Transcript Silicon Chips Inside Human Cells

Silicon Chips Inside
Human Cells
Michael Paje
MIS 304
Silicon Chip Inside Human Cells
Researchers at Micro and
Nanosystems
Department, Instituto de
Microelectronica de
Barcelona (CSIC) have
produced silicon chips in
living human cells.
By 2020 they estimate
they’ll have 2500
transistors fit in a single
cell.
What is a Silicon Chip?
Electronic equipment consisting of a small
crystal of silicon semiconductor fabricated to
carry out a number of electronic functions in an
integrated circuit.
Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments and Robert
Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor in 1959 were
the first to use silicon chips in computers.
They’re also found in calculators, microwaves,
car radios, engine controllers and etc.
Experiment
The Research team from
(CSIC) used these single
chips; left side polysilicon
intracellular chip and the
right a 3D coil
nanostructuring. They
inserted these chips in
HeLa cells and found the
cells remained alive and
healthy.
Henrietta Lacks
1951 Henrietta Lacks
passed away from cancer
and donated her body to
science. Scientists found
her cells can reproduce
infinitely in a lab because
of they enzyme called
telomerase to repair their
DNA. These cells are
called the immortal cells
or HeLa cells and are
used in lab experiments.
Conclusion
The research team has successfully
produced a silicon chip that can be used in
human cells. They envision a limitless
possibilities for the design of innovative
devices with intracellur applications.
Possible ones are early detection of
diseases, deliver drugs faster to cells and
even repair cells.
Resources
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-03/scientistsembed-silicon-chips-inside-human-cells
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=15292.php
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-01/five-reasonshenrietta-lacks-most-important-woman-medical-history
http://www.enotes.com/science-fact-finder/mathematicsnumbers-computers/what-silicon-chip