Unlikely as it might sound, a silicon wafer is looking promising in the quest to find new treatments for cancer.

Engadget reports that scientists at Boston University and Princeton have created a silicon wafer that is able to catch cancer cells in a lab, and separate them from healthy cells, sending them in a different direction: kind of like traffic police for malignancies.

The implications for future treatment protocols could be massive, but it's important not to get too far ahead of ourselves: the design is far from being ready for use on actual patients.

Still, the hope - and innovation - is out there.