* A new technique could help researchers study how cells respond to their environment and develop new treatments for diseases.
* The technique, called thermal profiling, measures the heat produced by individual cells.
* Thermal profiling could help researchers identify new biomarkers for diseases and develop new drugs that target specific cells.
A team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a new technique that can measure the thermal signatures of single cells. The technique, called thermal profiling, could help researchers study how cells respond to their environment and develop new treatments for diseases.
Thermal profiling is based on the fact that all cells produce heat as a byproduct of their metabolism. The amount of heat produced by a cell depends on its size, shape, and activity level. By measuring the heat produced by individual cells, researchers can learn about their metabolic state and identify changes that occur in response to different stimuli.
The researchers used thermal profiling to study how cancer cells respond to chemotherapy drugs. They found that cancer cells that were resistant to chemotherapy produced less heat than cancer cells that were sensitive to chemotherapy. This suggests that thermal profiling could be used to identify cancer cells that are likely to be resistant to chemotherapy, which could help doctors make more informed treatment decisions.
Thermal profiling could also be used to study other diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. By measuring the thermal signatures of individual cells, researchers could identify changes that occur in these diseases and develop new treatments that target specific cells.
The researchers are currently working to develop a miniaturized version of the thermal profiling system that could be used in a clinical setting. They hope that this will make thermal profiling a more accessible tool for researchers and clinicians.
Source:
* [University of California, Berkeley](https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2019/03/12/scientists-develop-new-technique-to-measure-thermal-signatures-of-single-cells)
