An Integrated Incubator-Microscope for Cell Manipulation and Measurement

用于细胞操作和测量的集成培养箱显微镜

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00497
• 负责人: Sun, Yu
• 金额: $ 10.91万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616691
• 关键词: Integrated; Incubator; Microscope; Cell; Manipulation

Cell manipulation and measurement enable the discovery of fundamental mechanisms (e.g., mechanotransduction and cell-cell communication) and practical applications (e.g., drug screen for therapeutics). The experiments involve robotic cell manipulation, time-lapsed cell imaging, and electrical/mechanical characterization of cells, and are performed over a period from hours to weeks, during which strict control of the experimental atmosphere (temperature, CO2, and humidity) is critical for ensuring proper cell status and the validity of data. This RTI application requests an incubator-microscope, which will be integrated with our custom-developed robotic cell manipulation system components and several enabling microdevice arrays under development by this team of applicants, forming a unique platform to maintain tight environmental conditions during long-term time-lapsed cell imaging, biophysical cell measurement, robotic cell manipulation, and mechanical/electrical stimulation of cell culture. The integrated instrument will enable this team of researchers to develop and validate innovative robotics and microdevice technologies and employ these technologies to make new discoveries. With the integrated instrument, we will pursue robotic cell manipulation for high-throughput gap junction function measurement on cardiomyocytes and drug screen; cell biophysics for characterizing cardiomyocytes’ beating rate, rhythm, and contractility; and dynamic mechanical stimulation and feedback control of tissue formation with desired tissue properties. Our HQPs will use the requested equipment to build and operate their innovative systems and devices and gather valid cell data and system/device performance metrics. The equipment will be used to train a high number of postdocs and graduate students who will gain skills in micro-nanotechnologies, biomedical instrumentation, clinical cardiology, cell physics, and mechanobiology.

细胞操作和测量使得能够发现基本机制（例如，机械转导和细胞-细胞通讯）和实际应用（例如，用于治疗的药物筛选）。这些实验涉及机器人细胞操作，延时细胞成像和细胞的电气/机械表征，并在数小时至数周的时间内进行，在此期间严格控制实验气氛（温度，CO2和湿度）对于确保适当的细胞状态和数据的有效性至关重要。 该RTI应用需要一个培养器显微镜，该培养器显微镜将与我们定制开发的机器人细胞操作系统组件和该申请人团队正在开发的几个启用微器件阵列集成，形成一个独特的平台，以在长期时间流逝的细胞成像，生物物理细胞测量，机器人细胞操作和细胞培养的机械/电刺激期间保持严格的环境条件。集成的仪器将使这支研究团队能够开发和验证创新的机器人和微器件技术，并利用这些技术进行新的发现。通过集成仪器，我们将追求机器人细胞操作，用于心肌细胞和药物筛选的高通量间隙连接功能测量;细胞生物物理学，用于表征心肌细胞的搏动率，节律和收缩性;以及动态机械刺激和反馈控制组织形成所需的组织特性。 我们的HQP将使用所要求的设备来构建和运行其创新系统和设备，并收集有效的电池数据和系统/设备性能指标。这些设备将用于培训大量博士后和研究生，他们将获得微纳米技术，生物医学仪器，临床心脏病学，细胞物理学和机械生物学方面的技能。