Our new study on nanoaxotomy on-a-chip is published in Nature Methods. The two-layer miocrofluidic trap now allows to immobilize C. elegans and perform nanosurgery to severe axons and study their nerve regeneration. Using the ‘nanoaxotomy’ chip, we discovered that axonal regeneration occurs much faster than previously described and surprisingly the distal fragment of the severed axon regrows in the absence of anesthetics.

Immobilization-on-a-chip movie
Nanoaxotomy-on-a-chip movie

Group News:

Ben-Yakar group's nanoaxotomy on-a-chip news:
May 6, 2008: UT Austin Engineering, Nanosurgery on a Specially Designed Microchip Reveals Anesthetics Interfere with Nerve Regeneration Process.
April 21, 2008: Newscientist, Worm-on-a-chip boosts understanding of nerves.
April 13, 2008: Telegraph.uk.com, "Scientists invent microscopic operating table for 1-mm worm". Congratulations to Sam, Frederic, Nick, and our collaborators Nikos (Prof. Chronis), Massimo (Prof. Hilliard) and Trushal.

April 30, 2008
Our paper entitled "Two-photon luminescence imaging of cancer cells using molecularly targeted gold nanorods" is one of the most-accessed articles published in Nano Letters in 2007.

April 13, 2008
Ben-Yakar gave a plenary talk in the openning session of Focus on Microscopy in Osaka, Japan.

October, 2007
Our laser nanoaxotomy research showcased in a "Popular Science" Magazine feature on innavation surgery techniques entitled, "The Brain Surgeon's New Toolbox - Nurse, Pass the Femtolaser".

October 2007
Ben-Yakar group has been awarded two NIH grants to discover genes that affect nerve regeneration in the model organism. C. elegans, using a novel laser nanosurgery technique and integrated microfluidic devices.

.New Publications:
Femtosecond laser nanoaxotomy on-a-chip for in-vivo nerve regeneration studies, by Guo et al. published online in Nature Methods.

Quantitative ulrtasound method to detect and monitor laser-induced cavitation bubbles" accepted for publication in Journal of Biomedical Optics.

Upcoming Talks:
May 8, 2008: Adela Ben-Yakar will be presenting at the CLEO in San-Jose, CA: "Two-photon luminescence imaging using a MEMS-based miniaturized probe".

June 18, 2008: Adela Ben-Yakar will be presenting at the LPM in Quebec City, Canada: "Plasmonic Laser Nanosurgery of Cells using Femtosecond Laser Ablation in the Near-Field of Gold Nanoparticles".

Positions Available:
April 2008: Postdoctoral and Graduate Research Positions are available starting immediately. For more info see Open Positions.

Last updated on April 15, 2008.

Guo et al. Nature Methods, April 2008
Nurse, pass the femtolaser
Popular Science Magazine

The laser zaps the axon with quadrillions of pulses of light per second, creating a spot on the cell that is as hot as the sun. (The beam's tight focus and short duration prevent heat from building up in surrounding cells.) The axon evaporates off [inset] as a plasma of electrons and ions, leaving behind scant debris.
(more..)

by Andrew Rosenblum, Popular Science, Oct. 2007

Ben-Yakar Group, August 2007
Ben-Yakar Group Affiliations:
Contact:
Prof. Adela Ben-Yakar,
Phone: 512-475-9280, Email: ben-yakar@mail.utexas.edu
Ben-Yakar Group Offices: ETC 7.160, Phone: 512-471-7342
FemtoLab: ETC 7.106, Phone: 512-471-7342

FemtoLab, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712
contact Ben-Yakar with comments.