Hi, I’m Dr Francesco Del Giudice and I work at the interface between chemical and medical engineering, developing innovative solutions for healthcare applications and material synthesis.
Through the IMPACT equipment fund, I purchased several pieces of equipment that together formed a single unit that we named the μ-rheometer.
The purpose of the equipment is to evaluate liquid properties such as viscosity using fingerpick of samples in the shortest time possible. This is essential when using the platform in the healthcare context, for instance, in the screening of diseases. Thanks to this kit, we provided the proof-of-concept that properties of liquids under flow can be used to monitor disease states. Specifically, we demonstrated that the viscosity and another property, called the longest relaxation time, can be used to establish the quality of a joint.
Ultimately, we want to introduce rapid and affordable solutions that can improve the healthcare sector. Our kit can potentially be used to monitor cardiovascular events as well, thus opening the way towards rapid turnaround time of tests (currently, it take 10+hours to obtain results) and, in the long-term, establishing of self-screening platform to be used at home.
Learn more about Dr Francesco Del Giudice’s research and the Rheological Microfluidic Lab.
