We are particularly interested in the application of fluid mechanics in medical engineering and additive manufacturing.
We have developed a liquid microjet device that ejects a highly viscous drug at a supersonic velocity of higher than 340 m/s, demonstrating the feasibility of a needle-free injector. The development of this needle-free injector will eliminate trypanophobia, medical accidents caused by medical personnel, and the spread of needle-borne infection. It will dramatically reduce the burden on diabetics and other patients who need to perform self-injection daily.

Miyazaki, Y., Usawa, M., Kawai, S., Yee, J., Muto, M., and Tagawa, Y., Dynamic mechanical interaction between injection liquid and human tissue simulant induced by needle-free injection of a highly focused microjet, Scientific Reports, 11, 14544, (2021).

Kiyama, A., Endo, N., Kawamoto, S., Katsuta, S., Oida, K., Tanaka, A., and Tagawa, Y., Visualization of penetration of a high-speed focused microjet into gel and animal skin, Journal of Visualization, 22, No. 3, pp. 449-457, (2019).

Tagawa, Y., Oudalov, N., Ghalbzouri, A. El, Sun, C., and Lohse, D., Needle-free injection into skin and soft matter with highly focused microjets, Lab on a Chip, 13, pp. 1357-1363, (2013).

JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A): Active Control of Viscoelastic Microjet for the Development of Next-Generation Manufacturing Processes