Physicists will present fluid dynamics research with medical applications in a press conference at the 75th annual meeting of the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics on Nov. 21.
Journalists are invited to attend the press conference online or in room 210 of the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis on Nov. 21 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST.
Registration for the meeting is required to attend the press conference. Journalists with valid APS credentials may register for the meeting at no cost. To request APS press credentials, fill out the form on APS' online press room.
Additional details, including instructions for joining the press conference remotely, will be sent via email to registered journalists. The press conference will be recorded and available upon request.
Descriptions of the presentations that will be featured in the press conference are below.
Simulations of Malaria-Infected Blood Reveal How the Disease Affects Red Blood Cells and Immune Response
Malaria stiffens and deforms red blood cells, changing where in blood vessels the cells tend to be located. The position of red blood cells within blood vessels affects the flow of white blood cells and platelets, potentially interfering with the body's immune response. Here, Christina Rice and colleagues present how they simulated the flow of malaria-infected blood, finding that red blood cells in infected blood lie closer to artery walls and impede the immune response. The results could help researchers learn more about how malaria progresses and how to treat the disease more effectively.
Using Breath to Power Wireless Medical Sensors
In the human body, breathing generates power in the form of fluid flows. Lucy Fitzgerald and colleagues explain how they plan to take advantage of this process to create self-powered medical sensors. To work toward this goal, they created two prototype fluid flow sensors — a self-powered benchtop prototype and an externally powered, implantable prototype. They tested the externally powered prototype in a rabbit, finding that they could detect signs of an asthma attack. Developing self-powered sensors could eliminate the need for implanting patients with power sources or wiring them to external power sources.
