Developed by Purdue University researchers, a new biochip that measures the electrical activities of cells, is capable of obtaining 60 times more data in just one reading than is possible with current technology.
The said biochip, in the near future, can speed scientific research, which could accelerate drug development for muscle and nerve disorders such as epilepsy and help create more productive crop varieties.
According to Marshall Porterfield, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering, leader of the team developing the chip:
"Instead of doing one experiment per day, as is often the case, this technology is automated and capable of performing hundreds of experiments in one day. This additional data allows for a deeper understanding of cellular activity compared to current technology, which measures only one point outside one cell and cannot record simultaneously.
The chip also directly records ion concentrations without harming the cells, whereas present methods cannot directly detect specific ions, and cells being studied typically are destroyed in the process.
There are several advantages to retaining live cells, such as being able to conduct additional tests or monitor them as they grow.
The device (biochip) works by measuring the concentration of ions (or tiny charged particles) as they enter and exit cells and can record these concentrations in up to 16 living cells temporarily sealed within fluid-filled pores in the microchip.
Find more details from the Purdue University News.
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