MIT scientists have developed a groundbreaking method to rapidly measure the density of individual cells—unlocking a new way to predict immune responses and how cancer cells react to drugs, all within hours.
Key Points at a Glance
- New device measures density of 30,000 individual cells per hour
- Cell density reflects immune activation and drug sensitivity
- Helps predict if T cells are ready to fight tumors
- Early changes in density signal tumor drug response
How much does a single cell weigh—and why does it matter?
At MIT, a team of engineers and biologists has found a way to measure the mass and volume of thousands of cells per hour to calculate their density. This physical trait—long overlooked—turns out to be a remarkably sensitive marker of a cell’s health, development, and even how it might respond to therapy.
Their study, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, describes how the team combined two technologies: a suspended microchannel resonator (SMR) that measures mass, and a fluorescent microscope that tracks cell volume in real time. Together, they offer a streamlined system capable of detecting subtle changes in single cells that could have massive implications for medicine.
“We can now measure how crowded a cell is on the inside,” says senior author Scott Manalis. “That tells us how it’s growing, activating, or dying—something extremely useful for cancer and immunotherapy.”
In one experiment, the researchers observed how T cells, the immune system’s front-line fighters, change density as they shift from dormancy to activation. As they ramped up to attack, their density dropped—a result of absorbing more water than proteins or nucleic acids. That simple metric predicted how well the cells were preparing to multiply and kill tumors.
In another experiment, pancreatic cancer cells were exposed to two different drugs. The technique revealed—within days—which cells were sensitive to treatment and which were resistant, based purely on shifts in cell density.
“This approach gives us predictive power without waiting for the tumor to shrink or the immune response to fully kick in,” says lead author Weida (Richard) Wu. “It’s a physical biomarker that works early and fast.”
Until now, measuring such changes required slow, cumbersome methods. MIT’s original SMR could analyze only a few hundred cells at a time by flowing them through two separate fluids. The updated system simplifies the process: cells flow through a single microchannel while floating in fluorescent dye. The microscope measures their volume via signal dips, and the SMR measures their mass—all in a single pass.
With a throughput of 30,000 cells per hour, the method opens up new possibilities for both research and clinical decision-making.
That’s already happening. Travera, a biotech company co-founded by Manalis, is working to apply this technology to personalize cancer therapy—by predicting how a patient’s immune cells will respond to immunotherapy drugs.
Outside of oncology, the researchers also see potential in drug manufacturing. Therapeutic proteins like antibodies are often made by genetically engineered cells, and this method could evaluate how “fit” those cells are for the task.
While other immune assessments rely on molecular signatures or gene expression, this method offers something different: a fast, label-free physical measurement that captures real-time physiological state.
“This is a very exciting and complementary approach,” says Dr. Genevieve Boland of Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study. “It could become a powerful tool for monitoring immune activity and drug response with speed and precision.”
With more development, it could even aid early detection of side effects from immune-based treatments or guide the design of next-generation biologic drugs.
The breakthrough underscores a growing realization: cells don’t just tell stories through genes and proteins. Their physical properties—like mass and density—can whisper vital clues about life, disease, and recovery, if only we know how to listen.
Source: MIT News
