CAREER: Understanding the Role of Cell Surface Markers in Microfluidic Cell Separation – An Integrated Research & Education Program
This NSF award by the Chemical and Biological Separations program supports work by Professor Shashi Murthy to understand molecular-level phenomena at the surfaces of cells during separation processes in microfluidic devices. Microfluidic cell separation is one of many microscale approaches being investigated for the manipulation of cells for scientific, diagnostic, or therapeutic applications. The general principle behind the design of microfluidic cell separation systems is to selectively isolate one or more cell types from a heterogeneous suspension of several cell types. The development of microfluidic cell manipulation systems has, to date, followed an application- and technology-driven approach where knowledge of molecular-level phenomena is lacking. This proposal aims to address the existing need to understand molecular-level phenomena within the framework of an integrated research and education program.
Northeastern University’s College of Engineering is home to numerous federally-funded research centers and an array of leading-edge projects and initiatives that advance discovery and new knowledge in health, sustainability, and security.