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For the first time, we establish and validate a streamlined protocol for cell separation using Dean-driven hydrodynamic forces in a chip not originally designed for blood analysis. Using a 9-turn, 6-outlet spiral channel configuration, we achieved high-efficiency sorting of red and white blood cells from healthy donors and selectively enriched pathological blasts from AML patient blood. The device\u2019s performance was validated through flow cytometry and numerical simulations, demonstrating strong agreement between experimental and computational results with less than 1% relative error. With its compact footprint, reagent-free operation, and automation potential, this method represents a significant advance toward point-of-care blood diagnostics in extreme environments, particularly space missions. The chip\u2019s ability to separate pathological cells in microgravity-compatible conditions offers a promising route for real-time astronaut health monitoring, supporting early detection and mitigation of radiation-induced haematological disorders such as AML.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/s41526-026-00561-9","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T08:17:47Z","timestamp":1769501867000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Label-free blood cell separation for space health monitoring using a portable blast cell biochip"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Martina","family":"Mugnano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenza","family":"Cerbone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimiliano Maria","family":"Villone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annalaura","family":"Montella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Scalia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mario","family":"Capasso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Achille","family":"Iolascon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"Miccio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pietro","family":"Ferraro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Mari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Ferranti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pier Luca","family":"Maffettone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"561_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"999","DOI":"10.1007\/s11517-010-0611-4","volume":"48","author":"AAS Bhagat","year":"2010","unstructured":"Bhagat, A. 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