Sorting Cells by Sound

May-18-16 MIT researchers have created a microfluidic device that uses vibrations to sort cells more quickly.

The device features a microfluidic channel that vibrates at a very high frequency, forcing the cells into different locations based on how they interact with the sound waves. Since the cells’ density and compressibility determines how they react to sound, this process allows cells to be targeted and sorted, even if they are a similar size.

The team believes the technology could be applied to handheld devices able to sort samples quickly, without the need for a trip to the lab.

More Info about this Invention:

[NATURE.COM]
[NEWS.MIT.EDU]

---