| Project ID |
BITS-SRIP/BD9FD2/2026 |
| Project Title |
A Multi-physics Framework for Precision Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia in Porous Tumour Microenvironments |
| Project Description |
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, with global incidence projected to exceed 33 million cases annually by 2050. Despite advances in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, limitations such as systemic toxicity, non-specific targeting, and therapy resistance continue to impede effective treatment. Among emerging interventions, Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia (MFH) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional therapy that enables discretised spatial heat localisation around tumour cells through externally actuated magnetic nanoparticles, offering enhanced selectivity with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
The proposed research aims to study the complex interplay between tumour porosity, vascular flow, and external physical stimuli to develop a numerically validated and experimentally scalable MFH framework for controlled tumour ablation. The study will combine computational modelling, microfluidic experimentation, and magneto-thermal characterisation to optimise nanoparticle transport, heat localisation, and thermal dose delivery in tumour-like environments. The study also aims to incorporate circulating tumour cell (CTC) dynamics, nanoparticle-CTC interaction mechanisms, multi-physics stimulation modes, and microfluidics-driven tissue replication. A major emphasis will be placed on understanding the coupled effects of magnetic excitation, flow conditions, and tissue porosity on heat generation and dissipation.
This project extends beyond simulation toward bench-scale experimental realisation. A microfluidic tumour-mimicking platform will be developed to experimentally validate temperature rise, nanoparticle distribution, and flow-induced heat transfer under alternating magnetic fields. The novelty of the proposed work lies in its integrated numerical–experimental strategy, enabling systematic parameter optimisation before in vivo translation. The project is inherently multidisciplinary, bridging computational fluid dynamics, electromagnetics, tumour mechanobiology, nanoparticle transport physics, and microfluidic system design. Its long-term goal is to enable safer, more targeted hyperthermia protocols aligned with national missions in advanced healthcare technologies, digital-bio convergence, and precision oncology. The outcomes are expected to contribute toward safer, more efficient MFH protocols and establish a scalable research pipeline aligned with future translational and clinical research efforts in targeted cancer therapy. |
| Project Discipline |
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, POWER ENGINEERING, HEAT-POWER ENGINEERING, THERMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, BIOMECHANICS, MECHANOBIOLOGY |
| Faculty Name |
SUVANJAN BHATTACHARYYA |
| Department |
Department of Mechanical Engineering |
