Ian Papautsky

Ian Papautsky

Ian Papautsky studies how microscopic fluid flows can be engineered to detect and understand cancer. His research focuses on microfluidics, which examines how small volumes of liquid, like blood, move through tiny channels to enable new forms of cellular analysis. 

His lab’s latest device can analyze patients’ blood to capture and remove circulating tumor cells, which indicate that cancer may be spreading from one part of the body to another. The device is only a few inches long and filters blood samples through channels no wider than a strand of hair. 

Devices like this are less invasive than traditional screening methods and help patients receive personalized treatment strategies.