This video illustrates how estrogen is extracted from a drop of human blood using a novel microfluidics chip developed at the University of Torotono. The samples are lysed, and then the estrogen is extracted into a polar solvent (methanol), while the unwanted parts of the blood sample are extracted into a non-polar solvent (isooctane).
This three-dimensional micrograph shows a living cell (shown in green) with engineered capsules (shown in red) inside. An electric shock was applied to the cell to get the capsules inside. While that approach works well in vitro, the researchers hope to come up with a more acceptable approach for clinical applications.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology