Sliding Cells

Did you know that you are made up of trillions of living organisms? These tiny organisms are called cells! When cells become sick, they start growing out of control and form clusters called tumors. If someone has a tumor, we often say they have cancer. Sometimes cells break off from tumors and use the blood to travel to other parts of the body. These cells in the blood stream are called circulating tumor cells or CTCs for short. Microfluidic devices can be used to count the number of CTCs in a patient’s blood. A microfluidic device can mix CTCs and magnetic beads together so that the beads label the cells. Engineers can then use the magnetic beads to count the number of cancer cells in a blood sample. However, it can be difficult to get the cells and beads to mix together.
A green slide of cells and beads

Sliding 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.

Sliding Cells TEK8 Instructor’s Guide

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.