An Experiment for the Undergraduate Laboratory that Teaches Fundamental Concepts of Rheology Within the Context of Sickle Cell Anemia

Authors

  • Jennifer Vernengo Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
  • Caitlin Purdy Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
  • Stephanie Farrell Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701

Abstract

This paper describes a biomedical engineering experiment that introduces students to rheology. Healthy and sickle-cell blood analogs are prepared that are composed of chitosan particles suspended in aqueous glycerol solutions, which substitute for RBCs and plasma, respectively. Students study flow properties of the blood analogs with a viscometer and fit the data to the Casson model. The experiment provides students with basic concepts in rheology, materials science, and data analysis. 

Author Biographies

Jennifer Vernengo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701

Jennifer Vernengo is an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Rowan University. Jennifer received her Ph.D. from Drexel University in 2007.She began work as a materials scientist at Synthes Biomaterials, and then joined Drexel University College of Medicine as a post-doc in 2009. Jennifer’s research is in the area of injectable biomaterials for orthopedic tissue replacement and repair. She is particularly interested in developing innovative approaches to biomedical engineering education. 

Caitlin Purdy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701

Caitlin Purdy obtained her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rowan University in 2013. She also graduated with a specialization in Biological Engineering with hopes of acquiring a career in a related field. 

Stephanie Farrell, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701

Stephanie Farrell is an associate professor of chemical engineering at Rowan University. She received her Ph.D.in chemical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996 and worked for two years on the faculty at Louisiana Tech University before joining ChE Rowan. Through her work in chemical engineering education, she has made contributions in the development of innovative laboratory experiments and curricular mate- rials related to pharmaceutical engineering, drug delivery, and biomedical topics. 

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Published

2014-08-01

Issue

Vol. 48 No. 3 (2014): Summer 2014

Section

Manuscripts