Current Research
Development of microscale models to study neutrophil migration
Neutrophils are the most abundant cell in the immune system and integrate a combination of both chemical and
mechanical cues to direct migration to sites of tissue injury or infection. Gradients of chemokine emanating from these
sites influence neutrophil speed and directionality, however the role of physical cues (i.e. tissue mechanical properties)
on regulating neutrophil recruitment is poorly understood. I engineer microfluidic migration channels made of deformable
liquid walls that replicate neutrophil mechanical interactions with surrounding tissues to investigate the role of mechanical
cues in regulating leukocyte migration.