➀ Researchers from MIT have developed a miniature optical device that captures and manipulates biological cells using focused light. The device, resembling 'Star Wars' technology, could provide biologists and clinicians with a compact tool for studying DNA, classifying cells, and exploring disease mechanisms.➁ The device uses silicon-photonics technology to emit light beams from a chip, enabling particle manipulation at distances up to millimeters from the chip surface.➂ The innovation is designed to benefit researchers in biophysics and cellular biology, potentially enabling more effective investigation of complex biological interactions.

➀ Researchers at the University of Osnabrück have developed a microscopy method that allows simultaneous imaging and analysis of molecular interactions and their immediate nanoenvironment in living cells with high temporal and spatial resolution. ➁ The new fluorescence microscope opens up new possibilities for tracking molecular processes in real-time and correlating them with the overarching dynamics of cellular structures. ➂ The unique new system combines two high-resolution microscopy techniques, enabling direct visualization of individual protein complex formations in the cell membrane and deeper insights into the signal activation of immune receptors.