Till Ryser, Ata Krichene, Nicolò Marchi, Felix Rodriguez Espinal, Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier, Hilal A Lashuel, Carlotta Guiducci
{"title":"A microfluidic platform for whole-membrane integrity profiling in live neuronal cells.","authors":"Till Ryser, Ata Krichene, Nicolò Marchi, Felix Rodriguez Espinal, Anne-Laure Mahul-Mellier, Hilal A Lashuel, Carlotta Guiducci","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01209-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01209-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Structural and functional compromise of the cellular membrane is a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However, existing techniques for assessing membrane integrity often lack the ability to provide dynamic, whole-cell measurements and are limited to localized damage detection or population-level analysis. There is a growing need for methods capable of monitoring membrane integrity over time at the single-cell level and across the entire membrane surface. In this study, we present a microfluidic platform for real-time, label-free assessment of membrane integrity by analyzing dielectric properties. We apply this system to investigate how different aggregated forms of α-Synuclein (aSyn), a protein that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and disrupts neuronal membranes. Our platform integrates electrokinetic microdevices with 3D microelectrodes and imaging, enabling continuous analysis of up to 30 live neuronal cells per hour in flow. By measuring electrorotation responses, we quantify changes in plasma membrane capacitance in response to monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillar aSyn. This approach allows direct, time-resolved comparison of membrane-disruptive effects across different aSyn conformations with single-cell resolution and whole-membrane sensitivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249814/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148211812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unveiling the roles of device structure and driving frequency in mitigating crosstalk effects in nanopixel light-emitting displays.","authors":"Wenhao Li, Shuqian Zhang, Xiongtu Zhou, Yongai Zhang, Tailiang Guo, Chaoxing Wu","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01289-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01289-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The noncarrier injection (NCI) mode holds promise for application in nanopixel light-emitting display to enhance the competitiveness of display technology. However, conventional approaches face challenges in fabricating NCI mode light-emitting arrays that simultaneously achieve pixel-level precision and high emission quality. In this work, the effect of electrical crosstalk in NCI mode array is revealed by the finite element simulation and the effective suppression of crosstalk is proved by experimental tests. The mechanism of crosstalk is revealed by the dynamic variation of carrier concentration and circuit model analysis. It is demonstrated that adjacent nLEDs show different electrical crosstalk phenomena in changing voltage amplitude, voltage frequency, insulation thickness and the distance between adjacent nLEDs. According to the analysis, we propose a crosstalk suppression solution, that is reducing the etching depth of the nLED array. Finally, by comparing the difference in the working characteristics of the array in injection mode and NCI mode, it is demonstrated the crosstalk suppression capability of the NCI mode. This work provides valuable theories for understanding the NCI mode and opens a new perspective for the display technology related to the nLED array.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13247245/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Magnetically guided biohybrid microrobots with multimodal locomotion for barrier penetration and multifunctional tumor treatment.","authors":"Yizhi Gong, Mengqi Fan, Zhuluni Fang, Immihan Ceren Yasa","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01303-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01303-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Penetrating biological and physical barriers within the body is essential for microrobots to access target sites and achieve effective therapeutic outcomes. However, synthetic microrobots exhibit limited deformability and dynamicity, which are required to navigate tight and complex microenvironments. Here, by leveraging the soft, deformable body of Euglena gracilis, we develop a novel biohybrid microrobot platform that integrates magnetic architectures for controlled propulsion, deformation, and multi-modal locomotion. This design not only preserves the natural motility of microalgae but also leverages their intrinsic therapeutic properties, including chlorophyll-dependent photodynamic therapy (PDT) and immune modulation through E. gracilis natural products. Our biohybrid microrobots navigate through dense three-dimensional biological matrices and around tumor spheroids, exhibiting targeted delivery to tumor regions under both magnetic control and autonomous tumor tropic behavior. This multi-functional platform combines adaptive locomotion, controllable and chemotactic guidance, offering a new paradigm for precision medicine without the need for exogenous drug loading, and has the potential to become a versatile future solution for tumor targeting and dynamic, adaptive treatment in complex medical environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13247167/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenli Xue, Yongquan Su, Wanzhu Qiao, Yichen Liu, Yi Yang, Hongfeng Zhao, Pengcheng Zhang, Gencai Shen, Hao Chen, Yang Wang, Zhenyu Wu, Lihao Wang
{"title":"Frequency-angle decoupling design for grid-etched piezoelectric MEMS cantilevers and its application to quasi-static micromirrors.","authors":"Wenli Xue, Yongquan Su, Wanzhu Qiao, Yichen Liu, Yi Yang, Hongfeng Zhao, Pengcheng Zhang, Gencai Shen, Hao Chen, Yang Wang, Zhenyu Wu, Lihao Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01330-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01330-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) cantilever actuators are pivotal in applications ranging from micro-optics to precision manipulation. However, their performance is fundamentally constrained by a trade-off between dynamic response and static deformation. To address this limitation, this paper presents a segmented grid-etched technique for MEMS cantilever actuators that decouples the resonant frequency from the tip inclination angle and displacement. The proposed approach strategically modulates the stiffness and mass distribution along the cantilever by etching grid patterns on the segment near the free end, thereby creating a compliant zone for large deformation while preserving the stiffness of the segment near the fixed end. The proposed cantilevers were fabricated using a Cavity Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI)-based Single Piezoelectric Layer Double Release (C-SSD) process. Experimental results show that the fabricated cantilevers achieve a 103% increase in tip inclination angle and a 54% increase in tip displacement, while maintaining a resonant frequency above that of a conventional uniform cantilever. Additionally, the practical application of this approach is demonstrated in a biaxial piezoelectric micromirror that integrates resonant motion for the fast horizontal axis and quasi-static motion for the slow vertical axis. Notably, the grid-etched structure on the slow axis enhances the optical scan angle by 257% and the frequency-angle product by 64%, achieving a field of view (FOV) of 25°. Furthermore, the successful implementation of this grid-etched cantilever structure in a micromirror validates its potential as a general-purpose design strategy for a wide range of MEMS cantilever actuators.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241533/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuyi Yao, Gongliu Yang, Ruizhao Cheng, Wenqiang Li, Xin Liu
{"title":"Analyzing the geometric dependence of thermoelastic Q-factor in micro hemispherical resonators via a data-augmented CNN-transformer model.","authors":"Yuyi Yao, Gongliu Yang, Ruizhao Cheng, Wenqiang Li, Xin Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01324-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01324-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Q-factor dominated by thermoelasticity ( <math> <msub><mrow><mi>Q</mi></mrow> <mrow><mi>TED</mi></mrow> </msub> </math> ) is a non-negligible component of the total quality factor in high-performance design of Micro Hemispherical Resonators (MHRs). However, finite-element analysis (FEA) of <math> <msub><mrow><mi>Q</mi></mrow> <mrow><mi>TED</mi></mrow> </msub> </math> is prohibitively time-consuming. This paper presents a rapid and accurate prediction framework based on a hybrid CNN-Transformer model, enhanced by data augmentation via polynomial fitting of FEA simulation results. Ablation studies confirm the optimal architecture, where replacing the feed-forward network with a secondary multi-head self-attention mechanism yields the highest performance. Comparative experiments demonstrate that the proposed model surpasses mainstream prediction methods in both accuracy and robustness, with Monte Carlo Dropout verifying well-calibrated uncertainty. We systematically analyze the influence of geometric parameters (thickness T, height H, and anchor radius r) on <math> <msub><mrow><mi>Q</mi></mrow> <mrow><mi>TED</mi></mrow> </msub> </math> through the digital model and physical mechanisms. Results show that an optimal design for maximizing <math> <msub><mrow><mi>Q</mi></mrow> <mrow><mi>TED</mi></mrow> </msub> </math> is characterized by low <math><mi>H</mi></math> , low <math><mi>r</mi></math> , and high <math><mi>T</mi></math> . Practical trade-offs and manufacturability considerations are discussed, recommending a low <math><mi>r</mi></math> to reduce sensitivity to fabrication variations in <math><mi>T</mi></math> and <math><mi>H</mi></math> . The framework quickly improves computational efficiency compared to FEA, providing an efficient and reliable tool for the optimization and robust design of MHRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241517/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kefan Guo, Qingqing Liu, Huiling Yuan, Yuanyuan Zhang, Zhixian Zhu, Shu Zhu, Lin Jiang, Qinhong Wang, Nan Xiang
{"title":"Intelligent label-free droplet microfluidic sorting system for single-cell encapsulation and morphology-guided screening.","authors":"Kefan Guo, Qingqing Liu, Huiling Yuan, Yuanyuan Zhang, Zhixian Zhu, Shu Zhu, Lin Jiang, Qinhong Wang, Nan Xiang","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01349-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01349-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The label-free extraction of cellular morphological data from within droplet microenvironments, and its subsequent translation into reliable, high-precision sorting, continues to pose a central challenge in the field of droplet microfluidics. Here, we develop an intelligent label-free droplet sorting (ILFDS) system by integrating droplet microfluidics, real-time image recognition, and dielectrophoresis (DEP) sorting. The developed system operates at low voltages (250-350 V) by using the innovative liquid-metal electrodes, which enable real-time sorting while minimizing droplet deformation and preserving cell integrity. In experiments on sorting single-target encapsulated droplets, the ILFDS system achieves detection accuracies of >98% and sorting efficiencies of >85% for particles, Haematococcus pluvialis, and Scenedesmus quadricauda, with the proportion of single-target droplets increasing by approximately 3.15-fold, 11.37-fold, and 4.59-fold, respectively, after sorting. Furthermore, the ILFDS system demonstrates high-precision sorting of targets from mixed samples based on morphological features, achieving detection accuracies of above 90% and sorting efficiencies of over 89% for mixed Haematococcus pluvialis and Euglena gracilis samples. These results highlight the system's robustness in handling heterogeneous samples and its capability to overcome key limitations associated with conventional droplet encapsulation and detection. By enabling scalable, high-throughput, and label-free sorting based on image recognition, our ILFDS system offers a versatile platform for a wide range of droplet-based analytical and screening applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ju Guo, Yintao Ma, Dejiang Lu, Mingzhi Yu, Yanbin Wang, Ping Yang, Qijing Lin, Libo Zhao, Yao Chen
{"title":"Tesla-scale magnetic field measurement based on Sideband-overlap Zeeman spectroscopy using a functionalized MEMS vapor cell.","authors":"Ju Guo, Yintao Ma, Dejiang Lu, Mingzhi Yu, Yanbin Wang, Ping Yang, Qijing Lin, Libo Zhao, Yao Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01272-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01272-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate measurement of strong magnetic fields in the Tesla range remains a persistent challenge due to calibration drift, nonlinearity, and spatial gradient sensitivity. Here, we present a compact magnetometry approach based on sideband-overlap Zeeman spectroscopy, enabled by a functionalized MEMS cesium vapor cell. The vapor cell features a dual-chamber glass-Si-glass structure with integrated microheaters on the optical window. A first-order electro-optic modulator produces optical sidebands aligned with the σ<sup>+</sup> and <math> <msup><mrow><mi>σ</mi></mrow> <mrow><mo>-</mo></mrow> </msup> </math> Zeeman-split components of the Cs D1 line under the hyperfine Paschen-Back regime. Magnetic field scanning from zero to Tesla-scale fields enables extraction of the frequency offset between reference and Zeeman-shifted spectra. This frequency shift is directly converted into magnetic field strength using Zeeman spectroscopy in the hyperfine Paschen-Back regime. The method resolves sixteen Zeeman transitions (eight <math> <msup><mrow><mi>σ</mi></mrow> <mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow> </msup> </math> and eight <math> <msup><mrow><mi>σ</mi></mrow> <mrow><mo>-</mo></mrow> </msup> </math> ), allowing measurement of a field strength of 0.6694921 T, with a single-shot resolution of 6.4 μT and a cross-transition repeatability of σB = 8.9 μT (corresponding to 13 ppm at 0.6695 T). In a millimeter-scale sensing volume, the system achieves sub-10 μT repeatability without requiring a uniform bias field. These results indicate that the microfabricated high-field magnetometer can serve as a compact and practical approach for Tesla-range field measurement and pave the way for chip-scale quantum devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241518/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jilin Zheng, Zhekun Jia, Yuli Hu, Xuelian Lyu, Saier Huang, Jiaru Fang, Dongxin Xu, Jiong Ding, Ning Hu
{"title":"Integrated precise temperature regulation and electrophysiology sensing system for nanoplasmonic photothermal cardiac bradyarrhythmia therapy.","authors":"Jilin Zheng, Zhekun Jia, Yuli Hu, Xuelian Lyu, Saier Huang, Jiaru Fang, Dongxin Xu, Jiong Ding, Ning Hu","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01257-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01257-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bradyarrhythmia is a potentially life-threatening disease. Current pharmacological and surgical treatments are limited by side effects and invasiveness, with an urgent need for safer and noninvasive therapeutic strategies. In this study, we develop a multifunctional regulating-sensing platform that integrates precise temperature regulation with simultaneous electrophysiological detection. This platform employs gold nanorods (Au NRs) as nanoplasmonic photothermal effect carriers in combination with integrated serpentine-shaped resistance temperature sensors (RTSs) and a microelectrode array (MEA) device. Under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the RTS achieves precise regulation of the therapeutic temperature during nanoplasmonic photothermal therapy (NPT), while the MEA is utilized for dynamic monitoring of electrophysiological signals. The optimization of the RTS structural parameters enhances temperature response sensitivity. Precise modulation of NPT temperature enables restoration of the bradyarrhythmia cardiomyocytes to a normal rhythm, which can be sustained for up to 380 min. Compared with traditional thermal imaging strategy, the RTS-based strategy offers superior temperature resolution, shorter response time, and greater system integration potential, which significantly improves the safety and accuracy of the treatment. This integrated regulating-sensing platform provides an effective pathway for the precise treatment of bradyarrhythmia and holds significant implications in the field of clinical cardiology.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13241494/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148176254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"MEMS electrochemical angular accelerometer: a paradigm shift for attitude detection and control in rotorcraft UAVs.","authors":"Maoqi Zhu, Qinghua Liu, Honghao Zhang, Jiesong Yang, Lintao Hu, Wenlang Zhao, Hongmin Jiang, Xiaoye Huo, Yulan Lu, Jian Chen, Yingxun Wang, Deyong Chen, Junbo Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01326-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01326-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Angular acceleration plays a very critical role for the dynamic control of the accurate attitude estimation of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which is conventionally acquired by the differentiation of the gyroscope signals. However, this indirect derivation inherently introduces detrimental phase lags and amplifies noise, thereby compromising the control stability of flight control systems. To address these limitations, this work proposes a MEMS-based electrochemical angular accelerometer (EAA) with high performance, enabling a direct and high-fidelity angular acceleration measurement. Through theoretical modeling and finite element optimization, a compact plate-type electrode structure that enhances hydrodynamic resistance and sensitivity was developed with Glass-on-Silicon (GOS) package. The fabricated device (22 × 22 × 25 mm<sup>3</sup>) achieves a sensitivity of 4.5 V/(rad/s²) and a noise floor of 3.12 × 10<sup>-6</sup> (rad/s²)/√Hz at 1 Hz, with an ultra-low power consumption of 2.4 mW. While its intrinsic bandwidth is 0.01-0.2 Hz, a compensation circuit extends the -3 dB operational response to 10 Hz. The performance of the EAA was comprehensively validated, ranging from open-loop turntable performance evaluations to flight tests employing a closed-loop incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI) controller. The results demonstrate that the EAA yields faster command responsiveness and reduced tracking errors when compared to gyroscope-derived estimates. By establishing a robust architecture for direct, low-latency measurement, this work establishes a direct sensing paradigm for high-fidelity angular acceleration measurement in UAV attitude control.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13237282/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148163665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}