A device that applies sound waves to divide and sort minute particles located in the blood within minutes has been developed by Engineers at Duke University. The technology is established on a concept referred to as “virtual pillars” and could be advantageous to scientific research and for medical applications.
Minute biological nanoparticles known as “small extracellular vesicles” (sEVs) are discharged from all types of cells in the body and are supposed to play a huge role in cell-to-cell communication and disease transmission.
The novel technology, labeled Acoustic Nanoscale Separation via Wave-pillar Excitation Resonance (ANSWER for short), is not only capable of pulling these nanoparticles from biofluids within 10 minutes but also is capable of sorting them into size groups that are said to have unique biological roles.
The results were published online in the November 23rd issue of the journal Science Advances.
These nanoparticles have significant potential in medical diagnosis and treatment, but the current technologies for separating and sorting them take several hours or days, are inconsistent, produce low yield or purity, suffer from contamination, and sometimes damage the nanoparticles.
Tony Jun Huang, William Bevan Distinguished Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University
“We want to make extracting and sorting high-quality sEVs as simple as pushing a button and getting the desired samples faster than it takes to take a shower,” Huang added.
New research shows that sEVs contain many subgroups with unique sizes (e.g., smaller than 50 nm, between 60 and 80 nm, and between 90 and 150 nm). Each size is said to have diverse biological properties.
The latest discovery of sEV subpopulations has thrilled scientists because of their potential to transform the domain of non-invasive diagnostics, for example, the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. However, the particles are yet to find their way into the clinical environment.
Huang said this is mainly because of the problems related to separating and isolating these nano-sized sEV subpopulations. To overcome this challenge, Huang, his doctoral student Jinxin Zhang, and partners at Harvard, UCLA, and Magee-Womens Research Institute created the ANSWER platform.
The device is fitted with a single pair of transducers to produce a standing sound wave that encloses a narrow, enclosed channel full of fluid. This sound wave “leaks” into the liquid center via the channel walls and interacts with the original standing sound wave. Owing to the careful design of the wall thickness, sound frequency, and channel size, this interaction generates a resonance that produces “virtual pillars” along the channel’s center.
Each of these virtual pillars is fundamentally a half-egg-shaped zone of high pressure. As particles try to cross over the pillars, they are forced toward the channel’s edges. Moreover, the bigger the particles, the bigger the force. By altering the series of virtual pillars to produce nuanced forces on the moving nanoparticles, the scientists can accurately categorize them by size into a range of groups established by the requirements of the current experiments.
The ANSWER EV fractionation technology is the most advanced capability for precise EV fractionation, and it will significantly impact the horizon of EV diagnostics, prognostics, and liquid biopsy
David Wong, Director, Center for Oral/Head and Neck Oncology Research, University of California, Los Angeles
In the new article, the scientists show that their ANSWER platform can effectively categorize sEVs into three subgroups with an accuracy of 96% for nanoparticles on the larger end of the range and an accuracy of 80% for the smallest.
They also demonstrate flexibility in their system, regulating the number of groupings and ranges of sizes with basic updates to the parameters of the sound wave. Each of the experiments just took 10 minutes to perform, whereas other techniques, such as ultra-centrifugation, consume numerous hours or days.
Due to its contact-free nature, ANSWER offers a biocompatible approach for the separation of biological nanoparticles. Unlike mechanical filtration methods, which have fixed separation cutoff diameters, ANSWER offers a tunable approach to nanoscale separation, and the cutoff diameter can be precisely modified by varying the input acoustic power.
Jinxin Zhang, Doctoral Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University
News
UCLA Scientists Uncover a “Hidden Weakness” in Some of the World’s Deadliest Cancers
A new study has uncovered an unexpected vulnerability in some of the deadliest cancers. Researchers at UCLA have identified a previously hidden weakness in some of the most aggressive cancers, pointing to a possible new way [...]
AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine clears first human trial
Key Takeaways Super-Antigen Technology: Uses AI and machine learning to analyze viral genomes, creating a single vaccine that targets essential features across entire virus families, including coronaviruses and Ebola. Human Trials & Safety: Phase [...]
Researchers Discover a Hidden Vitamin D Problem That Persists Year-Round
A new study suggests that some groups may not experience the expected seasonal boost in vitamin D levels, even during the sunniest months of the year. Many people assume that spending more time outdoors [...]
Researchers Solve the Mystery Behind a Billion-Dollar Dental Implant Disease
Researchers have uncovered why a common and costly dental implant infection often resists antibiotics. Dental implants have helped tens of millions of people regain a full set of stable, functional teeth, something traditional dentures [...]
Nanoparticles inspired by lung fluid improve therapies targeting respiratory system
The CIC biomaGUNE Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials has developed pulmonary surfactant nanoparticles (the blend of lipids and proteins that line the alveoli and enables breathing), which are encapsulated [...]
Scientists Finally Uncover How a “Forever Chemical” Causes Birth Defects
PFDA, a PFAS “forever chemical,” can cause craniofacial birth defects by disrupting retinoic acid regulation during fetal development, revealing the first clear molecular mechanism behind the link. Researchers have long linked perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), [...]
Scientists Have Discovered These Deadly Parasites Are Secretly Swapping DNA
Leishmania parasites appear to evolve through widespread genetic exchange, reshaping assumptions about how they adapt and spread. A parasite long thought to spread mostly by cloning itself may be far more genetically dynamic than [...]
Stanford’s Revolutionary New Microscope Reveals Living Cells in Stunning Detail
Stanford researchers have developed a microscope that can show how nanostructures interact inside living cells at the highest resolution achieved so far. The view into living cells just got better. Stanford researchers have merged [...]
What Bundibugyo Ebola vaccines and treatments are under development
By Mariam Sunny and Jennifer Rigby May 29 (Reuters) – Global health authorities are racing to identify medical options to help contain an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, linked to the [...]
Why More People in Their 30s Are Suddenly Getting Colon Cancer
A major Swiss study found that colorectal cancer is becoming increasingly common in adults under 50, even as rates decline in older age groups. Researchers in Switzerland have identified a concerning trend: while colorectal [...]
Researchers Compare MS Models to Human Tissue in Search for Better Therapies
Researchers identified key differences between two widely used multiple sclerosis models, showing how each can better study myelin damage, immune responses, and repair. The findings may improve efforts to develop treatments that restore lost [...]
Scientists Discover Genetic “Off Switch” That Supercharges CAR T Cells Against Cancer
A new study reveals a possible way to make CAR T-cell therapy more durable and effective by targeting a single gene-regulating protein. CAR T-cell therapy is widely seen as a breakthrough in personalized cancer [...]
New Vitamin B12-Based Therapy Could Change How Brain Cancer Is Treated
Researchers have identified a vitamin B12–based compound that appears capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier and selectively accumulating in glioblastoma tissue. For decades, one of the biggest problems in brain cancer treatment has had [...]
Simple Fiber Supplement Cuts Knee Arthritis Pain in Just 6 Weeks, Study Finds
A daily inulin supplement may help reduce knee osteoarthritis pain while revealing a possible link between gut health, muscle function, and pain sensitivity. For millions of people living with knee osteoarthritis, managing chronic pain [...]
This Common Vitamin May Help Stop Prediabetes From Turning Into Diabetes
Vitamin D may help prevent type 2 diabetes in people with specific genetic variations, offering a possible path toward personalized diabetes prevention. More than 40% of U.S. adults have prediabetes, a condition in which [...]
Ebola, hantavirus: Is the world prepared for the next pandemic?
Funding cuts to health research and a growing antivaccine movement are making it harder than ever to respond to viruses. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and [...]
