Infections in complex physical environments: Life and death in the sinuses
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics
Abstract
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Publications
Desai N
(2024)
Modelling Mucus Clearance in Sinuses: Thin-Film Flow Inside a Fluid-Producing Cavity Lined with an Active Surface.
in Bulletin of mathematical biology
Desai N
(2024)
Natural convection in the cytoplasm: Theoretical predictions of buoyancy-driven flows inside a cell.
in PloS one
Fortune G
(2024)
Biophysical fluid dynamics in a Petri dish
Fortune G
(2024)
Biophysical fluid dynamics in a Petri dish
in Physical Review Fluids
| Title | Cilia-driven flow |
| Description | Developed mathematical model for cilia-driven flow near a rigid substrate in a (linear) viscoelastic fluid (ongoing) |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Developed mathematical model for cilia-driven flow near a rigid substrate in a (linear) viscoelastic fluid (this is ongoing work) |
| Title | Ciliary arrays |
| Description | Developed a fundamental model of fluid flow caused by ciliary arrays located on a rigid substrate. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The model requires minimal computations but still reproduces experimentally observed flow regimes in cultures of ciliated cells, like unidirectional and vortical flows. |
| Title | Lagrangian drift |
| Description | Computed Lagrangian drift for a model ciliary array |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Computed Lagrangian drift for a model ciliary array, and turned into a paper sent for submission |
| Title | Modelling active mucus flow theoretically |
| Description | Paranasal sinuses are hollow spaces within the bones surrounding the nose. Of these, the largest are the maxillary sinuses, that are situated near the cheek region. The sinuses are lined with a ciliated epithelium, which is the site of mucus production. The cilia constantly sweep this mucus out of the sinus into the nasal cavity, thus maintaining a clean mucus layer within the sinuses, which is essential for a healthy nasal environment. We develop an experimentally informed continuum mathematical model of this mucus clearance process: the flow of a thin fluid film produced by a wall-normal flux and swept out of the domain due to the effective action of cilia, and subject to both gravity and surface tension. Our modelling includes both one-dimensional systems and patient-specific sinus geometry. In each case, we identify physical conditions under which a steady mucus flow is possible, which allows us to highlight the competition between gravitational retention and boundary-driven drainage in the mucus dynamics. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | We are currently finishing putting together this model into a paper |
| Title | Mucociliary clearance |
| Description | Developed mathematical model of mucociliary clearance in three-dimensional model sinuses (this made into the Bull. Math. Bio. paper) |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Developed mathematical model of mucociliary clearance in three-dimensional model sinuses (this made into the Bull. Math. Bio. paper) |
| Title | Stokes singularities |
| Description | Computed flow from Stokes singularities in a two layer system |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This is a model for the fact that mucus sits above a less viscous layer in which the cilia beat |
| Description | Akhilesh Jha |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Akhilesh Jha aj580@cam.ac.uk Respiratory Physician |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration to give use access to primary respiratory epithelial cells |
| Impact | n/a |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | A talk at APS DFD conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DFD24/Session/R06.7 Presentation at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics, Salt Lake City, Utah Monday, November 25, 2024 on "Lagrangian transport by cilia" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DFD24/Session/R06.7 |
| Description | Presented poster in 2nd London Mathematical Biology Conference, September 2004 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Nikhil Desai presented poster in 2nd London Mathematical Biology Conference, September 2004 and won Best Poster award |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Radio 5 Interview Vaccines |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Discussion on vaccines |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Talk at Cambridge Festival (x2) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I ran a Cambridge Festival session on "WHY DO BUGS JUMP FROM ANIMALS TO PEOPLE- THE BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION" which was attended by 50-100 people. There was a 30 minute question session where we answered questions from the general public. I talked at a second Cambridge Festival session entitled "MONKEYPOX: LESSONS FROM VIROLOGY AND FROM HISTORY" which was to an audience of 30 people from the general public and, again, there was a good question session lasting about 20 minutes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/monkeypox-lessons-from-virology-and-from-history-tickets-545991373897 |
| Description | Talk for Royal College of Surgeons Ireland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A talk on Pattern Recognition Receptors in Infectious and Inflammatory disease |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |