Microfluidics studies of live cell migration require creating a controlled chemical gradient that depends on flow rate. While we develop this technology with that goal in mind, we currently use cell substitutes. In this work, we use Fiji-ImageJ to track particles flowing through a microfluidic device and determine their velocities. As particles are buoyant, we use them to measure flow rates. Our goal is to develop a methodology for tracking microscopic particles as they navigate through the complex channel structure of these devices and measuring their flow velocities. This process involves manipulating images to fit into the TrackMate plugin for efficient analysis of particle paths, troubleshooting and exploring the software, learning how to code, and processing and understanding the collected data. This project is a significant milestone for our research group. It will help analyze particle parameters that will later be used to track live cells.
