Team Charter

 

Team Charter

Goals

The goals of this project are to create a microfluidic device with a closed loop channel to model in-vitro vascular systems, allowing cells and biological fluids to re-circulate for extended periods of time to interact as in in-vivo like conditions.

—Scope of the Project

The scope of this project includes: developing mathematical and computational modelling of buoyancy driven flows due to temperature gradients within a closed loop, selecting materials required for developing a closed loop microfluidic device with integrated heaters, developing the microfluidic platform to function as characterized by the modelling, and test the device to demonstrate its feasibility for biological applications.

—Duration and Time Commitment

The duration of this project is 9 months: September 2014 – May 2015.

All team members will provide at least 20 hours a week towards completing goals for this project.

—Team Members and Roles

Nawal Boufrou : Team Leader

Nisha Sharma : Team Manager

Matthew Tolbert : Supporting team member

Andre Hop : Supporting team member

—Desired End Product

The desired end product is a microfluidic device capable of modelling vascular systems for single cell analysis and examining cell-cell communication

—Deliverables

The team will be updating weekly reports including linear responsibility chart, percent complex matrix, and gantt chart to demonstrate the progress of primary tasks, participation, and availability of supporting resources.

Deliverables for this project will also include: developing mathematical and computational models, building the device, and verifying the function of the device.

—Supporting Resources/ Resource Limits

The team will have mentors Dr. Nitin Agrawal of the GMU Biomedical Engineering Department and Dr. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer of the GMU Mathematical Department, access to lab space and resources for the duration of the project, budget for device construction material.