Nanosensor peers inside cell

The Scientist blog August 12th, 2010.

A new virus-sized probe can look deeper into cells than ever before, and finally allows scientists to monitor intracellular activities without disrupting the cells’ external membranes, according to a study published today in Science.

“This is a paper that can bring breakthrough and revolutionary insight into our understanding of intracellular structures,” said Zhong Lin Wang, who develops nanotechnologies at the Georgia Institute of Technology but was not involved in the work. The new device is a type of sensor known as a transistor, which detects changes in electrical activity when touching or inserted into a cell. Read More >