TECHNOLOGY BRIEF

Capture and Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells

Background:
Circulating tumor cells (CTC), the cells shed into the bloodstream by cancer tumors, are the reputed source of cancer metastases, However, CTC are rare in patient peripheral blood (approximately 1 in 108 cells) and are difficult to capture and analyze. Current methods for selective capture of circulating tumor cells have significant drawbacks, often resulting in non-viable cells or relatively impure samples, and cannot be used to understand cell behavior in in-vivo systems.
Inventors: Brian Kirby Charlie Huang Steven Santana

Patents: Filed

Technology Overview:
Two new methods were developed for capturing CTC from whole blood that address the challenges of current devices which are slow, less precise, require blood dilution or additives, and result in impure samples. Hydrogel Microfluidic Structures for Capture and Culture of CTC D6035 A device for capturing CTC from whole blood in a hydrogel matrix was designed that can then be immediately used to culture the captured cells. The device can be dissolved, and used to line the capture surface with cells (e.g. endothelial cells), to embed the entire matrix with cells (e.g. cells mimicking the metastatic site), or both. By creating an engineered system to mimic the metastasis of an individual patient, the invention allows clinicians and researchers to directly observe metastatic processes specific to that individual patient and their CTC. Hybrid DEP-IC Devices for Capture of CTC at High Purity D6037 A means was devised to capture CTC from whole blood at high purity in a microfluidic device. The new Cornell device uses dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces near a surface to enhance immunocapture of CTC and reduce non-specific capture of blood cells. This technique attracts CTC to the surface while repelling white and red blood cells, working in concert with immunocapture to generate very pure samples. It combines the robustness of geometrically-enhanced surface microdevices with the high sensitivity of DEP devices, which enables use of a lowlevel electric field strong enough to attract CTC while preventing cell damage.
Contact: Martin Teschl Office: 607-254-4454 E-mail: mt439@cornell.edu Cornell Ref: D-6035 D-6037

Potential Commercial Applications:

Medical devices to capture, image, and count CTC from patients for early cancer assessment and evaluation of cancer cells Culturing CTC to examine ex-vivo response to drug treatment R&D to explore how CTC capture and expansion may be affected by various stimuli, such as tumor biopsies, presence of endothelial cells, etc.

Advantages:
Generates pure, viable samples Enables in-vivo system analysis

395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 310 Ithaca, NY 14850

P: 607-254-4698

F: 607-254-5454

E: cctecconnect@cornell.edu

www.cctec.cornell.edu

Page 2

Additional Information:
Huang, C.; Kirby B.J., "DEP-enhanced Immunocapture of Circulating Tumor Cells in GEDI Microdevices", BMES 2012, Atlanta, Georgia. Santana, S.M.; Fischbach, C.; Kirby, B.J., "Immunocapture of Circulating Tumor Cells in Tissue-Engineered GEDI Microdevices", BMES 2012, Atlanta, Georgia. Kirby, B.J., "Dielectric Spectrometry of Mycobacterium and GEDI Devices for Circulating Tumor Cells: Cell Capture, Characterization, and Manipulation in Geometrically Patterned Microstructures", BMES 2012, Atlanta, Georgia.

Office of the Vice Provost for Technology Transfer and Economic Development