PFI:AIR - TT: Microfluidic dose response analyzer for cell-based assays

PFI:AIR - TT：用于细胞检测的微流体剂量反应分析仪

• 批准号: 1445070
• 负责人: Siva Vanapalli
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: Texas Tech University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-15 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1445070&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PFI; AIR; TT; Microfluidic; dose

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a discovery, which involves storing hundreds of nanoliter-scale droplets in a microfluidic device with unprecedented capabilities to control the chemical composition of individual drops. This microfluidic dose response analyzer will deliver significant societal benefit by transforming the way preclinical drug discovery is conducted in the pharmaceutical industry. It will guide decision-making early on in the drug discovery process helping to reduce drug development cycle time and cost. The project will result in a prototype with defined design criteria and performance parameters, as well as validation data on cell-based assays. This technology uses significantly less sample and reagent volumes, eliminates pipetting errors and allows automated reagent delivery and washing. These features will lead to significant cost savings, high-resolution data and simpler workflows compared to multiwell plates and pipetting systems that occupy the current market space.This project addresses the technical obstacles as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application. Current microfluidic drop methods lack the ability to store cells at precise coordinates on a substrate, followed by addition or removal of media or drugs. As a result, such approaches have difficulty culturing cells and screening for drug efficacy, while retaining the benefits of nanoliter reagent volumes. In this project, this bottleneck will be resolved by coalescing stored and moving drops in a uniquely designed microfluidic network. A working prototype and validation data will be produced by optimizing device design, cell density and flow conditions. In addition, personnel involved in this project (graduate and undergraduate students) will receive training in innovation and entrepreneurship. The PI and co-PI have been involved in the University Accelerator Program which will form a natural channel for students working on this project to learn about entrepreneurship.

这个 PFI：AIR 技术翻译项目的重点是翻译一项发现，其中涉及将数百个纳升级的液滴存储在微流体装置中，该装置具有前所未有的能力来控制单个液滴的化学成分。这种微流体剂量反应分析仪将通过改变制药行业临床前药物发现的方式来带来显着的社会效益。它将指导药物发现过程的早期决策，有助于减少药物开发周期时间和成本。该项目将产生一个具有明确设计标准和性能参数的原型，以及基于细胞的测定的验证数据。该技术使用的样品和试剂量显着减少，消除了移液错误，并允许自动试剂输送和清洗。与占据当前市场空间的多孔板和移液系统相比，这些功能将带来显着的成本节省、高分辨率数据和更简单的工作流程。该项目解决了从研究发现到商业应用的技术障碍。目前的微流体滴注方法缺乏将细胞储存在基质上的精确坐标，然后添加或去除培养基或药物的能力。因此，此类方法在保留纳升试剂体积的优点的同时，难以培养细胞和筛选药效。在这个项目中，这个瓶颈将通过在独特设计的微流体网络中合并存储和移动的液滴来解决。将通过优化设备设计、细胞密度和流动条件来产生工作原型和验证数据。此外，参与该项目的人员（研究生和本科生）将接受创新创业培训。 PI 和 co-PI 参与了大学加速器计划，该计划将为从事该项目的学生提供了解创业的自然渠道。