A tiny device with a big impact.
The organ-on-a-chip technologies use microfluidics to mimic the microarchitecture and functions of living organs, which could revolutionize the drug clinical testing. Curious? Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6048liaCk
The biggest challenge we've come across in organ-on-a-chip applications is material choice. PDMS is the overwhelming choice at the prototype stage. It both seals easily and allows for critical gas exchange. Most material options for mass production don't offer these qualities. Recently, we've seen an emphasis on LSR and TPE as choices for final material.
LSR = liquid silicone resin
TPE = thermoplastic elastomer
A tiny device with a big impact.
The organ-on-a-chip technologies use microfluidics to mimic the microarchitecture and functions of living organs, which could revolutionize the drug clinical testing. Curious? Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6048liaCk
I've been hearing about microfluidics shifting the way of the electronics industry and making plug and play components that can emulate a resistor/capacitor/transistor etc. The issue is that fluidic connections and fabrication costs amongst other aspects just don't provide the same opportunities for simplicity that electronics does. How often does an electronic component still work despite not being soldered properly or you can achieve the right electronic requirements by combining multiple components even though the exact resistor, etc is not available. Even a slight misalignment or over/under tightening on a fluidic connection can affect fluid resistance or cause a leak and the more components, if plugging them on to the equivalent of a breadboard, the more likely this is to happen.
The Microfluidics Association is trying to address the issue of standardisation to get some way to making it easier and Flow Circuits is a fantastic development, but will we ever get to the fluidic equivalent of the electronics industry? I'm sceptical.
This does not mean we should stop. As I dive back into developing another complex system at GenomeKey I'm loving revisiting all the bookmarked suppliers I haven't used in a few years, but experience teaches me that there are always going to be connection, fabrication, unexpected fluidic behaviour issues to making something novel and complex truly user friendly.
Biologists in the life sciences spend 50% of their time in a lab manually moving fluids. But microfluidics has been around since the 1980s - why isn't it being leveraged to automate more of this work away?
What if a complex procedural microfluidic device could be designed, tested, and fabricated in weeks instead of years? I believe these devices would become much more commonplace inside the lab as well as out in the field, where many life science protocols (like IVD) are needed. Flow Circuits is working every day to make this vision a reality!
#microfluidics
Consider the following statements regarding the organ on a chip technology:
1. It is an in-vitro micro-scale biomimetic platform.
2. It helps replicate the physiological environment of human organs.
3. Organ-on-Chips can only be used for drug testing purposes.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Consider the following statements regarding the organ on a chip technology:
1. It is an in-vitro micro-scale biomimetic platform.
2. It helps replicate the physiological environment of human organs.
3. Organ-on-Chips can only be used for drug testing purposes.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Nice and comprehensive overview of the rapid advancements in machine learning-driven de novo drug design. It highlights techniques that will disrupt the costly and time-consuming large molecule design process.
ArXiv Link: https://lnkd.in/eBVBkYBz
Bio-Techne’s microfluidics-based cell sorters and single cell dispensers circumvent these challenges and allow for efficient and gentle isolation of rare cells. Our proprietary technology enables sorting and dispensing in a single step within a microfluidic cell cartridge where cells are exposed to less than 2 psi of pressure. The near-zero dead volume of Bio-Techne’s cell cartridge enables sorting of small samples with minimal sample loss, allowing one to start with as few as 100 cells. In this study, we describe the ability of Bio-Techne Cell Sorting and Single Cell Dispensing platform to isolate rare cells with a target frequency of less than 0.01%.
Download the application note here: https://lnkd.in/eNAFG4FE
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#singlecell
Nova Biomedical and Terumo BCT Collaborate on Automated Cell Culture Sensing
https://lnkd.in/eNUD9BCE
Nova Biomedical and Terumo BCT have entered into a collaboration to enable automated cell culture sensing with Terumo BCT's Quantum Flex Cell Expansion System through integration with Nova's BioProfile FLEX2 Automated Cell Culture Analyzer. By adding the FLEX2's online automated sampling capabilities, it is possible to automatically sample and analyze a wide array of analytes in Quantum Flex and provide data in near-real time, unlocking more efficient process development and control.
Nice in depth (and nostalgic) analysis of the new Illumina SmolSeq (🐱) by Keith Robison. Some really insightful points, most importantly IMO that SmolSeq is artfully positioned to create some competitive turbulence for Element Biosciences:
"But now, $50K gets a very highly performing machine and $100K one which will fit many startup aspirations. AVITI is still a sweet instrument, but Illumina just made that conversation more complicated."
Also, why so shy about a DX version -
"But even more surprising is that Illumina didn't outline a clear roadmap for clinical versions of the MiSeq i100 [🐱] - the DX model of the MiSeq received FDA clearance. The simpler workflows and smaller footprint would seem to make MiSeq i100 [🐱] a natural to try to put into pathology labs. So why the hesitancy to outline a path to get these into lucrative clinical markets?"
Assessment of epithelial barrier function is critically important for studying healthy and diseased biological models. In this paper, published with a front cover feature in Lab on a Chip, we showcase the OrganoTEER®, an advanced instrument that measures TEER in perfused epithelial tubes in our 3D tissue models. This advancement eliminates the need for artificial filter membranes, setting a new standard for conducting routine TEER studies more effectively in both pharmaceutical and academic settings.
Key highlights:
- Greater sensitivity than traditional fluorescent leakage assays.
- Capability for 40-channel time-lapse data acquisition under flow conditions.
- Proven effectiveness in evaluating epithelial barrier function, essential for understanding both healthy and pathological states.
This represents a significant leap forward in high-throughput screening technologies impacting drug development and disease modeling projects. Read the full article for a deeper understanding of its research implications and future applications. https://lnkd.in/epvsadBq#Biotechnology#DrugDevelopment#OrganoPlate#ResearchInnovation#TEER
The biggest challenge we've come across in organ-on-a-chip applications is material choice. PDMS is the overwhelming choice at the prototype stage. It both seals easily and allows for critical gas exchange. Most material options for mass production don't offer these qualities. Recently, we've seen an emphasis on LSR and TPE as choices for final material. LSR = liquid silicone resin TPE = thermoplastic elastomer