Cheap as Chips
Behold: the first ever (working) capillary gel electrophoresis chip made using high-definition inkjet 3D printing. The chip, produced by a team from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, is capable of separating a 50–800 bp DNA ladder, and its transparency allows it to be used for laser-induced fluorescence detection. While less sensitive than those made with conventional fabrication techniques, the chip is up to 40 times cheaper, and takes hours – rather than days – to produce.
Reference: R Walczak et al., “Inkjet 3D printed chip for capillary gel electrophoresis”, Sens Actuator B-Chem, 261, 474-480 (2018). Image credit: Krzysztof Adamski
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A former library manager and storyteller, I have wanted to write for magazines since I was six years old, when I used to make my own out of foolscap paper and sellotape and distribute them to my family. Since getting my MSc in Publishing, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and content creator for both digital and print, writing on subjects such as fashion, food, tourism, photography – and the history of Roman toilets. Now I can be found working on The Analytical Scientist, finding the ‘human angle’ to cutting-edge science stories.
