Innovations in functionality and manufacturability of IsoRaft Arrays

描述（由申请人提供）：Cell Microsystems是一家位于北卡罗来纳州的初创生物技术公司，其使命是将一种新颖且价格合理的平台商业化，用于从混合群体中有效分离可行的单细胞或菌落，同时细胞/菌落保持粘附或封装在固体表面上。该公司的“IsoRaft”技术基于北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校（UNC）最近开发的一种独特的细胞阵列，代表了通过SBIR计划将学术技术转化为市场的理想机会。Cell Microsystems已获得UNC许可，将该技术商业化，用于学术实验室以及生物技术和制药行业的广泛市场。该产品包括用于培养细胞的一次性微阵列（IsoRaftTM阵列）和用于分离感兴趣的细胞/菌落的简单设备。阵列和设备的原型已经完成，并正在附近研究机构的一些学术实验室作为早期采用计划（EPA）进行测试。在第一阶段的SBIR提案中，将对“IsoRaft”阵列进行改进，以解决我们的市场需求分析反馈，这也将大大提高阵列的可制造性。特别是，我们将研究新的材料和制造方法，这将使扁平、透明、生物相容的微模塑元件阵列的商业制造成为可能。使用IsoRaft技术进行细胞培养、成像和分离应用将由我们在北卡罗来纳大学的学术合作伙伴进行。我们的目标是将这项技术在细胞研究中的应用扩展到生命科学市场的大型社区。第一阶段的研究将提供第二代可消耗阵列，可以大规模生产，为进行独特的克隆和分选实验提供灵活，强大且经济高效的手段，大大降低了成本和时间。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cell Microsystems is a North Carolina-based start-up biotechnology company whose mission is to commercialize a novel, yet affordable, platform for the efficient isolation of viable, single cells or colonies from a mixed population while the cell/colony remains adherent or encapsulated to a solid surface. The company's "IsoRaft" technology is based on a unique cell array recently developed at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, and represents an ideal opportunity for the translation of an academic technology to the marketplace through the SBIR program. Cell Microsystems has obtained license from UNC to commercialize the technology for a broad market in academic labs, as well as in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The products consist of disposable microarray (the IsoRaftTM Array) for culturing cells and a simple device for isolating the cell/colony of interest. Prototypes of arrays and devices have been completed and are being tested in a number of academic labs as an Early Adoption Program (EPA) at nearby research institutes. In this Phase I SBIR proposal, improvements will be made in the IsoRaft" array that address feedback from our market needs analysis that will also dramatically improve the manufacturability of the array. Particularly we will institute new materials and a method of manufacture that will enable commercial fabrication of a flat, transparent, biocompatible array of micro-molded elements. The use IsoRaft technology for cell culture, imaging and isolation applications will be conducted by our academic collaborator at UNC. Our goal is to expand the use of this technology for cell research to the large community in the life science market. The studies in Phase I will deliver a 2nd generation consumable array that can be mass manufactured to provide a flexible, powerful, yet cost-effective means to perform unique cloning and sorting experiments at significant reductions in cost and time.