Microfluidics

Watching fluid flow at nanometer scalesResearchers find that tiny nanowires can lift liquids as effectively as tubes.

Putting the squeeze on cellsBy deforming cells, researchers can deliver RNA, proteins and nanoparticles for many applications.

Tiny tools help advance medical discoveriesMIT researchers are designing tools to analyze cells at the microscale.

Professor Roger Kamm visualizes sneaky tumor cells with 3-D assayKamm is studying the mechanics of metastasis, the process of cancer-cell migration from one location in the body to another and the cause of more than 90 percent of cancer deaths.

Recent Course X grad named one of Forbes magazine's '30 Under 30'Pedro Valencia PhD '12 honored for drug research.

In Profile: Roman Stocker finds big effects from tiny organismsFrom microbes in the ocean to cats in the kitchen, MIT researcher uncovers surprising phenomena where biology meets fluid mechanics.

The music of the silksResearchers synthesize a new kind of silk fiber — and find that music can help fine-tune the material’s properties.

On the hunt for rare cancer cellsJellyfish-inspired device that rapidly and efficiently captures cancer cells from blood samples could enable better patient monitoring.

Sitting still or going hunting: Which works better?If you’re a microbe floating in the ocean, there’s no single best strategy for getting food, MIT research shows.

Tiny pores in graphene could give rise to membranesNew membranes may filter water or separate biological samples.

Protein impedes microcirculation of malaria-infected red blood cellsMIT-led research team finds that protein significantly reduces infected cells’ ability to squeeze through tiny channels compared to healthy cells.

Wrinkled surfaces could have widespread applicationsMIT team discovers way of making perfectly ordered and repeatable surfaces with patterns of microscale wrinkles.

Moving microfluidics from the lab bench to the factory floorThe Center for Polymer Microfabrication designs manufacturing processes for a new generation of diagnostic tools.

Measuring blood flow to monitor sickle cell diseaseNew technology may help doctors predict when patients are at risk for serious complications.

Rolling in the chipIn a new microchip, cells separate by rolling away.

A faster way to catch cellsNew microfluidic device could be used to diagnose and monitor cancer and other diseases.

Sugar high for beesBees, and similar nectar feeders, get sweeter juice with dipping tongues.

Tumor cells go against the flowMicrofluidic model helps explain how fluid’s flow in bodily tissue influences tumor cell migration.

In the mixResearch finds ‘viscous fingers’ can induce efficient mixing of fluids in tight spaces.

Going with the flowNew 3-D microfluidic system offers greater control over production of drug-delivering nanoparticles.

Laws of attractionOcean micro-organisms are shown to behave like larger animals in the presence of sulfur. Might this offer clues about the roles they play in regulating Earth’s climate?

Nerve-cell regeneration quest is fast trackedMicrochip technology rapidly identifies compounds for regrowing nerves, in live animals.

Mysterious quantum forces unraveledMIT researchers find a way to calculate the effects of Casimir forces, offering a way to keep micromachines’ parts from sticking together.

‘Micro-ants’: Tiny conveyor belts for the 21st centuryA new method of moving tiny particles using magnetic polymer beads and magnetic fields could find uses in microchips and in medicine