Multiplexed Ovarian Cancer Microfluidic Tissue Microarray

Project Summary We propose an instrument system for automated, multiplexed cell- and tissue-based experiments (i.e. tissue microarrays) called the Microfluidic Flow Cell Array (MFCA). The MFCA consists of a microfluidic flow cell array integrated with an inverted fluorescent microscope, allowing the observation of 48 flow chambers simultaneously or an individual chamber at higher magnification. The proposed instrument will be used to novel cell- and tissue-based assays in a highly parallel manner that are otherwise difficult to perform. Our goal is to build a platform for producing a tissue microarray that maintains many of the characteristics found in cells in vivo and allows for the investigation of cell-surface, cell-cell, and especially tumor-stroma interactions, cell toxicity studies, and tissue toxicity studies in a multiplexed fashion. As a Phase I application, this proposal's focus is ovarian cancer tissue slice toxicity testing to determine the optimal chemotherapeutic agents for a specific patient