High-Throughput Specific Cell Loading by Optoinjection

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I projectproposes to develop a novel technology for Laser-Enabled Analysis and Processing (LEAP ) of living cells. The ability to load cells with compounds is critical in many areas of research and medicine such as drug discovery and gene therapy. Current methods have limitations with respect to specificity, efficiency, toxicity, and/or throughput. Optoinjection is a novel and versatile procedure for cell loading that has been demonstrated in a few laboratories. Unfortunately, it is a slow and laborious procedure carried out on specialized microscopes. Oncosis is developing a LEAP platform for high-speed cell scanning and purification via lethal laser effects on unwanted cells. The LEAP platform could be used to implement optoinjection in a high-throughput, cell-specific manner that would enable the commercialization of this novel form of cell loading. In this Phase I Project, feasibility studies are proposed to modify a LEAP instrument, and then to evaluate conditions of optoinjection for different cells and compounds. Phase I Research will yield a model/database providing greater understanding of optoinjection, and will define the scope of feasibility. Phase II Research will optimize and implement optoinjection in biologically relevant experimental systems, resulting in data supporting this powerful new tool for the analysis and manipulation of living cells within a physiological environment. The commercial applications of this project will be in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.