Francesco Stellacci, 32
Fabricating microarrays faster
Microarrays are slides dotted with hundreds of thousands of different gene segments that help researchers spot particular DNA sequences -- making microarrays invaluable tools for the study of genetically influenced diseases ranging from diabetes to many forms of cancer. But current methods for manufacturing microarrays are very costly and time consuming because of the dozens of printing steps they require. Materials science assistant professor Francesco Stellacci may have found a way to quickly produce microarrays for as little as $50. In his approach, a single strand of DNA "stamps" genetic information into a slide, which can then serve as a master template for the production of multiple identical arrays.