Researchers from MIT, Pennsylvania State University, and Carnegie Mellon University have devised a new way to separate cells by exposing them to sound waves as they flow through a tiny channel. Their device, about the size of a dime, could be used to detect the extremely rare tumor cells that circulate in cancer patients’ blood, helping doctors predict whether a tumor is going to spread. (Credit: Christine Daniloff, MIT)
This microfluidic device uses sound waves to sort cells as they flow through the channel, from left to right. (Credit: MIT, Pennsylvania State University, and Carnegie Mellon University Researchers)
