The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Brett C Isenberg

Jonathan Robert Coppeta

Joseph L Charest

Jeffrey T Borenstein

Mark Joseph Mescher

Abigail June Spencer

Else M Vedula

Hesham Azizgolshani

Brian Cain

Gregory M Fritz

Nathan Francis Moore

Daniel Doty

Corin Williams

Timothy Petrie

Ernest Kim Soonho

Morgan Pilkenton

Elizabeth Ellen Marr

Vienna Mott

Patrick Davis

Timothy Haggerty

Alla Gimbel

A microfluidic device for modeling a tumor-immune microenvironment can include a multiwell plate defining a plurality of microenvironment units fluidically coupled with a plurality of wells. Each microenvironment unit of the plurality of microenvironment units can include one or more compartments. Each microenvironment unit can include a trapping feature positioned within the one or more compartments. The trapping feature can be defined by a portion of at least one of a sidewall or a floor of the one or more compartments. The trapping feature can restrict movement of a tissue sample introduced into the one or more compartments and to allow fluid to flow past the tissue sample. The microfluidic device can include a plurality of micropumps each coupled with a respective well and configured to control movement of a respective fluid sample through each respective well.

Multiwell dynamic model for a tumor-immune microenvironment

The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide highly deformable porous membrane culture systems and actuation methods for studying the effects of biomedical stretch on cultured tissue. A well plate can include a well having a first opening configured to receive an insert coupled to a deformable membrane. The well plate can include a gasket positioned within the well and configured to create a seal between the insert and the well when the insert is positioned in the well. The well plate can include a chamber defined beneath the well, the chamber configured to receive fluid media and to expose the fluid media to a surface of the deformable membrane when the insert is positioned in the well. The well plate can include an actuator configured to stretch the deformable membrane by a target amount of strain.

Highly deformable porous membrane culture system and actuation methods for studying the effects of biomechanical stretch on cultured tissue

The methods and systems described herein provide a cell culture platform with an array of tissue modeling environments and dynamic control of fluid flow. The cell culture platform includes an array of wells that are fluidically coupled by microchannel structures. The dynamically controlled flow of fluid interacts with cells grown within the microchannels.

Bi-layer multi-well cell culture platform

This disclosure provides systems and methods for seeding cell cultures in a microfluidic device. The systems and methods of this disclosure can enable flow of a cell solution from one side of a scaffold, such as a porous substrate or membrane, to the other side of the scaffold. Flow of the liquid can pass through the scaffold while the cells themselves do not, resulting in the cells driven to the surface of the scaffold for consequent attachment. A microfluidic device can include a microfluidic feature structured to create a seal between a cell seeding tool and an inlet to a microchannel of the microfluidic device. This can enable a pressure-driven flow to push fluid down the channel and through pores of the membrane. In contrast, traditional gravity fed seeding of cells may not create enough pressure to drive fluid through the pores of the scaffold.

Systems and methods for seeding cell cultures in a microfluidic device

Systems and methods disclosed herein related to an apparatus including a fluid flow plate and a microfluidic valve assembly. The fluid flow plate includes a plurality of polymer layers that define a fluid flow passage through the microfluidic valve assembly. The microfluidic valve assembly includes a valve seat, a flexible membrane, a valve cavity, a valve head, and an actuator. The actuator is configured to selectively control pressure applied by the valve head to the flexible membrane, such that in a first actuator state the valve head depresses the flexible membrane into the valve cavity and into contact with the valve seat, thereby preventing fluid flow through the valve assembly, and in a second state, the valve head and the flexible membrane are retracted substantially out of the valve cavity allowing fluid to flow through the valve assembly. In various implementations, the valve seat and/or the flexible membrane include an elastomer layer.

Actuated valve or pump for microfluidic devices

A destroy on-demand electrical device includes a substrate layer formed using a soluble material (e.g., a Germanium oxide), a semi-conductor layer formed from a material that can become soluble upon further processing (e.g., Germanium) and conductive elements, formed from a metallic material such as Copper. The device is coupled with one or more disintegration sources that contain disintegration agents (e.g., Hydrogen Peroxide) that can promote disintegration of the device. The device can be destroyed in response to actuation of the disintegration sources, for example by actuation of a source that produces Hydrogen Peroxide for use in oxidizing the semi-conductor layer. Water can be used to dissolve dissolvable substrate layers. The semi-conductor layer can be destroyed by first processing this layer to form a dissolvable material and dissolving the processed layer with water. The remaining Copper components disintegrate once their underlying layer have been dissolved and/or by use of a salt.

Method and apparatus for a destroy on-demand electrical device

Fluid circulation and leveling systems and methods of using the same are described. A fluid circulation system includes a fluid mixing chamber and open fluid chambers in fluid communication with the fluid mixing chamber. Each open fluid chamber includes a microfluidic fluid leveling conduit with an orifice disposed in the open fluid chamber at a minimum fluid level associated with a corresponding minimum fluid volume. A controller causes a first pump to generate a first direction of fluid flow during a first time period between the open fluid chambers, and causes the first pump to generate a second direction of fluid flow during a second time period between the first and second open fluid chambers. The controller also causes a second pump to generate a flow of fluid during a third time period from one of the first and second open fluid chambers into the fluid mixing chamber.

Fluid circulation systems incorporating fluid leveling devices

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West Newton, MA, United States of America

Brett C Isenberg