Tractor Beam From MIT Uses Light On Cells To Make Sci-Fi Real
A breakthrough technology from scientists at MIT has made it possible to manipulate particles in what has been referred to as reminiscent of the tractor beam in Star Wars and Star Trek. The microchip contains multiple optical traps that work to focus beams of light that isolate biological particles and control their movements, opening up the possibility for cells and DNA particles to be controlled. Developers are hopeful that the chip-based technology will give a “more compact, affordable, and versatile solution” for treating diseases like cancer.
The light from the tractor beam is able to penetrate barriers that protect samples from contamination, making testing and treatment potentially safer.
Once the cells are trapped inside the tractor beam, the tweezers can be manipulated to move the cells and/or particles that have been isolated. The MIT researchers first tried this practice out on polystyrene spheres where they worked to isolate cancer cells before using the tweezers to capture and manipulate their movements.
This is the first time that silicon-photonics-based optical tweezers have been able to trap particles “over a millimeter-scale distance,” stated Jelena Notaros, a researcher who serves as the Robert J. Shillman Career Development Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
The light from the tractor beam is able to penetrate barriers that protect samples from contamination, making testing and treatment potentially safer. The light has been proven to have the ability to pass through the glass that shields cells. This means that the sterility of a sample will not be compromised.
With the tractor beam’s preciseness and its ability to penetrate glass, Notaros is optimistic that the technology will allow researchers to test their work in natural, as opposed to synthetic, settings.
The tractor beams don’t have to be on the same surface as the cells to work effectively, either. The integrated optical phased array (IOPA), as it’s called, can trap cells from afar. Notaros claims this ability will really open up the doors for the technology.
With the tractor beam’s preciseness and its ability to penetrate glass, Notaros is optimistic that the technology will allow researchers to test their work in natural, as opposed to synthetic, settings. If this comes to fruition, work can be performed in environments that are totally sterile and much less stressful.
As cellular processes continue to be studied, this tractor beam technology will allow researchers worldwide to obtain more in-depth information about the intricacies of these microparticles.
The compactness also works to the advantage of future researchers. The tractor beam’s ability to work across longer spans allows for an entire lab-scale system to be placed on the smallest of microchips. Notaros says this reduces overhead and lowers the barrier of entry for additional work.
As cellular processes continue to be studied, this tractor beam technology will allow researchers worldwide to obtain more in-depth information about the intricacies of these microparticles. Additionally, DNA can be further researched, possibly leading to improvements in gene therapy in the future.
Sources: Interesting Engineering
