At the PME department, a micro-sized pipette probe has
been developed for handling multiple liquids. It is the first time
that such a small probe can dose fluid volume, and simultaneously
control the concentration of particles inside the fluid. This new
tool opens up applications in the field of single cell biology and
localized chemistry. Imagine being able to manipulate a single cell
with the same level of detail as you normally would any large-scale
object! For example, one could inject different concentrations of a
drug into single cells, and then compare which concentration works
best for protecting the cell against a virus infection. Eleonoor
Verlinden, Murali Ghatkesar and Urs Staufer have recently published
their research on such a probe in the scientific journal
Nanoscale.