Lab-on-a-chip drug testing for small tumor biopsies
Multiplexed drug testing of micro-dissected tumors using a microfluidic platform with integrated electrochemical aptasensors
A tiny lab-on-a-chip is being built to test several cancer drugs at once on small pieces of a patient's tumor to see which drugs kill tumor cells and trigger immune signals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309593 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is developing a small device that holds tiny pieces of your tumor and measures cell death and immune signals over time. It combines microfluidics with electrochemical aptamer sensors to run many drug tests in parallel and at multiple time points. The approach aims to preserve the tumor's natural microenvironment better than standard cell cultures or animal tests. Large amounts of molecular data will be collected to help computer models learn patterns linked to drug responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be cancer patients who can provide a fresh tumor biopsy or surgical specimen for ex vivo drug testing.
Not a fit: Patients who cannot provide tumor tissue or whose tumors are too small or degraded for testing may not benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors choose cancer treatments that are more likely to work for an individual patient's tumor.
How similar studies have performed: Organoid and tumor-on-chip approaches have shown promise in matching drug responses to patients, but integrating electrochemical aptasensors for high-throughput, time-resolved measurements is a newer and less tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Folch, Albert — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Folch, Albert
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 below.