Moving Cells

Cancer cells make people very sick. That’s why engineers study them, and study drugs that can fight them. Some engineers perform experiments where they actually move cancer cells. For example, in one type of experiment, engineers must separate cancer cells into their own individual channels. Once these cells are in their channels, the engineers inject a small amount of a drug into each cell and then study what happens. Engineers can’t do this experiment without having a way to move the cancer cells into the channels, though. They use magnetic devices so they can move the cells without harming them. Can you design and build a magnetic device that can move the cells into channels?
Using steel marbles to represent cells and a maze testing station to represent channels, students will design a device that engineers can use to move cells into channels.
 A maze testing station made of cardboard

Moving Cells TEK8 Student Guide

The student handout will be given to all students working on the design
challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.

Moving Cells TEK8 Instructor’s Guide.pdf

This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.

Telling the Story Video

The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.

Design Challenge Video

The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.

PowerPoint Presentation

The presentation can be used in conjunction or in place of the Design Challenge Video.