Equation provides new insight into blood flow

“Biologists and hematologists have known for decades that these cells can get stuck, but what is less understood is that the blood vessel walls in the entire patient are really inflamed, and we don’t really know why,” Dr Lam said.

The researchers noted that a better understanding of blood-flow mechanics could help to make blood transfusions safer as well. Transfusions can sometimes set off heart attacks or lung damage, and the medical community isn’t entirely sure why. Dr Lam wants to find out if certain cells in stored, donated blood have mechanical properties that put patients at greater risk.

Though the collaboration between Drs Graham and Lam is still in an early stage, both researchers see the possibility of opening a new frontier in blood research.

“This would be a whole new category of things we could be looking at, and that’s why it’s so exciting,” Dr Lam said. “Suddenly, we have applications where the mechanics can be just as important.”