Mechanical characterization of biological fluids and tissues at cellular resolution range

There is an actual interest within the global scientific community in the development of non-invasive imaging systems at cellular resolution level. Such devices are used to analyse cell characteristics, relations among cells in tissues and also quantify cell metrics as elasticity or concentration. Diagnostic and treatment studies both in vivo and in vitro and tissue engeneering reasearch will take benefit of such a tool.

Mechanical properties of biological fluids and tissues can be interrogated through the analysis of tissue reflectivity, absorption spectrum and texture parameters. These are basic characteristics for cellular interaction processes and disease development.The present project aims to investigate biological formations constituted by eukaryotic cells through the development of an ultrasound scanning probe based on a wideband (15-70MHz) focalized transducer. The development of such analysis techniques would be applied as diagnostic tools and also as a quality control technique for tissue engineering science.

Objectives

The general objective of this proposal is to increase the knowledge about the potential of quantitative ultrasound techniques to characterize biological fluids and tissues at the celular resolution range. This will be achieved through the following specific objectives:

1. Development of a high frequency ultrasound portable probe based on a 2D scanning micromechanism.
2. Characterization of cell formations using the probe. (Cell monolayers and dilute cell suspensions).