Micro and Nano Systems for Biophysical Studies of Cells and Small Organisms provides a comprehensive introduction to the state-of-the-art micro and nano systems that have recently been developed and applied to biophysical studies of cells and small organisms. These micro and nano systems span from microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidic devices to robotic micro-nanomanipulation systems. These biophysical studies range from cell mechanics to the neural science of worms and Drosophila. This book will help readers understand the fundamentals surrounding the development of these tools and teach them the most recent advances in cellular and organismal biophysics enabled by these technologies. - Comprehensive coverage of micro and nano-system technology and application to biophysical studies of cells and small organisms. - Highlights the most recent advances in cellular and organismal biophysics enabled by micro and nano systems. - Insightful outlook on future directions and trends in each chapter covering a sub-area of the book topic.

Emphasizing their emerging capabilities, this volume provides a strong foundation for an understanding of how micro- and nanotechnologies used in biomedical research have evolved from concepts to working platforms. Volume editor Christopher Love has assembled here a highly interdisciplinary group of authors with backgrounds ranging from chemical engineering right up to materials science to reflect how the intersection of ideas from biology with engineering disciplines has spurred on innovations. In fact, a number of the basic technologies described are reaching the market to advance the discovery and development of biopharmaceuticals. The first part of the book focuses on microsystems for single-cell analysis, examining tools and techniques used to isolate cells from a range of biological samples, while the second part is dedicated to tiny technologies for modulating biological systems at the scale of individual cells, tissues or whole organisms. New tools are described which have a great potential for (pre)clinical development of interventions in a range of illnesses, such as cancer and neurological diseases. Besides describing the promising applications, the authors also highlight the ongoing challenges and opportunities in the field.

Several micro- and nanomanipulation techniques have emerged in recent decades thanks to advances in micro- and nanofabrication. For instance, the atomic force microscope (AFM) uses a nano-sized tip to image, push, pull, cut, and indent biological material in air, liquid, or vacuum. Using micro- and nanofabrication techniques, scientists can make ma

By employing a combination of approaches from several disciplines the authors elucidate the principles of a variety of biomechanical systems that rely on frictional surfaces or adhesive secretions to attach parts of the body to one another or to attach organisms to a substrate. This account provides an excellent starting point for engineers and physicists working with biological systems and for biologists studying friction and adhesion. It will also serve as a valuable introduction for graduate students entering this interdisciplinary field of research.

This tutorial book offers an in-depth overview of the fundamental principles of micro/nano technologies and devices related to sensing, actuation and diagnosis in fluidics and biosystems. Research in the MEMS/NEMS and lab-on-chip fields has seen rapid growth in both academic and industrial domains, as these biodevices and systems are increasingly replacing traditional large size diagnostic tools. This book is unique in describing not only the devices and technologies but also the basic principles of their operation. The comprehensive description of the fabrication, packaging and principles of micro/nano biosystems presented in this book offers guidance for researchers designing and implementing these biosystems across diverse fields including medical, pharmaceutical and biological sciences. The book provides a detailed overview of the fundamental mechanical, optical, electrical and magnetic principles involved, together with the technologies required for the design, fabrication and characterization of micro/nano fluidic systems and bio-devices. Written by a collaborative team from France and Korea, the book is suitable for academics, researchers, advanced level students and industrial manufacturers.

The frontiers of microtechnology and nanotechnology are changing the face of medicine through the efforts of researchers to build biomedical microelectromechanical systems, or bioMEMS - tiny working machines so small, they measure only a few millionths of a meter across. BIOMEMS AND BIOMEDICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY, edited by Mauro Ferrari, comprises the first comprehensive reference devoted to all aspects of research in the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), microfabrication, and nanotechnology. Contributions report on fundamental and applied investigations of the material science, biochemistry, and physics of biomedical microdevices. General subjects treated include the design, characterization, testing, modeling and clinical validation of microfabricated systems and their integration on-chip and in larger functional units. Intended to be accessible to professionals and researchers from both the center of this fast-developing technology and adjacent fields, BIOMEMS AND BIOMEDICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY delivers a valuable knowledge base of key research and applications articles from acknowledged experts on an international scope. Each volume is very well illustrated with many figures appearing in color. This major reference includes contributions from world renowned experts in the field and consists of four volumes: Volume I: BIOMEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY (Volume Editors, Abraham Lee and James Lee) - focuses on synthetic nanodevices and the synthesis of nanomaterials and the generation of nanoscale features. The nanomaterials include polymeric microspheres and nanostructures, carbon nanotubes, silicon, silicon dioxide, and iron oxide. There is also a chapter on the characterization of critical nanostructures for bio applications such as nanochannels and nanopores. The second part involves hybrid synthetic-biomolecular nanodevices that utilize the self assembly properties of both biomolecules and synthetic materials. Volume II: MICRO/NANO TECHNOLOGY FOR GENOMICS AND PROTEOMICS (Volume Editors, Mihrimah Ozkan and Michael Heller) - reports on fundamental and applied investigations of the material science, biochemistry, and physics of biomedical microdevices with applications to Genomics and Proteomics. Topics include gene expression profiling utilizing microarray technology; imaging and sensing for gene detection and use in DNA analysis, and coverage of advanced microfluidic devices. Volume III: THERAPEUTIC MICRO/NANOTECHNOLOGY (Volume Editors, Tejal Desai and Sangeeta Bhatia) - treats the emerging area of therapeutic micro- and nanotechnology. Subjects covered include: cell-based therapeutics, regenerative medicine - merging cells with micro- and nanosystems, and integrating MEMS with cells and tissues; Drug delivery - intravascular nanoparticles for drug targeting and nonvascular delivery (implantable, oral, inhalable); molecular surface engineering for the biological interface, biomolecule patterning and cell patterning. Volume IV: BIOMOLECULAR SENSING, PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS (Volume Editors, Rashid Bashir and Steve Wereley) - is a balanced review of key aspects of BioMEMS sensors, including (i) BioMEMS sensors and materials, (ii) means of manipulating biological entities at the microscale, and (iii) micro-fluidics and characterization.

How small can a free-living organism be? On the surface, this question is straightforward-in principle, the smallest cells can be identified and measured. But understanding what factors determine this lower limit, and addressing the host of other questions that follow on from this knowledge, require a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and ecology of cellular life. The recent report of evidence for life in a martian meteorite and the prospect of searching for biological signatures in intelligently chosen samples from Mars and elsewhere bring a new immediacy to such questions. How do we recognize the morphological or chemical remnants of life in rocks deposited 4 billion years ago on another planet? Are the empirical limits on cell size identified by observation on Earth applicable to life wherever it may occur, or is minimum size a function of the particular chemistry of an individual planetary surface? These questions formed the focus of a workshop on the size limits of very small organisms, organized by the Steering .Group for the Workshop on Size Limits of Very Small Microorganisms and held on October 22 and 23, 1998. Eighteen invited panelists, representing fields ranging from cell biology and molecular genetics to paleontology and mineralogy, joined with an almost equal number of other participants in a wide-ranging exploration of minimum cell size and the challenge of interpreting micro- and nano-scale features of sedimentary rocks found on Earth or elsewhere in the solar system. This document contains the proceedings of that workshop. It includes position papers presented by the individual panelists, arranged by panel, along with a summary, for each of the four sessions, of extensive roundtable discussions that involved the panelists as well as other workshop participants.