A joint team has uncovered how soft, deformable particles, like cells, behave in microfluidic channels. Using precisely fabricated hydrogel particles and simulations on the supercomputer "Fugaku," they demonstrated that particle softness dramatically alters their focusing patterns, deviating significantly from rigid particle behavior. These findings reveal distinct "phase transitions" in focusing, shifting from mid-edge to eight-point, diagonal-edge, and finally center focusing as deformability increases. This breakthrough, explained by a new theoretical model incorporating inertia and deformability, offers crucial insights for designing next-generation microfluidic devices for highly efficient cell sorting and other biomedical applications like early cancer detection. The ability to control particle focusing based on deformability opens exciting possibilities for advanced particle manipulation and separation technologies.

- Metabolism does more than fuel embryonic growth; it also sends out signals that control the tempo of development.

- Metabolism consists of metabolic activities and signalling that occurs as a part of those activities, which makes it challenging to dissociate these functions. 

- EMBL scientists found that metabolism signals to control the tempo of development in a manner distinctly separate from its role in energy and biomass production. They identified a specific sugar molecule that can function as a signalling molecule to control the rhythm of the segmentation clock, which is essentially a ‘biological clock’ that controls the tempo of development.

- Future research will probe the importance of metabolism – not just for making energy and building blocks – but also for sending signals that guide cell fate, developmental timing, and even disease.

A collaborative research team from Peking University has developed a novel method to enhance the tumor-targeting efficiency of γδ T cells through chemical engineering. By conjugating or gluing the cancer cell-targeting antibodies to γδ T cells via fast metabolic glycan labeling and click chemistry, the team achieved improved anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. This innovative approach holds significant promise for advancing adoptive cell therapy in cancer treatment.