Hydrodynamics of Living Fluids in Microflows

• Grant number: 16/14337-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Transport Phenomena
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Souza Carmo
• Grantee: Sara Malvar Mauá
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project aims to present a proposal for study of several fundamental aspects of complex particulate suspensions of living fluids. The refered proposal intends to explore the physics of active suspension made of microorganisms, proteins, etc. For this purpose a suspension of Caenorhabditis elegans, a nematode, is considered. The swimming behaviour of microorganisms can be strongly influenced by the rheology of their fluid environment. In this project we will experimentally investigate the effects of the presence of the nematode C. elegans in the fluid. Furthermore, we will analyze how the swimming behaviour of an ondulatory swimmer is changed due to alterations on the carrier fluid. Tracking methods are used to measure the swimmer's kinematic data (including propulsion speed) and velocity fields. Experiments reveal that nematodes swim in a periodic fashion and generate traveling waves that decay from head to tail. This ondulatory locomotion is a common swimming gait of organisms in the low Reynolds number regime, where viscous forces are dominant. The models will be compared with a rheological characterization and simulations done in the University of São Paulo. The characterization results will be also used in microchannels, where the C. elegans will be set to flow. The experimental investigation of these complex particulate systems may lead to the answer of some open questions in the current literature regarding passive, active and hybrid complex particulate suspensions.

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MALVAR, SARA; CARMO, BRUNO S.. Wavelet analysis of a flexible filament kinematics: emulating C. elegans swimming behavior. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, v. 43, n. 4, MAR 18 2021. (16/14337-5, 19/15754-7)

MALVAR, S.; GONTIJO, R. G.; CUNHA, F. R.. Nonlinear motion of an oscillating bubble immersed in a magnetic fluid. JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS, v. 108, n. 1, p. 143-170, FEB 2018. (16/14337-5)

MALVAR, SARA; CARDOSO, LETICIA O. B.; KAROLSKI, BRUNO; PERPETUO, ELEN A.; CARMO, BRUNO S.; MENEGHINI, JULIO R.. A rheological approach to identify efficient biopolymer producing bacteria. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, v. 118, n. 2, p. 622-632, FEB 2021. (19/15754-7, 16/14337-5, 18/22790-7, 14/50279-4)

MALVAR, S.; GONTIJO, R. G.; CARMO, B. S.; CUNHA, F. R.. On the kinematics-wave motion of living particles in suspension. BIOMICROFLUIDICS, v. 11, n. 4, JUL 2017. (16/14337-5)

MALVAR, SARA; CUNHA, FRANCISCO RICARDO. A theoretical model for studying the nonlinear viscoelastic response of an active fluid undergoing oscillatory shear. Physics of Fluids, v. 33, n. 9, SEP 2021. (16/14337-5, 19/15754-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MAUÁ, Sara Malvar. Hydrodynamics of living fluids in microflows.. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP/BC) São Paulo.