Why Your Blood Should Flow Like Ketchup | Sean Farrington | TED

Overview

Chemical engineer Sean Farrington explores the fascinating field of rheology, the study of how materials flow and deform, and its critical applications in both everyday products and medical diagnostics. He emphasizes the potential of blood rheology as a diagnostic tool for cardiovascular diseases, advocating for its wider adoption in healthcare.

Notable Quotes

- Put simply, when engineers mess up, people die. – Sean Farrington, on the responsibility inherent in engineering.

- Your blood doesn’t flow like water; it flows a bit closer to ketchup. – Sean Farrington, explaining the non-Newtonian nature of blood.

- If we can just get over its obscurity, we might be able to help solve some of our most pressing modern medical issues. – Sean Farrington, on the untapped potential of blood rheology in healthcare.

🛠️ The Role of Rheology in Everyday Products

- Rheology focuses on materials that are neither purely liquid nor solid, measuring their viscosity and flow properties.

- Everyday examples include:

- Peanut butter: Differences in texture determine whether it sticks to bread or slides off.

- Shampoo: Designed to stay in your hand but loses functionality when diluted with water.

- Ketchup: Varying thickness among brands demonstrates the importance of flow properties for consumer preference.

- These insights ensure products are reproducible and optimized for their intended use.

🩸 Blood as a Non-Newtonian Fluid

- Blood behaves like a shear-thinning fluid, similar to ketchup, meaning its viscosity decreases under stress to enable healthy flow.

- High blood viscosity can lead to clots or aneurysms, making its measurement critical for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases.

- Despite over a century of research, blood rheology remains underutilized in medical diagnostics.

🩺 Rheology’s Potential in Cardiovascular Diagnostics

- Blood rheology could complement traditional metrics like blood pressure to detect conditions like coronary atherosclerosis earlier.

- Studies show up to 46% of people over 40 have some form of coronary artery disease, and early detection is key to effective treatment.

- Farrington compares the current state of blood rheology to the early days of blood pressure monitoring, emphasizing its untapped potential.

🔬 Innovations in Blood Rheology Measurement

- Farrington is developing a portable, cost-effective microfluidic chip to measure blood rheology, replacing bulky, expensive machines.

- This innovation aims to make rheological diagnostics more accessible to physicians and patients alike.

- Early adopters in the medical field have reported positive results, but broader awareness and adoption are needed.

📢 A Call to Action

- Farrington urges the public to discuss rheology and its applications, particularly in healthcare, to raise awareness.

- He encourages medical professionals to explore how blood rheology could enhance patient care and improve outcomes for cardiovascular diseases.

- By spreading knowledge about this niche field, society could unlock life-saving advancements in medical diagnostics.