GOLDEN, CO, May 23, 2016 — A study featured on the front page of the journal Cytometry Part A is the latest result of a long-standing collaboration between Mines' Physics and Chemical and Biological Engineering departments.

The paper, titled "High-Throughput Linear Optical Stretcher for Mechanical Characterization of Blood Cells," appeared in the April 2016 issue of the journal of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry and was authored by CBE graduate student Kevin Roth, CBE Associate Professor Keith Neeves, CBE Professor and Department Head David Marr, and Physics Professor and Department Head Jeff Squier.

Cytometry is the measurement of cell characteristics. In this study, cells were deformed by the refraction of tightly focused laser light as they pass through a microfluidic channel. Each cell relaxes as it flows out of the trap, and is compared to its stretched state to determine deformation.

Squier, whose research focus is optics and lasers, helped design the optical system used in the study. "It's a nice example of the multidisciplinary work going on in the College of Applied Science and Engineering," he said. In addition to CBE and Physics, the college also includes the departments of Chemistry and Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and interdisciplinary graduate programs in Materials Science and Nuclear Science and Engineering.

Marr said his collaboration with Squier started a number of years ago and includes the establishment of the MOABC research center -- Microintegrated Optics for Advanced Bioimaging and Control.

"This specific work is a continuation of our collaboration, where Jeff's expertise in optics and my expertise in microfluidics is combined for the development of (hopefully) practical biomedical devices," Marr said.

Marr and Squier have published 11 papers together, dating back to 2004, and have one issued patent.

Contact:
Mark Ramirez, Information Specialist, College of Applied Science & Engineering | 303-384-2622 | ramirez@mines.edu
Kathleen Morton, Digital Media and Communications Manager, Colorado School of Mines | 303-273-3088 | kmorton@mines.edu