Developing a tool for extracting molecules from living cells quickly
Official title: Droplet-based Spatially Encoded Live Cell Digital Extraction
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-10687620 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new tool that can quickly and gently take tiny samples from living cells to help scientists learn more about how individual cells behave and respond over time, which is important for understanding various health conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $1,368,750 |
| NIH project number | 1DP2GM154018-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10687620 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with conditions that exhibit cellular heterogeneity, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with stable, well-characterized conditions that do not involve significant cellular variability may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating a high-throughput tool that can continuously extract intracellular molecules from individual living cells at a rate of over 1000 cells per second. By utilizing advanced nanotechnology methods, the project aims to monitor cellular changes and responses over time while keeping the cells alive and minimizing any disturbance. This approach will help in understanding the unique behaviors and characteristics of individual cells, which is crucial for studying complex biological processes and identifying rare cell populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies by enabling early detection of subtle molecular changes in various diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research utilizing nanotechnology for single-cell analysis has shown promising results, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ko, Jina — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Ko, Jina
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.