Spring Break
Professor uses nano-physics to study cells
Daniel Reich designs microfabricated magnets to measure responses of cells to energetic fields
Issue date: 3/27/08
This means that the second set of cells will fall down with the south pole facing the plate, thereby constituting partners for the first set of the cells.
The result is an array of pairs of cells which are neatly organized. Putting cells in this reproducible arrangement has a huge range of possible applications.
"For example, we could study how cancer cells interact with other cells, but in more detail," Reich said.
Reich was trained in physics as an undergraduate at Harvard and a graduate student at the University of Chicago, a highly accomplished physics department.
How does a physicist get into so much biology? "I did my sabbatical in East Baltimore at the med school and basically began reading books about cell biology."
Reich particularly credits the influence of Christopher Chen, an assistant professor in the departments of biomedical engineering and oncology who has since moved to the University of Pennsylvania.
During his time at Hopkins, Chen and his team developed a microfabrication technique that allows construction of a type of nail bed on which cells can sit.
"This microfabrication technique is comparable to epoxy glue, but the outcome is that of a short, fat hairbrush," Reich said. Each cell sits on about 20 microposts, as the nails are called. One of the 20 microposts has a little magnetic nano-wire inside which reacts to an outside magnetic field.
As soon as the outside magnet is switched on, the cell experiences a stroke - the magnetized micropost is deflected and scratches the cell. "It is like tickling the cell," Reich said.
Researchers can then look at the cell's response, particularly where the cell reacts. "You tickle on the foot and record a response on the arm."
Here the physicist's and biologist's views can definitely diverge: A physicist would expect that the response is greatest near the applied force, at least in mechanical systems.
But here, in a biological system, the reaction is actually greater at the edges of the cell. Why this is true is one of the questions Reich pursues.
It is clear that research that connects physics and biology is at the forefront of modern science.
Reich himself is humble about his own contributions to the growing field, though. "Maybe we can develop a tool for other researchers," he concludes, as he starts packing his suitcase to head out to the next conference.
The result is an array of pairs of cells which are neatly organized. Putting cells in this reproducible arrangement has a huge range of possible applications.
"For example, we could study how cancer cells interact with other cells, but in more detail," Reich said.
Reich was trained in physics as an undergraduate at Harvard and a graduate student at the University of Chicago, a highly accomplished physics department.
How does a physicist get into so much biology? "I did my sabbatical in East Baltimore at the med school and basically began reading books about cell biology."
Reich particularly credits the influence of Christopher Chen, an assistant professor in the departments of biomedical engineering and oncology who has since moved to the University of Pennsylvania.
During his time at Hopkins, Chen and his team developed a microfabrication technique that allows construction of a type of nail bed on which cells can sit.
"This microfabrication technique is comparable to epoxy glue, but the outcome is that of a short, fat hairbrush," Reich said. Each cell sits on about 20 microposts, as the nails are called. One of the 20 microposts has a little magnetic nano-wire inside which reacts to an outside magnetic field.
As soon as the outside magnet is switched on, the cell experiences a stroke - the magnetized micropost is deflected and scratches the cell. "It is like tickling the cell," Reich said.
Researchers can then look at the cell's response, particularly where the cell reacts. "You tickle on the foot and record a response on the arm."
Here the physicist's and biologist's views can definitely diverge: A physicist would expect that the response is greatest near the applied force, at least in mechanical systems.
But here, in a biological system, the reaction is actually greater at the edges of the cell. Why this is true is one of the questions Reich pursues.
It is clear that research that connects physics and biology is at the forefront of modern science.
Reich himself is humble about his own contributions to the growing field, though. "Maybe we can develop a tool for other researchers," he concludes, as he starts packing his suitcase to head out to the next conference.
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