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Doctoral thesis viva voce: Clémence Vergne

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23 May 2013 9:30 » 13:30 — Urbain lecture theather

Study of biomimetic objects and polymer valves in microfluidics

Clémence Vergne, doctorante - PhD student Crédits: ESPCI ParisTech
Clémence Vergne, doctorante - PhD student Crédits: ESPCI ParisTechThe first part of my thesis is dedicated to the study of the mechanical properties of neutrophils. It concerns a pathology, the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), characterized by an increase of the elastic modulus of neutrophils, that leads to a massive trapping of them in lung blood capillaries. We have chosen to study two types of model objects.

First the THP1, an immortal cell line commonly used as a model of
neutrophils, and then microgels beads that are chemically crosslinked using droplets as microreactors. We have investigated the properties of that objects, by stressing them into microchannels under different flow conditions and with different confinements. In another part I worked on a novel technology allowing the integration of microvalves and micropumps in
lab-on-a-chips made of either soft or hard materials. The approach is based on the grafting of responsive hydrogels onto the microchannel walls.

These gels undergo large volume variations by absorbing or expelling water when subjected to external stimuli. The hydrogel thin films we studied here are chemical polymer networks that are covalently bound to the surface. The first step of the elaboration of theses valves is the development of the surface-attached hydrogel thin films. The objective is to obtain hydrogel films with a wide range of thicknesses. The second step is the completion of the microfluidic system by bonding a channel on the active surface and the application of different types of stimuli.

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