Thread by @dinodicarlo

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk I will discuss Lab on a Particle Technologies that can democratize the most sensitive biological assays for individual cells and individual molecules.
My #SerendipityKeynote will touch on points related to #SW_FlowCytometry #SW_Microfluidics #SW_Fluorescence, and #SW_SingleCell

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk Scientists are currently able to measure biology at its ultimate "quantum" limits: single cells and molecules. However, these technologies require specialized commercial instruments. bit.ly/3ddMIcK, bit.ly/30UMgO7

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk Small uniform nanoliter-scale #microfluidic fluid compartments allow sensitive detection of single entities and amplification of signal. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk How can we make these uniform compartments without complex instrumentation? Our answer is: Lab on a Particle Technologies. See bit.ly/3hBpMYr, bit.ly/2zFQFJH, bit.ly/3fzLXfS
#serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk Two general concepts: amphiphilic particles and crescent particles that template uniform drop formation with simple mixing / pipetting of sample and fluid. We call droplets templated by particles: “dropicles” and the particles “drop-carrier particles.”

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk There are several ways to fabricate drop-carrier particles – I highlight two. The first uses a 3D printed device to co-flow polymer precursors which are then exposed to UV light to create multi-material structured particles. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk The second uses microfluidic drop generation of an aqueous two-phase system (PEG/dextran) where the PEG material is also photocrosslinkable. This creates crescent or bowl-shaped particles. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk We can use these drop-carrier particle to create droplets and perform assays, such as amplified immunoassays. Particles can also have unique properties such as shape-barcoding to multiplex assays. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk We can perform amplified immunoassays in dropicles, such as for the cardiovascular disease biomarker, N-terminal of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk We can also perform single-cell assays for secreted products like antibodies - here with the crescent drop-carrier particles. First, we see that the particles settle with their open faces up and can be loaded with cells. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk The workflow for single-cell protein secretion assays looks like this and can be performed without specialized equipment except widely available FACS instruments. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk Secreted products, like antibodies, are captured on the same particle to which the single cell was attached. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk We can then sort cells based on their secreted products and grow them up again, for example, to enhance the productivity to manufacture therapeutic antibodies. #serendipityworkshop2020

@HectorEMunoz @BioEngUCLA @SerendipityWrk We are excited that this platform can expand to many biological “quantum assays”. Many thanks to key contributors including Joseph de Rutte, Rob diMatteo, Ghulam Destgeer, Kahlen Ouyang, and the rest of the lab: biomicrofluidics.com