Label-free classification of cell cycle

Project Summary AbstractCurrent methods for measuring optimal growth rates and subsequent efficient production of recombinant proteins in a bioreactor rely on indirect methods that are time consuming and can make the interpretation of observations error proneThis ultimately affects the reproducibility and the validity of bioreactor production in bio pharma marketwasted research efforttime and expenseThis Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to study the feasibility of developing unique label free markers for cell cycle based on nuclear morphology correlated with refractive index varianceThe measurements will use the Spatial Light Interference MicroscopySLIMtechnique developed at University of Illinois at Urbana ChampaignOnce the feasibility is proven the work will continue for the development of a lab bench optical instrument for performing high throughput label free and cell cycle phase identification and scoring for bioreactor specimens using quantitative label free assays of morphology and cell dynamicsThe instrument will be commercialized into the research and bio pharma market delivery of fasterfold higher throughputand more accurate characterization of protein production in bioreactors Project NarrativePhi Optics proposes to develop an optical instrument for performing real timequantitative highthroughput cell cycle classification and direct growth monitoring using label free quantitative assays of morphology and dynamicsThe instrument will allow novel bioreactor optimization strategies that could circumvent growth rate limitations and optimize feeding