Hydrogel Smart Bandage in COMSOL

In this class, we learned about modelling heat and mass transfer phenomena using finite element analysis. We covered many of the governing equations behind heat/mass transfer, as well as how finite element analysis worked. We applied all of this knowledge to a semester-long project, where we modelled the SmartWound PREDICT bandage in COMSOL and wrote a 32 page final report detailing our findings and possible improvements.

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The SmartWound PREDICT bandage is a hydrogel bandage designed to fluoresce when a wound is infected. It works by detecting ⍺-hemolysin, a toxin generated by bacteria. The ⍺-hemolysin forms pores in small lipid vesicles containing a fluorescent dye, thus causing the bandage to light up in the presence of bacteria. We decided to model this process in COMSOL to gain a better understanding of the process, as well as come up with possible design improvements.