An open-source FACS automation system for high-throughput cell biology.

Recent advances in gene editing are enabling the engineering of cells with an unprecedented level of scale. To capitalize on this opportunity, new methods are needed to accelerate the different steps required to manufacture and handle engineered cells. Here, we describe the development of an integrated software and hardware platform to automate Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS), a central step for the selection of cells displaying desired molecular attributes.

A handheld luminometer with sub-attomole limit of detection for distributed applications in global health.

Luminescence is ubiquitous in biology research and medicine. Conceptually simple, the detection of luminescence nonetheless faces technical challenges because relevant signals can exhibit exceptionally low radiant power densities. Although low light detection is well-established in centralized laboratory settings, the cost, size, and environmental requirements of high-performance benchtop luminometers are not compatible with geographically-distributed global health studies or resource-constrained settings.

Electromagnetic tweezers with independent force and torque control.

Magnetic tweezers are powerful tools to manipulate and study the mechanical properties of biological molecules and living cells. In this paper we present a novel, bona fide electromagnetic tweezer (EMT) setup that allows independent control of the force and torque applied via micrometer-sized magnetic beads to a molecule under study. We implemented this EMT by combining a single solenoid that generates force (f-EMT) with a set of four solenoids arranged into a symmetric quadrupole to generate torque (τ-EMT).

Circle Of Life cancer education: giving voice to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

The Circle Of Life (COL) was first developed in 1991 as a breast health program through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and a committee of lay and professional volunteers in Oklahoma, with representation from Oklahoma American Indian tribal communities. In 2008, The Society was awarded funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand and enhance COL. Since then, The Society has engaged a variety of tribal health and education leaders and Society staff to comprise a COL advisory workgroup.

Two-color, laser excitation improves temporal resolution for detecting the dynamic, plasmonic coupling between metallic nanoparticles.

The ability of two, scattering gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to plasmonically couple in a manner that is dependent on the interparticle separation has been exploited to measure nanometer-level displacements. However, despite broad applicability to monitoring biophysical dynamics, the long time scales (<5 Hz) with which plasmonic coupling are typically measured are not suitable for many dynamic molecular processes, generally occurring over several milliseconds. Here, we introduce a new technique intended to overcome this technical limitation: ratiometric analysis using monochromatic, evanescent darkfield illumination (RAMEDI).

Recording single motor proteins in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells.

Biomolecular motors are central to the function and regulation of all cellular transport systems. The molecular mechanisms by which motors generate force and motion along cytoskeletal filaments have been mostly studied in vitro using a variety of approaches, including several single-molecule techniques. While such studies have revealed significant insights into the chemomechanical transduction mechanisms of motors, important questions remain unanswered as to how motors work in cells.