticipates that this approach will lead to advancements in the field of biomedical applications and ultimately benefit human health.The VasFluidics system is set to lead the way in biomimetic platforms that involve complex fluid manipulation. According to a spokesperson, the potential biomedical applications for this system are limitless. These include in-vitro modeling of biological fluid mechanics, biomolecule synthesis, drug screening, and disease modeling in organ-on-chips.
