📱Scientists repurpose a cell phone motor for anti-cancer drug screening

How can a $7 device, repurposed from a cell phone coin-vibrating motor, be used to aid in anti-cancer drug testing? Well, researchers appear to have the answer to that, according to a new study. By generating a vibration force, the DIY solution is helping to tackle the hurdles in creating consistent tumor spheroids for efficient screening of new cancer drugs.

The device can generate 3,970 tumor spheroids per minute, representing a significant boost in high-throughput cancer research. Learn more about how this innovative approach works and its likely significance in the realm of cancer treatments by reading today’s Must Read.

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Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, have created a low-cost DIY vibrating nozzle device using a cell phone coin-vibrating motor.

Tumors are complex three-dimensional (3D) structures, and comprehending cancer biology in this context is vital. Traditional methods for crafting uniform 3D tumor spheroids are labor-intensive and lack high throughput. The new DIY device seeks to overcome these limitations, providing a dependable preclinical testing platform for anti-cancer drugs.

Texas just broke a record for how much power it got from the sun. For about five hours on January 28, over one-third of the electricity running on Texas’ power grid came from solar power. Solar sources cranked up production to an impressive 15,222 megawatts (MW) at 10:09 am ET. Then, later in the day, at 3:10 pm ET, an extraordinary 36.1 percent of the total electricity demand was supplied, marking a significant milestone in the state's renewable energy landscape.

Researchers may have just solved the fear surrounding the potential harm viruses can cause to humans by eliminating their infectious ability. Using mechanical methods, the team developed a nanostructured surface made of silicon, consisting of several tiny spikes that destroy the structure of viruses that come in contact with it. According to their results, it effectively killed 96 percent of viruses within six hours of contact.

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