Using optical traps one can research biological micro objects such as living tissue cells. The device operating in this way is called optical tweezer. It is a laser system, which manipulates and even holds biological objects with laser beams.
The most significant advantage of this system is that it can study objects without picking out the objects. For instance, it is possible to analyze red blood cells while their moving inside a blood flow. Furthermore this studying is not harmful for organism.
“This kind of analysis can be also provided through chemical exposure but this method allows to analyze groups of cells only. Moreover, this research way doesn`t guarantee accurate results. However while providing optical trapping one should choose the correct wave length to radiate object with highly focused laser beam. For example, when analyzing red blood cells one should use a wavelength of 1,064 microns. Thus it doesn`t affect other cells,” said Ms. Abdulrazak.
The shape of red blood cells gives an opportunity to pick up them easily and put in artificial environment. Then researchers can study how other biological objects affect the cell.
Susan Abdulrazak together with her colleagues at Ioffe Technical Physical Institute also provides theoretical study of malaria parasite and its influence on red blood cells.
“First of all my research team has succeeded in simplifying the calculation ways of radiation intensity required for studying biological objects. We developed simple and effective theoretical model, which can be applied for all kinds of analyses,” noted young researcher.
Currently the research of magneto-optical traps` applications becomes more and more relevant. However there are a lot of discoveries connected with these technologies to be done by Russian researchers. They will allow to improve diagnostic ways of blood disorders and to make treatment more effective. According to Ms. Abdulrazak, forthcoming inventions are crucially important for biological and medical progresses such as cell transplantation and modern analyzing of groups of cells.
The researcher will take part in Science Slam ITMO University at which will try to share her ideas with a wide audience and make complicated ideas comprehensible and interesting.
