and Immunology Studies
Abstract
The immune system is comprised of a complex network of organs, cells and signaling molecules. Accurate measurement and quantification of cell phenotypes and signaling dynamics is important for studying human health and disease treatment. In the first project, we developed a bioprinting platform for studying cells in physiologically relevant 3D tissue scaffolds. Current commercial bioprinters are expensive so we developed low-cost and open source hardware to make the technology more accessible. The bioprinter was tested by printing cells encapsulated in hydrogel with 90% cell viability afterwards. This could be used to create human tissue models for safer, faster and more accurate drug development. In the second project, we developed a microfluidic platform for multiplexed profiling of proteins from single-cells to study cell heterogeneity and protein correlations. An automated bead sorter was developed for addressing beads to assay chambers. The technique was used to measure 11 proteins simultaneously from more than one hundred activated Jurkat T cells with internal standards. The protein profiles suggested that the naive CD4+ cells were differentiated towards Th1 helper cells after activation.