Sai Ma (left), a biomedical engineering and mechanics graduate student and first author of the paper, and Chang Lu, the Fred W. Bull Professor of Chemical Engineering, in their Goodwin Hall lab on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus. (right) 2018
Researchers demonstrate a low-powered laser to view a microchip via a microscope
June 21, 2006
A tiny fluid-filled channel on a microchip that allows single cells to be treated and analyzed could lead to advances in drug and gene screening and early disease diagnosis.
The tool breaks down cell membranes to allow drug and gene delivery and permits examination of intracellular materials by establishing an electrical current across a microscale channel, said Chang Lu, a Purdue University biological engineer. The Purdue system is different from current techniques that use electricity for drug delivery and cell analysis. The new technique handles one cell at a time and uses a common DC power supply rather than a costly pulse generator.
