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Trends in Mechanical Engineering & Technology Review Article

Role of Fluid Engineering in Biomedical and Healthcare Systems: A Comprehensive Review

  1. Parth M Lakum Department of Mechanical Engineering, Atmiya University, Rajkot
  2. Mayur R. Chotaliya Department of Mechanical Engineering, Atmiya University, Rajkot
  3. Darshan H. Bhalodia Department of Mechanical Engineering, Atmiya University, Rajkot
  4. Heena M Gami Department of Mechanical Engineering, Atmiya University, Rajkot

Abstract

Fluid engineering — the study and application of fluid behavior, transport, and interaction — has become a cornerstone of modern biomedical and healthcare systems. This review synthesizes the multifaceted roles fluid engineering plays across diagnostics, therapeutics, biomedical devices, and physiological modeling. Micro-fluidics enables precise manipulation of microliter and nanoliter volumes, facilitating rapid point-of-care diagnostics, high-throughput screening, and the fabrication of uniform nano particles for targeted drug delivery. In cardiovascular medicine, hemo-dynamics and fluid–structure interaction models illuminate patho-physiological phenomena such as atherosclerosis progression, stenosis related flow disturbances, and thrombogenesis, informing device design and personalized treatment strategies. Organ-on-a-chip platforms leverage microfluidic flows to recreate physiologically relevant microenvironments, enabling more predictive in vitro models for drug testing, toxicity evaluation, and disease modelling. Fluidic design is also instrumental in emerging bio-fabrication and bioprinting techniques, contributing to vascularization strategies that sustain engineered tissues. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), together with multi-physics and data-driven approaches, provides quantitative insights for device optimization, regulatory testing, and the translation of bench-top devices to clinical tools. Despite rapid advances, challenges remain: scaling micro fluidic solutions for manufacturing, ensuring biocompatible materials choices, integrating sensors for closed-loop control, and accurately representing multi scale physiology in simulations. This review collates recent advances (2018–2025) across experimental, computational, and translational studies, highlights application-driven case studies (diagnostics, drug delivery, cardiovascular devices, organ-on-chip systems), and outlines future directions where fluid engineering can accelerate healthcare innovation. By bridging engineering fundamentals with biomedical needs, fluid engineering will continue to drive breakthroughs in personalized medicine, efficient therapeutics, and predictive preclinical models.

This review highlights key applications of fluid engineering in diagnostics, drug delivery, cardiovascular systems, and tissue engineering. Technologies such as microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip platforms support rapid diagnostics, targeted therapeutics, and realistic disease modeling. Hemodynamic analysis and computational fluid dynamics aid in the design of medical devices and personalized treatments. Despite challenges in scalability, material biocompatibility, and multiscale modeling, continued integration of fluid engineering with biomedical science promises significant improvements in healthcare innovation and clinical outcomes.

Keywords

References (19)

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