Abstract

Microfluidic Platforms for Immunotherapy and Genome Editing

Aram Chung, Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University

The internalization of biomolecules in cells, such as DNAs, RNAs, plasmid DNAs, proteins, and CRISPR systems, is an indispensable process for studies ranging from basic biology to clinical applications. Tools such as viral vectors, cationic lipids, and electroporators have traditionally been used to deliver external biomolecules into cells; however, they are suboptimal for achieving high levels of delivery while preserving cell viability, phenotype, and function.

To address these challenges, our research group is focusing on developing next-generation microfluidics-based intracellular delivery platforms. By leveraging intrinsic fluid-cell interactions within confined microchannels, we create transient discontinuities on the cell membrane, internalizing external biomolecules into the cells. Using this principle, we have successfully demonstrated highly effective biomolecule delivery into various cells, including human primary stem and immune cells with high cell stability. In this talk, I will discuss our recent microfluidic intracellular delivery platform developments and their promising applications in genome editing and cancer immunotherapy.