STTR Phase I: Development of Bio-compatible and Bio-safe Cell Sorters

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目将展示基于微流控的、生物兼容的、生物安全的、荧光激活的细胞分类器的可行性。细胞分选机是一种强大的、高通量的单细胞鉴定和纯化工具，对于分子生物学、病理学、植物生物学、干细胞生物学和医疗诊断等领域的实验室至关重要。尽管它们有重大影响，但目前的商业细胞分选机存在各种缺陷。高昂的仪器成本(平均成本：约500,000美元)、高维护成本(维护成本：每年约30,000美元；需要训练有素的人员)、重大的生物安全问题以及细胞活性和功能的降低，使得传统的细胞分选机在许多应用中效率较低，并阻碍了其广泛使用。为了解决现有细胞分选机的局限性，提出了一种具有两项关键技术的创新方法：1)基于微流控漂移的细胞聚焦技术；2)使用啁啾交指换能器(IDT)的细胞偏转技术。建议的微流控细胞分选机消除了有害气溶胶的产生，并保留了较高的细胞活力和功能。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力，如果成功，将是为研究人员和科学家开发最具生物兼容性和生物安全的细胞分类器。根据2011年BCC的一份研究报告，流式细胞仪和细胞分选仪的仪器市场在2010年占14亿美元，预计从2010年到2015年将以9.8%的复合年增长率(22亿美元)增长。服务可用市场(SAM)估计为约2亿美元。与现有的细胞分选机相比，提出的微流控细胞分选机具有以下优点：1)高生物兼容性；2)高生物安全性；3)低成本和低维护。此外，研究人员将更容易获得细胞分选机，并满足市场上现有的未得到满足的需求(例如，在保持高活性和高功能的同时对脆弱或敏感细胞进行分选)。它将加速研究成果，改进诊断和治疗。随着公司的发展，这也将创造更多的就业机会。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of microfluidic-based, bio-compatible, bio-safe, fluorescence-activated cell sorters. Cell sorters are powerful, high-throughput, single-cell characterization and purification tools that are vital for labs in fields such as molecular biology, pathology, plant biology, stem cell biology, and medical diagnostics. Despite their significant impact, current commercial cell sorters have a variety of drawbacks. High instrument costs (average cost: ~$500,000), high maintenance (maintenance cost: ~$30,000 per year; highly trained personnel needed), significant biosafety concerns, and reduction of cell viability and functionality make conventional cell sorters less effective in many applications and inhibit their widespread use. To address limitations of existing cell sorters, an innovative approach is proposed that features two key technologies: 1) a "microfluidic drifting" based cell-focusing technique; and 2) a cell-deflection technique using chirped interdigitated transducers (IDTs). The proposed microfluidic cell sorter eliminates the generation of hazardous aerosols and preserves high cell viability and functions. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project, if successful, will be the development of the most bio-compatible and bio-safe cell sorters for researchers and scientists. According to a 2011 BCC research report, the instrument market for flow cytometers and cell sorters accounted for $1.4 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2010 to 2015 ($2.2 billion). The served available market (SAM) is estimated to be ~$200 million. Compared with the existing cell sorters, the proposed microfluidic cell sorter will have the following advantages: 1) high bio-compatibility; 2) high bio-safety; and 3) low costs and low maintenance. In addition, the cell sorter will be more accessible to researchers and address existing unmet needs in the market (e.g., sorting fragile or sensitive cells while preserving high viability and functions). It will accelerate research findings and improve diagnostics and therapeutics. It will also create more job opportunities as the company grows.