Lab on a chip for live-cell manipulation

Microelectronic technology allows precise manipulation of cells without any effect on their phenotype. This article shows that current fabrication and design techniques are spawning new methods in biotechnology with potential application for research, diagnosis, and therapy related to many severe diseases. Recent advances in life sciences have been achieved thanks to a convergence of information technology with new tools and machines for large-scale analysis of the structure of DNA, proteins, and cells. Although the possibility of obtaining information directly from DNA has been demonstrated, the complexity of this task is enormous and far from achievable with our current understanding of the basic processes that translate DNA into structures. Fortunately, IT can provide a bridge between DNA and cells. This article examines the possibility, recently provided by microelectronic technology, of monitoring, sorting, and analyzing vast populations of cells, with the ability to interact with each of them individually. Investigations carried out in recent years have shown that a few cells changing their behavior unexpectedly can induce deadly diseases such as cancer. Thus, the needs that these techniques aim to address are clear and urgent. © 2007 IEEE.