Single Cell Analysis Summit Agenda

Registration

High Throughput Microfluidic Single Cell Digital PCR
Kevin Heyries, Researcher, University of British Columbia, Canada

We have developed an integrated high throughput microfluidic device for the analysis of 200 single cells per run using digital PCR. We demonstrate the absolute quantification of mRNA transcripts (GAPDH and BCR-ABL) as well as microRNA (miR16) with single cell resolution.

Quantitation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Oxidative Damage in Single Mammalian Cells.
Edgar Arriaga, Professor, University of Minnesota, United States of America

This presentation describes key features of capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of single cells of various shapes. It focuses on the selection and application of molecular probes to target reactive oxygen species and markers of molecular damage.

NanoVelcro-Embedded Microchips for Detection and Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells: Validation Studies in Oncology Clinic
Hsian-Rong Tseng, Professor, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, California NanoSystems Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, United States of America

This presentation will introduce a new type of cell-affinity assay that is capable of detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood samples collected from metastatic cancer patients.  Similar to most of the existing approaches, anti-EpCAM was grafted onto the surfaces to distinguish CTCs from the surrounding hematologic cells.  The uniqueness of our technology is the use of nanostructured surfaces, which facilitates local topographical interactionsbetween CTCs and substrates at the very first cell/substrate contacting time point. We demonstrated the ability of these nanostructured substrates to capture CTCs in whole blood samples with significantly improved efficiency and selectivity.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Flexible Patterning of the Cellular Microenvironment for Single Cell Analysis
John Collins, Senior Applications Scientist, NanoInk Inc, United States of America

Tip based lithography is a unique and powerful way to fabricate complex scaffolds for investigating cell behavior at single cell levels.  Multiplexed deposition of protein and biocompatible polymer features at subcellular sizes enables the fabrication of single cell microenvironmental arrays.  

Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Quantitative Analysis of Intercellular Interactions Using Supported Membrane Interfaces
Nina Caculitan, Researcher, University of California San Diego, United States of America

Supported membranes interfaced with a T cell as a paradigmatic model yield high information content data of cell behavior during an immune response. This adaptable approach is extendable to other systems to study disease pathology for a cell population.

Detection of Rare Cancer Cell Phenotypes by Single Cell Analysis of Surface Proteins
Rajan Kumar, President, Genome Data Systems, Inc., United States of America

Cells with aggressive and metastatic potential are rare and their phenotypes are overwhelmed by more abundant cells. Presence of rare cell phenotypes and differential protein expression in breast and pancreatic cancer cell lines, and in primary and metastatic mouse xenografts were determined using a novel single cell analysis method.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Imaging Molecular Dynamics in Single Embodied Cells
Thai Truong, Senior Researcher, California Institute of Technology, United States of America

Quantification Noise in Single Cell Experiments
Michael Pfaffl, Professor, Technical University of Munich, Germany

In quantitative single-cell studies, the critical part is the low amount of nucleic acids present and the resulting experimental variations. In addition biological data obtained from heterogeneous tissue are not reflecting the expression behaviour of every single-cell. These variations can be derived from natural biological variance or can be introduced externally. Both have negative effects on the quantification result. The aim of this study is to make quantitative single-cell studies more transparent and reliable in order to fulfil the MIQE guidelines at the single-cell level.

Drinks Reception

Gene Expression Analysis for Single Cells
Masataka Shirai, Senior Researcher, Hitachi, Japan

For analyzing gene expressions in single-cells, qPCR with a reusable single-cell cDNA library method, none-bias cDNA amplification coupled with a next generation DNA sequencer, and a new classification method for single cell gene expressions were developed. They have been successfully used for analyzing mesenchymal cells. 

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Single Cell Approach to Defining Osteoblast Cell Populations from Cortical Bone
James Flynn, Research Associate, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, United States of America

A study using gene expression profiling of single cells from bone matrix to more clearly define the osteoblast from other cell populations using lineage specific markers. This approach has potential applications where precursor cells must be delineated from differentiated cells.  

Taking Cancer Genomics to the Single Cell Level
James Hicks, Research Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, United States of America

Single cell genome and transcriptome analysis has the power to provide new insights into tumor evolution, metastasis and response to therapy in both model systems and clinical settings. Application of this technology to tumor biology and minimally invasive methods for cancer monitoring will be discussed. 

Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Single-Cell Exome Sequencing Characterizes the Single-Nucleotide Mutations and Tumor evolution of Blood and Kidney Tumors
Luting Song, Bioinformatist, BGI Shenzhen, China

With devising a kind of advanced whole-genome single-cell sequencing, we use single-cell exome sequencing to characterize the single-nucleotide mutations and tumor evolution of two tumors: a JAK2-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm and a clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Single Cell Analysis of Transcriptional Heterogeneity in the Early Developing Kidney
Steve Potter, Professor, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, United States of America

We study the heterogeneity present among histologically homogeneous cells in early development using single cell global transcriptional profiling. Surprising bipotential cells are identified in the kidney metanephric mesenchyme cloud, and pioneer neural crest cells are examined during craniofacial development.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Heterogeneity of Metabolic and Gene Expression Responses to Hypoxia in Individual Pre-Malignant Esophageal Epithelial Cells
Laimonas Kelbauskas, Assistant Research Professor, Arizona State University, United States of America

We present a study on the heterogeneity of metabolic and gene transcription responses to hypoxia in individual esophageal epithelial cells derived from differing stages of pre-malignant progression. We utilize a custom experimental platform for multiparameter characterization of cellular metabolic profiles.

Kinase Signaling in Single Cancer Cells
Nancy Allbritton, Frank and Julie Jungers Dean of the College of Engineering and Professor of Bioengineering, University of Washington in Seattle, United States of America

High-sensitivity, chemical separations to characterize the contents of single cells is emerging as an important approach to identify signaling pathways in tumor cells and automated microengineered platforms for these assays provide the experimentalist with unprecedented opportunities to understand cell behavior. 

Close of Conference