Replicating In Vivo Micro Scale Biology In Vitro: Cancer Biology and Neutrophil Migration

Cell biology occurs at the micro scale. I will describe two projects where we are using micro scale technology to replicate in vivo micro scale biology. In the first, we build patient-specific models of cancer with cells from that patient to replicate the tumor (and it’s microenvironment) structure and function. The model includes eight different cell types including both lymph and blood vasculature and the tumor cells in a spheroid format. We than treat these models to predict which treatment (e.g. drug, radiation) will be best for that patient. In the second, we are applying a recently developed under oil microfluidic technology to replicate the in vivo single cell scale mechanics and kinetics during neutrophil migration.