Sarah E. Du, Ph.D.
Professor
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering | Department of Biomedical Engineering
Boca Raton Campus
Education
Research Interests
- Cell Biomechanics and Biophysics
- Microfluidic Biosensor
- In Vitro Disease Model
Research Site
Portable Inventions
Testing sickle-cell and other blood-related diseases are now as simple as testing a drop of blood at home, according to the recent patent application filed by Sarah Du, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Du, a mechanical engineer and inventor, said the portable device is able to diagnose and monitor patients’ blood activity, a tool that was missing previously in the lab. “It can also provide a diagnosis for patients in a matter of minutes compared to commercial laboratories which could often take days to share results,” Du said.
Her device is an instrument that uses very small amounts of fluid — or blood — on a microchip to run tests. By taking a small drop of blood, patients can determine if they have diseases like sickle cell anemia and work on treatment methods sooner rather than later, she said.
Before Du became an inventor, working with FAU’s Office of Technology Development to patent her device, she began her journey in 2011 by studying red blood cells and how they function in diseases.
“Making microfluidic portable devices that allow patients and health-care providers to have an easier solution to diagnosing diseases is a major part of my work and my passion, I know these devices have the potential to advance the way we treat patients,” she said.