This #OMFScienceWednesday we introduce the magnetic levitation device research by Gozde Durmus, PhD, in collaboration with Ronald W. Davis, PhD. This project is a part of the ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University funded by OMF.
This device uses a ferrofluid in a glass capillary surrounded by permanent magnets. This generates a density gradient and cells move to their respective densities in the capillary. Their position is imaged by a camera from a smart phone. It was discovered that white blood cells from ME / CFS patients are less dense than healthy controls. One patient was followed for several months, consistently showing a light density. It was further observed that there was a correlation between the lightness of the cells and the severity of symptoms. This could be a very inexpensive diagnostic test, and more patients will be tested in 2018.
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