California Institute of Technology

University of Southern California

City of Hope

Henry K Lin

Yu-Chong Tai

Richard J Cote

Siyang Zheng

Ram Datar

Bo Lu

Yoko Mullen

Dongyang Kang

Hirotake Komatsu

An implantable medical device, a method of manufacturing, and a method of use are described. The implantable medical device includes an absorption bag connected by a cannula to a discharge bag. The implantable medical device also includes a reservoir external to the discharge bag and attached to a surface of the discharge bag. At least a portion of the absorption bag and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the reservoir are permeable to a predefined class of small molecules, such as molecular oxygen. The reservoir can retain live cells that rely on the small molecules for survival and growth. Based on concentration of the small molecules, the small molecules permeate into the absorption bag and are transported to the discharge bag for permeation into the reservoir, thereby providing a supply of the small molecules to the live cells.

Implantable device for retaining live cells and providing nutrients thereto

A microfiltration apparatus and method for separating cells, such as circulating tumor cells, from a sample using a microfiltration device having a top porous membrane and a bottom porous membrane. The porous membranes are formed from parylene and assembled using microfabrication techniques. The porous membranes are arranged so that the pores in the top membrane are offset from the pores in the bottom membrane.

Method and apparatus for microfiltration to perform cell separation

The invention provides parylene membrane filters, filter devices and methods of making them and using them in the mechanical separation of cells and particles by size. The provision of parylene membrane filters with high figures of merit and finely controlled hole sizes allows the separation of cells and particles in a variety of biological and other fluids according to sizes.

Uses of parylene membrane filters

The present invention provides a parylene-based membrane filter device for capturing of circulating tumor cells (CTC). The membrane filter has an array of holes having a predetermined geometric design with precisely controlled size, shape and density. In one aspect, the device has a stack of substantially parallel membrane filters with uniformly-spaced and/or monodispersed holes.

Membrane filter for capturing circulating tumor cells

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Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Henry K Lin