Fishing for rare cells in blood samples

A multi-stage microfluidic device separated tumour or leukaemic cells spiked into blood with high efficiency.  A filtration stage removed cell aggregates and debris.  Then a carefully designed microfluidic channel generated hydrodynamic forces which focussed the larger cancer cells into the channel centre; smaller blood cells were separated off.  The central fluid component entered a third steric hindrance region which further purified the rare cells by their size and mechanical properties. 

High-throughput rare cell separation from blood samples using steric hindrance and inertial microfluidics; S. Chen et al, Lab on a Chip; DOI: 10.1039/c3lc51384j

http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/lc/c3lc51384j#!divAbstract 

Micro-RNA sensor for cancer diagnostics

Micro-RNA-21 is overexpressed in many cancers.  A new magnetobiosensor selectively detected micro-RNA-21 at low concentrations in cancer cells and tissue samples. RNA plant-virus proteins tethered to magnetic beads captured DNA duplexes formed by adding anti-Micro-RNA-21 to the Micro-RNA-21-containing samples.  Beads were captured on screen-printed electrodes for electrochemical detection of microRNA. 

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201403270/full

Magnetobiosensors based on viral protein p19 for micro-RNA

determination in cancer cells and tissues; S. Campuzano et al; Angewandte Chemie International Edition, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201403270