Engineering multi-layered tissue constructs using acoustic levitation.

Engineering tissue structures that mimic those found in vivo remains a challenge for modern biology. We demonstrate a new technique for engineering composite structures of cells comprising layers of heterogeneous cell types. An acoustofluidic bioreactor is used to assemble epithelial cells into a sheet-like structure.

Biocompatibility of poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) brush surfaces for adherent lung cell lines.

Development of synthetic surfaces that are highly reproducible and biocompatible for in vitro cell culture offers potential for development of improved models for studies of cellular physiology and pathology. They may also be useful in tissue engineering by removal of the need for biologically-derived components such as extracellular matrix proteins. We synthesised four types of 2-alkyl-2-oxazoline polymers ranging from the hydrophilic poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) to the hydrophobic poly(2-n-butyl-2-oxazoline).

A thin-reflector microfluidic resonator for continuous-flow concentration of microorganisms: a new approach to water quality analysis using acoustofluidics.

An acoustofluidic device has been developed for concentrating vegetative bacteria in a continuous-flow format. We show that it is possible to overcome the disruptive effects of acoustic streaming which typically dominate for small target particles, and demonstrate flow rates compatible with the testing of drinking water. The device consists of a thin-reflector multi-layered resonator, in which bacteria in suspension are levitated towards a glass surface under the action of acoustic radiation forces.