Abstract

Array of Vascularized Tumor Spheroids on IMPACT Platform

Noo Li Jeon, Professor, Seoul National University

The field of microfluidics-based three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems is rapidly progressing from academic proof-of-concept studies to valid solutions to real-world problems. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidics platforms have been widely adopted for tumor-on-a-chip systems. However, due to the inherent material limitations that make it difficult to scale-up production, PDMS has not been widely used in standardized commercial applications for preclinical screening testing. In this presentation, injection-molded tumor spheroid chip made of polystyrene (PS) in a standardized 96-well plate format with a user-friendly design. Spontaneous liquid patterning is achievable with high repeatability. To demonstrate the feasibility of the device, we fabricated microvascular networks, carried out tumor spheroid-based migration and invasion assays, and developed a 3D tumor angiogenesis model for drug screening.  This model is easy- and ready-to-use, and suitable for mass-production systems, with the ability to deliver robust and reproducible results. Ultimately, this platform could provide a high-throughput screening test for anti-cancer drugs.