Novel Acoustic Technology Accelerates Biomedical Research

Engineers from a University of Bristol spin-out, Impulsonics, have developed a compact technology that manipulates cells without any physical contact—replacing bulky lab equipment with a benchtop device. This innovation could speed up drug discovery and enable personalized medicine screening directly in clinical settings.

Published in Science, the concept was introduced by Dr. Luke Cox, a former University of Bristol student and now CEO of Impulsonics. His study was selected as a prize essay for the Science Prize for Innovation in collaboration with the BioInnovation Institute.

Behind every new drug are thousands of painstaking hours spent growing and testing cells in Petri dishes—a process that remains largely manual and difficult to automate even as we approach 2025. This makes drug development expensive, time-consuming, and prone to inconsistencies that delay critical treatments.

The new Impulsonics device uses acoustic waves to manipulate cells, making them appear as if they’re “dancing.” This contactless approach eliminates the need for multiple large instruments, streamlining cell growth processes and paving the way for faster, more scalable drug screening.

It also opens the door to clinical applications like personalized medicine, where different drugs can be tested to find the most effective treatment for individual patients.

Luke’s journey began with acoustic levitation experiments—suspending small objects, including diamonds, mid-air using sound waves. Witnessing this almost magical effect sparked the realization that acoustic technology could transform how delicate materials, like cells, are handled in biomedical research.

That insight eventually led to the founding of Impulsonics, and the development of a device capable of performing complex tasks—such as cell expansion—using this same principle.

“A huge benefit of this technology is that it allows the process of screening new drugs to be accelerated,” said Dr. Luke Cox. “This means it can help discover new treatments for a wide range of diseases—from cancer to Alzheimer’s.”

The device itself is compact—taking up only half the space of a standard lab bench, compared to older systems that once filled entire rooms. It’s also designed to deliver high-quality data quickly, which is exactly what biomedical research demands.

“This is a real game-changer,”

Professor Bruce Drinkwater, Co-founder of Impulsonics and a faculty member at the University of Bristol.

Looking ahead, the technology has broad potential across the biotech sector.

“I’m excited to expand this unique platform to support faster development across pharma and healthcare—anywhere cells are grown,” Dr. Cox added.