Combine some microbiologists with some mechanical engineers and you never know what might happen.

A recent collaboration of those two fields of scientists at Brigham Young University produced a machine so small it takes a microscope to see it.

It's not just for fun, however. It could pave the way for research into diseases including Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes.

For decades scientists have conducted gene research by transferring genetic material into a new cell by a process called microinjection. It was just considered an unfortunate by-product of the process to have 40 percent of the cells die.

Enter BYU and a different process called nanoinjection, which occurs by transferring material including DNA into cells.

"Because DNA is naturally negatively charged, it is attracted to the outside of the lance using positive voltage," said Brian Jensen, a BYU professor of mechanical engineering, in a release. "Once we insert the lance into a cell, we simply reverse the polarity of the electrical force and the lance releases the DNA."

The lance being used is 10 times smaller than what was used previously. In the past, researchers used a hollow needle to pump a DNA-filled liquid into an egg cell nucleus, but the extra fluid caused many of the cells to swell and die.

With the new method, the team found that nearly 80 percent of the cells proceeded to the next stage of development, a significant increase from the previous 60 percent success rate.

No extra fluid is used and the cells undergo less stress and have a higher survival rate.

"It is really great engineering stuff," said Sandra Burnett, associate professor of microbiology at BYU.

Continued here:
Smaller is better: BYU creates new gene therapy technology

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