This report outlines the implementation and proof of concept testing of dual-optical-fiber optical tweezers in studying cell properties. Customized equipment was created to enable testing. This equipment included an aluminum platform to stage equipment that otherwise could not align with the microscope and a 3D stage assemble to allow precise positioning of optical fibers and other equipment near the target sample cells. A method for applying 5 um diameter silica beads to live 3T3 fibroblast cells was developed using a 20 um diameter tip micropipette. These microbeads were manipulated on the cells using the fiber optic tweezers to demonstrate the feasibility of using such a setup to measure cell mechanical stiffness.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Beatty, William David

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042717-130715

Advisor

• Wen, Qi

Year

• 2017

Date created

• 2017-04-27

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Physics

Rights statement

• In Copyright