Multiscale Vascular Transport of Nanoparticles for Biomedical

ARGOMENTI PER TESI DI LAURA MAGISTRALE IN INGEGNERIA MECCANICA
Multiscale Vascular Transport of Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications
Topic
The study is part of an international project, developed in collaboration with the Houston
Methodist Research Institute – Houston (TX - USA) and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia –
Genova (IT), aiming at developing computational and experimental frameworks for the analysis
of the vascular transport of nanoparticles for oncological, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative
diseases.
Nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as agents for the detection, treatment, and follow-up of
the therapy in multiple diseases. These are man-made objects small enough to be injected
intravascularly and navigate safely within the circulatory system, and are designed to perform
several, useful functions. They can efficiently carry multiple and different imaging and
therapeutic molecules from the site of injection to the biological target (malignant tissue), thence
providing contrast enhancement and curative action. A large variety of NPs with different size,
shape, surface properties, and compositions have been developed for diverse biomedical
applications.
Specifically, the proposed activities aim at:
#1 develop a multiscale computational model, based on the Immersed Boundary Method, for
predicting the vascular dynamics of systemically injected NPs. NPs with various geometries
(discoidal, elliptical, cylindrical) and deformability levels (rigid, cell-like deformable) will be
modeled. Interaction with blood cells and the blood vessel walls will also be modeled;
#2 develop an experimental set-up for validating and refining the computational models based on
the fabrication of ad-hoc microfluidic chips, using optical and soft lithography. Optical and
fluorescent microscopy will be extensively used for tracking NPs under different flow
conditions;
#3 synthesize polymeric NPs with various geometries and deformability levels. Different
lithographic techniques (optical and electron-beam lithography) will be employed to synthesize
polymeric NPs with different physico-chemical features.
Institutions
Politecnico di Bari; Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (GE); and Houston Methodist Research
Institute (TX - USA)
Tutors
Prof. Ing. Giuseppe Pascazio (Politecnico di Bari); Prof. Ing. Marco D. de Tullio (Politecnico di
Bari); and Prof. Ing. Paolo Decuzzi (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and Houston Methodist
Research Institute (TX - USA)

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