Early data suggest this approach could, in the future, be explored as a novel way to more specifically target cancer cells

New York, NY — Researchers at Applied Physics® have published an exploratory study in Biosystems examining whether mathematical acoustic signal structure can influence cellular response independent of intensity. The work investigates Bioacoustics Signaling, focusing on quasiperiodic acoustic signals derived from Fibonacci sequences with potential relevance to cancer research. It reports preliminary evidence that cells respond most strongly at different wavelength regimes, suggesting that acoustic selectivity may be achievable through signal design rather than brute-force energy delivery alone.

"Oncology has historically focused almost exclusively on biochemical interventions," said co-author Gianni Martire, CEO of Applied Physics. "We believe oncology now has an opportunity to ask a broader question: when cancer cells differ physically from healthy cells, why aren't we using more physics to target those differences?"

A Structured Alternative

Most acoustic approaches rely on periodic waveforms, such as sine waves, which concentrate energy at a single frequency and its harmonics. By contrast, Bioacoustics Signaling uses quasiperiodic signals that deterministically distribute energy across multiple frequency bands. Mathematical analysis shows that Fibonacci-based signals exhibit fractal-like spectral properties, with an estimated pointwise dimension of approximately 1.7, a value also observed in branching systems optimized for efficient transport and diffusion-limited growth, including retinal microvasculature, lightning-like electrical discharge patterns, and airway trees.

“As Buckminster Fuller often argued, nature solves complex problems not by force, but by geodesic efficiency," said Gianni Martire.

Both signal types elicited cellular responses at resonant frequencies, but Fibonacci-based excitation produced more spatially distributed and heterogeneous patterns.

"Cells are mechanical systems with internal organization," said co-author Geraldine Hamilton. "Structured signals may interact with that organization in ways that simple periodic signals do not."

Size, Mechanics, and Resonance

Researchers examined three unicellular model systems across different size ranges:

• Chlorella vulgaris (2–5 μm): response at 380 Hz

• Saccharomyces cerevisiae (5–10 μm): response at 127 Hz

• Haematococcus pluvialis (10–30 μm): response at 94 Hz

Analysis revealed a strong correlation between cell size and optimal acoustic wavelength (R² = 0.8819), with the remaining variance reflecting differences in mechanical stiffness and internal structure.

"From a physics perspective, cells are not passive," said co-author Jack Tuszynski, a physicist at the University of Alberta. "Their size, stiffness, and internal architecture determine how they interact with external forces. These results suggest that acoustic response is governed by physical properties, opening the door to thinking about selectivity in mechanical rather than purely chemical terms."

This distinction matters for cancer biology, where cancer cells differ from healthy cells in size, stiffness, cytoskeletal organization, and mechanical impedance.

Precision Over Force

The approach differs fundamentally from histotripsy, a clinically validated ultrasound technique using high-intensity cavitation. Bioacoustics Signaling explores whether low-intensity, mathematically structured acoustic fields can preferentially interact with cells based on physical characteristics, emphasizing precision and selectivity.

"This is not brute-force ultrasound," said co-author Edward Rietman. "Life is not held together by force, but by tensegrity, a balance of tension and integrity that gives structure its meaning. We are exploring whether mathematically structured signals can couple to cellular tensegrity with precision, interacting where needed while minimizing unintended effects."

Future Applications

Sample sizes were modest, and model organisms differ substantially from mammalian and cancer cells. Results are presented as exploratory and offer opportunities for further investigation at the intersection of cancer cell biology and physics. Future work will expand the range of cell types, incorporate direct stiffness measurements, increase statistical power, and test selectivity in biologically relevant systems. Translation to more complex microphysiological systems, such as organoids and organs-on-chips, and in vivo animal studies, will be critical to determine the possible future applications in oncology. Applied Physics encourages independent replication and extension of this research by academic and medical institutions.

Publication: Rietman, E., Tuszynski, J.A., Hamilton, G.A., & Martire, G. "Exploring Potential Size-Dependent Effects of Fibonacci-Based Acoustic Binary Strings on Cells as Measured by Cell Death and Cell Aggregation Patterns." Biosystems (2026).

Media Contact: Press@AppliedPhysics.org