Viscoelastic Characterization of Soft Materials at the Microscale

1. Project Title

Viscoelastic Characterization of Soft Materials at the Microscale
PRIN  2020
Period: 5/02/2025 – 4/2/2027

2. Project Description

The project proposes an advanced methodology for the mechanical characterization of soft materials at the microscale, with particular reference to cells and biological tissues. The approach integrates experimentation and modeling, using a symmetrical MEMS microgripper for controlled sample manipulation. Analysis of the nonlinear dynamics of the microgripper-sample system, combined with genetic algorithms for multiparameter estimation, allows for accurate determination of mechanical properties, substantially contributing to the understanding of mechanobiological mechanisms.

3. Project Objectives

  • Design and build a microgripper prototype and the associated experimental setup.
  • Conduct tests on soft microsamples with known mechanical properties.
  • Develop a nonlinear model of the microgripper-sample system.
  • Estimate the mechanical properties of the samples and validate the experimental methodology.

4. Partner and Stakeholder Involved

Coordinator: Matteo Verotti, Università degli Studi di Genova
Academics: 

  • Matteo Verotti, Università degli Studi di Genova
  • Università degli Studi Niccolò Cusano -Telematica Roma ,Laurenza Maicol

5. Budget and Financing

Budget: 237.232€
Financing institution: Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca
PRIN: PROGETTI DI RICERCA DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE NAZIONALE – Bando 2020

6. Expected Impacts and Benefits

  • Scientific Impact.
    - Validation of a new experimental technique for studying cellular mechanics, overcoming the limitations of traditional methodologies and allowing measurements without altering the cell's state.
    - Possibility of implementing advanced multi-parametric constitutive models, improving understanding of cellular mechanics and mechanotransduction phenomena.
    - Contribution to the understanding of the mechanisms of force transmission to the cytoskeleton and the relationships between mechanical state and pathology, with potential application to studies on tumors and other diseases.
  • Technological Impact.
    - Development of a monolithic microgripper, simple to control, without the need for magnetic fields, optical traps, or external particles, saving energy and time.
    - Application of the MEMS system modeling and optimization methodology taking into account uncertainties, transferable to other problems of mechanical identification at the microscopic scale.
  • Social Impact.
    - Improving understanding of the mechanical behavior of living cells, fundamental to understanding how mechanical abnormalities can cause pathological states.
    - Supporting the development of new biomedical technologies, with the potential to have a significant impact on the quality of human life.

7. Contacts and References

Verotti Matteo
matteo.verotti@unige.it
Università degli Studi di Genova

Laurenza Maicol
maicol.laurenza@unicusano.it
Università degli Studi Niccolò Cusano -Telematica Roma

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