Laser induced forward transfer of cells for mass cytrometry

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Starting with biological cells arranged as a single layer on a surface, we will test if a cell can be transferred to a second nearby**surface powered by a short laser pulse. To accomplish this feat, we propose to grow the cells on a transparent piece of quartz that**is coated with a thin polymer film. The purpose of the quartz is to provide mechanical support while otherwise being transparent to**laser light while the purpose of the polymer film is to absorb the laser light arriving through the quartz, but not to allow too much**light to penetrate to the cell because the light might damaging it.**As the polymer absorbs the energy of the laser beam, the polymer will expand, launching a shock wave. We expect this motion**will shake the cell free of the surface and push the cell to another nearby surface where we will measure its presence with an**optical microscope. If the nearby surface were not present, the cell would tumble through the air and be caught by a passing**breeze. Fluidigm uses such breezes to transfer cells into its mass cytometer. Thus, the technology that we develop can be used**by Fluidigm to create cells-on-demand for mass cytometry.