Patent ID: 8334133

Claim:
An apparatus for manipulating cells, comprising: a. a substrate, having a first side and an opposite second side, the substrate defining at least one tapering passage passing therethrough, the tapering passage opening to the first side with a wide end and also opening to the second side with a narrow end, the narrow end having a size corresponding to a size of a selected cell; b. a first poration electrode and a spaced-apart second poration electrode disposed so as to impart a predetermined electrical field on the passage when an electrical potential difference is applied between the first poration electrode and the second poration electrode; c. a fluid driving structure that drives fluid through the opening, the fluid driving structure including an ultrasonic transducer; d. an oscillating circuit that applies an oscillating electric potential to the ultrasonic transducer, thereby causing the ultrasonic transducer to generate a acoustic wave in the tapering passage, wherein the acoustic wave and the electrical field impart energy on at least a portion of the cells so as to cause at least one of cell poration, cell transfection, cell sorting or cell lysis.