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A microfluidics platform for combinatorial drug screening on cancer biopsies

Author

Listed:
  • Federica Eduati

    (European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI)
    Genome Biology Unit
    Eindhoven University of Technology)

  • Ramesh Utharala

    (Genome Biology Unit)

  • Dharanija Madhavan

    (Genome Biology Unit)

  • Ulf Peter Neumann

    (RWTH University Hospital
    ESCAM – European Surgery Center Aachen Maastricht, Aachen)

  • Thomas Longerich

    (RWTH University Hospital
    University Hospital Heidelberg)

  • Thorsten Cramer

    (ESCAM – European Surgery Center Aachen Maastricht, Aachen
    RWTH University Hospital)

  • Julio Saez-Rodriguez

    (European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI)
    RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Medicine
    Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine, BIOQUANT-Center)

  • Christoph A. Merten

    (Genome Biology Unit)

Abstract

Screening drugs on patient biopsies from solid tumours has immense potential, but is challenging due to the small amount of available material. To address this, we present here a plug-based microfluidics platform for functional screening of drug combinations. Integrated Braille valves allow changing the plug composition on demand and enable collecting >1200 data points (56 different conditions with at least 20 replicates each) per biopsy. After deriving and validating efficient and specific drug combinations for two genetically different pancreatic cancer cell lines and xenograft mouse models, we additionally screen live cells from human solid tumours with no need for ex vivo culturing steps, and obtain highly specific sensitivity profiles. The entire workflow can be completed within 48 h at assay costs of less than US$ 150 per patient. We believe this can pave the way for rapid determination of optimal personalized cancer therapies.

Suggested Citation

  • Federica Eduati & Ramesh Utharala & Dharanija Madhavan & Ulf Peter Neumann & Thomas Longerich & Thorsten Cramer & Julio Saez-Rodriguez & Christoph A. Merten, 2018. "A microfluidics platform for combinatorial drug screening on cancer biopsies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04919-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04919-w
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