Magnetic manipulation of bacterial magnetic nanoparticle-loaded neurospheres
An in vitro model system for regeneration of spinal cord injury was successfully demonstrated using neurospheres labeled with bacterial magnetic nanoparticles.
Paper
The influence of matrix (an)isotropy on cardiomyocyte contraction in engineered cardiac microtissues
This in vitro model system, mimicking healthy aligned and diseased disorganized cardiac tissue, shows that matrix disorganization affects the direction and distribution of cardiomyocyte contraction force although it has no effect on contraction force magnitude.
A lab-on-chip cell-based biosensor for label-free sensing of water toxicants
This paper presents a lab-on-chip biosensor containing an enclosed fluidic cell culturing well seeded with live cells for rapid screening of toxicants in drinking water.
Paper
A microfluidic platform for chemoresistive testing of multicellular pleural cancer spheroids
This study reports on a microfluidic platform on which single multicellular spheroids from malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis, can be loaded, trapped and tested for chemotherapeutic drug response.
A microfluidic reciprocating intracochlear drug delivery system with reservoir and active dose control
A wearable system for intracochlear drug delivery with controllable dosing for small animals, incorporating a novel micropump and drug reservoir.
Quantifying genetically inserted fluorescent protein in single iPS cells to monitor Nanog expression using electroactive microchamber arrays
We propose a method utilizing a large number of arrayed microchambers to quantitatively measure an intracellular fluorescent protein that is genetically inserted to monitor the expression of a pluripotency marker, Nanog, in iPS cells.
Continuous flow real-time PCR device using multi-channel fluorescence excitation and detection
We have developed a ‘conveyor belt’ analog for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in a continuous flow thermocycler. The device integrates droplet emulsion technology with LED and fiber optic fluorescence excitation in conjunction with a continuous flow thermal cycler to achieve real-time fluorescence detection.
Continuous-flow cytomorphological staining and analysis
We demonstrate a platform for on-chip colorimetric staining of cells in continuous flows integrated with automated image processing for analysis of cytomorphological parameters of diagnostic interest.
Wearable multi-channel microelectrode membranes for elucidating electrophysiological phenotypes of injured myocardium
Understanding the regenerative capacity of small vertebrate models has provided new insights into the plasticity of injured myocardium.
About this collection
This web collection contains contributions highlighting work presented at the 7th International Conference on Microtechnologies in Medicine and Biology (MMB 2013) on April 10-12, 2013 in Marina del Rey, California, USA. The biennial meeting brings together an interdisciplinary group of biologists and medical researchers, clinicians, chemists, physicists, and engineers for the purpose of fostering interactions that will enhance and strengthen the impact of microtechnologies in the fields of medicine and biology.
The MMB conference series started in 2000 under the leadership of Prof. David Beebe (University of Wisconsin - Madison) and Prof. André Dittmar (University of Lyon) who developed a unique forum to discuss recent developments in microtechnologies to unmet needs in medicine and biology. The next conference will be held in Seoul, South Korea in 2015 and we look forward to the outstanding research and technological contributions from the various stakeholders in the field.
This collection of articles in both Lab on a Chip and Integrative Biology highlights recent progress in microtechnologies with medical and biological applications. We thank the many authors and reviewers who made this web collection possible.
Our Guest Editors for this collection were:
Ellis Meng, Departments of Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, USA
Shuichi Takayama, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, and Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, USA