Method for Determining a Number of Viscoelastic Properties of a Number of Particles in a Suspension, Device for Such a Method and Computer Program or Computer Program Product

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This invention describes a method, device, and computer program for high-throughput measurement of viscoelastic properties, specifically stiffness and fluidity, of individual particles (such as cells) suspended in a fluid. Particles are flowed through a specially designed channel where they are subjected to controlled shear stress, and their deformation is recorded using imaging techniques. By analyzing the deformation and dynamics of each particle, and applying a specific theoretical model, the core mechanical properties of thousands of particles can be efficiently quantified.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Rapid mechanical phenotyping of cells for biomedical research
• Diagnostic screening for diseases that alter cell mechanics (e.g., cancer, blood disorders)
• Drug testing and evaluation of cellular response to therapeutics
• Quality control in manufacturing processes involving microbeads, emulsions, or biological particles
• Fundamental research into cell biomechanics and material science

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High-throughput measurement—capable of analyzing thousands of particles per experiment
• Provides both elastic and viscous (full viscoelastic) properties, not just stiffness
• Non-destructive analysis of individual suspended particles, suitable for sensitive samples like living cells
• Reduced dependence on complex and expensive equipment; can use standard imaging hardware
• Automated or semi-automated workflow via software, improving reproducibility and efficiency
• Enables more accurate and representative population statistics due to large sample numbers
• Theoretical framework (e.g., Roscoe theory) simplifies interpretation and lowers computational complexity

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Patent Abstract

A method for determining a number of viscoelastic properties, in particular stiffness (k) and fluidity (α), of a number of particles (4) of a suspension, is described, wherein the suspension comprises a suspension medium (10), in which the particles (4) are suspended, wherein said suspension is fed through a channel (6), said channel (6) extending in a longitudinal direction (L) and having a lateral extension (E) perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (L), wherein images (12) from the particles (4) in the channel (6) are recorded with an imaging unit (8) and in an imaging plane, wherein a number of particle properties are determined by analyzing the images (12) and wherein the viscoelastic properties of the particles (4) are derived from said particle properties, wherein the particles (4) inside the channel (6) are exposed to a shear stress (σ) deforming a shape of a respective particle (4) depending on its distance (D) to a channel center (14), wherein the channel (6) is configured such that the shear stress (σ) across a respective particle (4) varies by at most a maximum variation (V), for enabling a linear approximation of the shear stress (σ) when deriving the viscoelastic properties. In addition, a corresponding device (2) and computer program or computer program product are described.