<p>Researchers at the IIT-Kharagpur have developed an energy-efficient method that could support a wide range of applications in clinical and biological research.</p>.<p>Biological cells can be patterned by using the heat generated in closed electrical fields with the help of this method, the researchers said on Saturday.</p>.<p>Cell patterning -- the process to position cells on a surface -- is crucial for fundamental research and development in cellular biology and also for developing applications related to tissue engineering, neuron network formation, protein patterning, designing of cell-based biosensor and drug development, among others.</p>.<p>The 'Microfluidics' research group led by professor Suman Chakraborty made a breakthrough in this area, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur said.</p>.<p>"We have effectively innovated a unique patterning of electrodes on a glass plate," Chakraborty said.</p>.<p>"We have exploited the inter-connection of the electric field and temperature. The chip design triggers a favourable electrical force which guides cell patterning," said professor Anandaroop Bhattacharya, an expert in thermal engineering and part of the research group.</p>.<p>Explaining the process, Chakraborty said that the feat was achieved in a rather simple way, by attaching a thin insulating layer with a drilled narrow hole on a bottom electrode of the chip.</p>.<p>The pioneering work was recently published in 'Analytical Chemistry', a flagship journal of the American Chemical Society.</p>.<p>On the probable uses of the technology, first author of the paper Golak Kunti said, "Patterning of biological objects is the fundamental premise of probing cell-to-cell interactions, bio-printing, drug development and image-based cell selection, among others."</p>
<p>Researchers at the IIT-Kharagpur have developed an energy-efficient method that could support a wide range of applications in clinical and biological research.</p>.<p>Biological cells can be patterned by using the heat generated in closed electrical fields with the help of this method, the researchers said on Saturday.</p>.<p>Cell patterning -- the process to position cells on a surface -- is crucial for fundamental research and development in cellular biology and also for developing applications related to tissue engineering, neuron network formation, protein patterning, designing of cell-based biosensor and drug development, among others.</p>.<p>The 'Microfluidics' research group led by professor Suman Chakraborty made a breakthrough in this area, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur said.</p>.<p>"We have effectively innovated a unique patterning of electrodes on a glass plate," Chakraborty said.</p>.<p>"We have exploited the inter-connection of the electric field and temperature. The chip design triggers a favourable electrical force which guides cell patterning," said professor Anandaroop Bhattacharya, an expert in thermal engineering and part of the research group.</p>.<p>Explaining the process, Chakraborty said that the feat was achieved in a rather simple way, by attaching a thin insulating layer with a drilled narrow hole on a bottom electrode of the chip.</p>.<p>The pioneering work was recently published in 'Analytical Chemistry', a flagship journal of the American Chemical Society.</p>.<p>On the probable uses of the technology, first author of the paper Golak Kunti said, "Patterning of biological objects is the fundamental premise of probing cell-to-cell interactions, bio-printing, drug development and image-based cell selection, among others."</p>