Microfabricated platforms for cell analysis

Microfabricated platforms for cell analysis

Using tools imported from the semiconductor industry, devices can now be readily made that perform complex biological assays, but still in the palm of your hand. These “lab-on-a-chip” technologies hold the potential to revolutionize medicine by making it possible to diagnose diseases without the infrastructure traditionally needed in hospital settings. This approach is advantageous because it is cost-efficient, high throughput, automated, requires minimal sample amounts, and enables modular integration of different components into a single platform. We are working to develop integrated diagnostic platforms for use in clinical settings for molecular analysis of cancer.

We are particularly interested in cell-based molecular analysis because this format can best provide rapid, quantitative, multiplexed, and high throughput results on a cell-by-cell basis. These qualities will make it possible to identify different cell populations within a heterogenous sample, while also providing inherent context (i.e. expression per cell). We are also focused on analyzing minimally invasive specimens. This includes tumor tissue obtained by less invasive fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. Another specimen source that we are interested in analyzing are body fluids such as blood or urine. These samples would be even less invasive, but they also present an even greater challenge because they contain scant cell numbers (tens to hundreds per sample).

• Miniaturized detection technologies
• Automated cell sample processing