Additive manufacturing of microfluidics for evaluation of immunotherapy efficacy
Name
1057285927-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
8.99 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
c923a9997dca67200af9efcdd6cd0844
Author(s)
Beckwith, Ashley L. (Ashley Lynne)
Advisor(s)
Luis Fernando Velásquez-García.
Date Issued
2018
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis presents the development of an entirely 3D-printed, monolithic microfluidic platform for evaluating the efficacy of immunotherapy treatments. The platform provides a dynamic microenvironment for perfusing and sustaining tumor samples extracted from a biopsy. The finely featured, non-cytotoxic, and transparent tumor trap is integrated with threaded connectors for rapid, leak-proof fluid interfacing, an in-line trap for removal of bubbles arising from oxygenated media flow or tumor loading procedures, and a network of microchannels for supplying media and immunotherapies to a retained tumor fragment. The device configuration is capable of modelling interactions between tumors and various drug treatments. Tested devices were additively manufactured in Pro3dure GR-10 -a relatively new, high-resolution stereolithographic resin with properties suitable for biomedical applications. Retention of human tumor fragments within the printed microfluidic device is confirmed through overlaid bright-field and fluorescence micrographs, which permit visualization of individual tumor cells within the biological sample. Under dynamic perfusion of media, live tumor fragments can be sustained for a period of at least 72 hours. Confocal microscopy confirmed that sustained tumors and the resident lymphocytes exhibited a response to perfused immunotherapy treatments compared to an untreated control. With further validation, the proposed platform may be capable of providing critical predictive insight into an individual's response to selected immunotherapies.
Description
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 61-65).
Subjects
Mechanical Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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