Flexibility isn't a characteristic commonly associated with glass, but researchers from Brigham Young University (BYU) are putting the two together to improve the efficiency of microscopic medical devices.

Glass is getting the flexible makeover thanks to Aaron Hawkins, an electrical engineering professor at BYU who developed the new material for lab-on-a-chip medical devices. He published his work in Applied Physics Letters.

"If you keep the movements to the nanoscale, glass can still snap back into shape," Hawkins said. "We've created glass membranes that can move up and down and bend. They are the first building blocks of a whole new plumbing system that could move very small volumes of liquid around."

Working at the nanoscale drastically reduces the amount of bodily fluid needed for testing. For example, while current tests require several ounces of fluid, the new glass requires only a few drops for effective results. The smaller sample size allows for researchers to test proteins, viruses and DNA more quickly.

"Instead of shipping a vial of blood to a lab and have it run through all those machines and steps, we are creating devices that can give you an answer on the spot,” said Hawkins. "This has the promise of being a rapid delivery of disease diagnosis, cholesterol level testing and virus testing. In addition, it would help in the process of healthcare knowing the correct treatment method for the patient."