Gravity-defying ultrasonic tweezers could lead to life-changing medical advances
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - 06:13
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers have developed pioneering ‘tweezers’ that use ultrasound beams to grip and manipulate tiny clusters of cells, which could lead to life-changing medical advances, such as better cartilage implants that reduce the need for knee replacement operations. Using ultrasonic sound fields, cartilage cells taken from a patient’s knee can be levitated for weeks in a nutrient-rich fluid.