Efficient Molecular Delivery

About

Summary Delivery of small and macromolecules—including nucleic acids, drug molecules, imaging agents, peptides, antibodies, and enzymes—into cells is critical to realizing their full potential in a range of research and therapeutic applications; yet, intracellular delivery and transfection remain a difficult task. Electroporation-based transfection is widely used for delivery of DNA/RNA and other molecules into living cells through high voltage-induced cell membrane permeability. The traditional electroporation method is performed in bulk for millions of cells and falls short of desired transfection efficiency and post-electroporation viability. Although viral-mediated gene transfer has gained popularity in recent years, integration of viral sequence into the genome of target cells raises safety concerns. There are thus still unmet needs in the biomedical field of developing non-viral transfection methods for high-efficiency intracellular delivery.  Researchers at Rutgers University have developed an intelligent microscale electroporation system for transfecting single cells. This system is capable of automatically detecting and performing electroporation on single cells in a continuous flow setting. With a two-pulse electroporation protocol and a real-time feedback-controlled electrical pulse regulation mechanism, this system enables electroporation with high transfection efficiency and maximized cell viability. It can be implemented in applications involving high throughput DNA/RNA transfections for genetic and epigenetic manipulation of stem cells/primary cells and other difficult-to-transfect cell types. It can also be used as a drug delivery device for small/large molecules and biologics.    Market Application An Electroporation device for high throughput single cell transfection with high efficiency and viability, especially suitable for transfecting isolated primary cells available only in limited quantities.    Advantages ·         Continuous flow-based single cell electroporation ·         Automated cell detection and electroporation ·         Individually-tailored intracellular delivery ·         Electrical characterization of cell populations ·         Feedback-controlled electrical pulse regulation ·         Real-time monitoring and data acquisition ·         Microfluidics platform-based technology: low reagent consumption, labor-free, on-chip analysis ·         Integratable with downstream cell processing ·         Compatible with large number of cell types ·         High accuracy/transfection efficiency ·         High post-transfection viability