Biosensor finds tumour suppressors

A biosensor developed by European researchers will help to identify and put to use cells in the immune system that actively suppress tumour growth.

The researchers involved with the Cochise project (cell-on-chip biosensor) have developed a biosensor that uses a combination of microfluidics and electronics to first isolate immune-system and cancer cells in a microwell, and then identify the active cells that suppress tumour growth.

The cells are identified by forcing them together through dielectrophoresis; a phenomenon where a force is exerted on dielectric particle when it is in the presence of a non-uniform electric field.

When these cells are pushed together, a doctor can observe the interactions between them.

If, for example, a doctor observes an immune system cell killing a target tumour cell, he or she will retrieve the immune-system cell from the platform and transfer it to a standard plate to culture it.

After the immune-system cells are grown into greater concentration, a doctor could then theoretically re-inject them into the patient’s body.