A novel dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based microfluidics method for efficient and label-free sorting of plant cells, leveraging unique dielectric properties.

The invention presents a microfluidic platform equipped with specialized trapping arrays and droplet generation capabilities, enabling precise control over the formation of microvortices within cell-laden droplets. This novel system facilitates the study of cell-cell interactions at a single-cell level, offering configurable microenvironments for analyzing cell dynamics and pair relationships.

Stem cells have the potential to develop into different types of cells. They are key to an organism’s development. Producing stem cell lines are important for research. Currently, avian embryonic stems cells are cultured on a layer of feeder cells. Feeder cells ensure that the stem cells survive and do not differentiate into other types of cells. However, using feeder cells can be costly and inconvenient.

Researchers at UC Irvine have used a computationally powered method to identify small molecule drug leads that exhibited anti-cancer activity in a human-cell-based assay. These small molecules and the approach used to find them will accelerate the research and development of anti-cancer therapeutics.

UC Researchers have the following U2 OS cell linesU2OS cell lines (3 clones) TFEB N-terminal Halo-TFEB: #E5, #C8, #G12           U2OS cell lines (3 clones) TFE3 N-terminal Halo-TFE3: #B9 #C3, #E1 U2OS cell lines (2 clones) TFE3 C-terminal Halo-TFE3: #A9, #D2 U2OS stable cell line L30 3xF-Halo-GDGAGLIN-TFEB U2OS stable cell line EF1a 3xF-Halo-GDGAGLIN-TFEB  

The present invention features a method and device that addresses the need for a low-cost and easy-to-use method and device to pattern a sharp interface between two or more cell populations or, more generally, two or more coatings wherein their interfacing properties are of interest. As a result, the present invention enables new types of experiments that analyze cell-cell interactions and the study of tissue biology in general. 

The invention is an integrated device that provides a high efficiency single cell encapsulation solution. The two core modules of the invention are responsible for generating the cell encapsulating droplet, then sorting the generated droplets to eliminate the empty ones. Such a two-step process yields a high throughput, single cell indexed droplets, with an overall encapsulation efficiency reaching 80%, which is crucial for various applications ranging from genomics and proteomics to pharmacology.

Astrocytes are the most abundant central nervous system cell type and have been implicated in the pathobiology of many neurological diseases. The present invention describes a rapid and reproducible method to create functional human astrocytes (iAstrocytes) using induced pluripotent stem cells which can be used to study astrocyte biology and their role in neurological diseases.

To meet the ever-growing demand for effective, safe, and affordable protein therapeutics, decades of intense efforts have aimed to maximize the quantity and quality of recombinant proteins produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. CHO cells are extensively used to produce biopharmaceuticals and one advantage is their reduced susceptibility to many human virus families. However, there have been a few episodes of animal viral contamination of biopharmaceutical production runs, mostly from trace levels of viruses in raw materials. These infections more often caused by RNA viruses have led to expensive decontamination efforts and threatened the supply of critical drugs. Viral contamination in biopharmaceutical manufacturing can lead to shortages in the supply of critical therapeutics. Therefore there is a need to understand the mechanisms by which CHO cells are infected and how the cells can be universally engineered to enhance their viral resistance.

Researchers at UCLA have developed an approach to construct an embryonic kidney in vitro for the treatment of end stage renal disease.

UCLA researchers have developed a novel method for enriching, expanding, and maturing populations of skeletal muscle progenitor cells (SMPCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs).

A method for creating a 3D micro-bubble plate for patterning biological and non-biological materials. Because each sample is at a known location, large numbers of samples may be studied and allow for significant statistical data sets, which will aid in diagnosing unknown agents or diseases inexpensively.

A plate manufactured to enable samples of cells, microorganisms, proteins, DNA, biomolecules, transfectants, and other biological media to be positioned at specific sites. Some or all of the sites are built from removable material so that samples may be isolated.

This technology is a micro-patterned plate made of an array of releasable elements surrounded by a gel or solid wall, and a process for manufacturing the micro-patterned plate. This is an efficient way of studying samples for statistically significant data sets of cells or biological materials for important scientific research and medicines.

UCLA researchers from the Department of Psychiatry has created a novel cell-based seeding assay for sensitive, specific and high throughput detection of mutant Huntingtin proteins in biological samples.

Cartilage lesion treatments require expanding cells from healthy donor cartilage which have limited availability and restricted potential to produce cartilage. This invention overcomes these challenges, presenting chemical and physical methods for enhancing cell populations capable of producing neocartilage. According to a 2015 global market report, tissue engineering technologies are expected to reach over 94B USD by 2022.

Cell expansion for cartilage tissue production usually leads to loss of the potential to produce cartilage, which impedes uses for cartilage repair. This invention features methods and systems for producing highly expanded primary cells to construct functional neocartilage and other neotissue. According to a 2015 global market report, tissue engineering technologies are expected to reach over 94B USD by 2022.

UCLA researchers in the Departments of Pediatrics and Chemistry & Biochemistry have developed a microfluidic device for delivery of biomolecules into living cells using mechanical deformation, without the fouling issues in current systems.

Modern biomedical research has long struggled with cumbersome and error-prone maintenance, inspection, and other manipulation of live cells cultures. Manual approaches demand excessive time and resources, while expensive robotic systems remain inaccessible to most laboratories. New approaches to enable the reliable, efficient monitoring and manipulation of live cells over a period of several weeks in a cost-effective format are therefore needed. UC Berkeley researchers and others have developed a microfluidic-enabled multi-well cell culture system designed to transform the way living cells are grown, monitored and manipulated with precision and efficiency. The systems’ tiered multi-well format seamlessly integrates microfluidics, sensing, and automated control, making it ideal for long-term cell culture. Compatible with ANSI/SLAS microplate standards, this miniaturized system fits effortlessly into existing laboratory workflows, offering flexibility for clinical, mobile, and point-of-care applications.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have cultured a titi monkey adenovirus (TMAdV,) and used the virus to develop a model of human respiratory disease.

Researchers at UCLA have developed a malignant neuroendocrine prostate cancer cell line that was derived from benign human prostate tissue and transformed with the oncogenes MYCN and myristoylated AKT1.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed several immortalized human epidermal cell lines.

Researchers in the UCLA Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics have developed a novel means of generating adult skeletal muscle-equivalent myofibers from human pluripotent stem cells.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a new library of small molecule LLS2 that can kill a variety of cancer cells

Biotherapeutic proteins manufactured in cell culture systems have transformed modern medicine. Selling many tens of billions per year, new biotherapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies have delivered dramatic clinical results, while posing significant manufacturing problems.: During the cell culture manufacturing process, toxic bioproducts such as lactate and ammonia have posed considerable challenges in bioprocessing, since they limit cell growth and impact critical quality attributes of recombinant protein production (e.g., therapeutic drugs, enzymes). That is because the lactate alters the regulation of biosynthetic enzymes, and can lead to changes in pH in the culture. To mitigate the negative effects of lactic acid accumulation and control the culture pH, chemical ‘base’ is added to the media during the course of a bioprocess. However, the base addition negatively impacts the bioprocess by inhibiting growth and shortening the length of time in which the cells can produce the recombinant protein. This leads to reduced yield, and increased cost-of-goods. Thus, it is of great interest to eliminate lactate production, and UC San Diego researchers have recently developed a new process for achieving this.