Development of microfluidic device for liquid biopsy of circulating tumor cells

• Grant number: 19/13411-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2019
• End date: September 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Valber de Albuquerque Pedrosa
• Grantee: Valber de Albuquerque Pedrosa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Botucatu

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells released by primary and/or metastatic tumors that, upon release, circulate through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to form metastases. The CTC analysis still remains a major challenge for the scientific community. CTCs hold the key to better understanding the biology of metastasis and may provide better information for noninvasively measuring the evolution of tumor genotypes during treatment and disease progression. Therefore, the development of new techniques to retain purer CTC, susceptible to a better cellular and molecular characterization, will allow a wide range of clinical applications, and may be useful in monitoring the response to treatment in a fast, invasive and easier way when compared to the traditional biopsy, and is therefore known as a liquid biopsy. Therefore, this project aims to build a microfluidic system of separation of CTCs in blood, with high selectivity and recovery index. Specifically, the objectives of this work will be: to design and manufacture a microfluidic chip to separate and capture CTCs using anti-epithelial cell adhesion-controlled immobilization (anti-EpCAM), and characterization and optimization of microfluidic chip efficiency and specificity capture using tumor cell lines. The research will have broad impacts on students of different educational levels, exposing them to exciting challenges in science and engineering that have a high relevance for our society. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

BASSO, CAROLINE R.; MARCOS, V. B.; GAVIOLI, VICTORIA D.; PARRA, JOAO P. R. L. L.; CASTRO, GUSTAVO R.; PEDROSA, VALBER A.. Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Enhanced Colorimetric Detection of Viruses and Bacteria. CHEMOSENSORS, v. 13, n. 3, p. 24-pg., 2025-03-19. (19/13411-5, 24/00063-7, 19/09735-0)

CRULHAS, BRUNO P.; BASSO, CAROLINE R.; CASTRO, GUSTAVO R.; PEDROSA, VALBER A.. Detection of Prostate Cancer Biomarker PCA3 by Using Aptasensors. Current Medicinal Chemistry, v. 29, n. 37, p. 8-pg., 2022-01-01. (19/13411-5)

PEDROSA, VALBER A.; CHEN, KANGFU; GEORGE, THOMAS J.; FAN, Z. HUGH. Gold Nanoparticle-Based Microfluidic Chips for Capture and Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells. BIOSENSORS-BASEL, v. 13, n. 7, p. 9-pg., 2023-07-01. (19/13411-5, 17/25937-6)

PARRA, JOAO PAULO RUIZ LUCIO DE LIMA; MARTINS, MURILLO LONGO; PEDROSA, VALBER DE ALBUQUERQUE; ANDRADE, AMANDA FANTINI DE CAMARGO; GOMES, ANDERSON MOREIRA; FELTRAN, GEORGIA DA SILVA; COMPARETTI, EDSON JOSE; ZUCOLOTTO, VALTENCIR; ZAMBUZZI, WILLIAN FERNANDO. Advanced chitosan-carbon nanotubes / hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for application in bone regeneration. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS, v. 727, p. 12-pg., 2025-12-20. (24/00063-7, 19/09735-0, 19/13411-5)

GAVIOLI, VICTORIA D'AMARIO; FILHO, MARCOS VILAS BOAS; CASTRO, GUSTAVO R.; FILHO, PEDRO TADAO HAMAMOTO; FERRASI, ADRIANA CAMARGO; PEDROSA, VALBER A.. Rapid Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells from Glioblastoma Patients Using a Lateral Filter Array Microfluidic Device. CHEMOSENSORS, v. 13, n. 2, p. 10-pg., 2025-02-01. (19/13411-5, 24/00063-7, 17/25937-6)

FILHO, MARCOS VILAS BOAS; AGNEIS, MARIA LUISA GONCALVES; DE SOUZA, MILENA CREMER; SEIVA, FABIO RODRIGUES FERREIRA; PEDROSA, VALBER A.. Rapid and sensitive electrochemical detection of melatonin in complex biological matrices. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2025-09-25. (24/00063-7, 19/09735-0, 19/13411-5)

LISZBINSKI, RAQUEL B.; ROMAGNOLI, GRAZIELA G.; GORGULHO, CAROLINA M.; BASSO, CAROLINE R.; PEDROSA, VALBER A.; KANENO, RAMON. Anti-EGFR-Coated Gold Nanoparticles In Vitro Carry 5-Fluorouracil to Colorectal Cancer Cells. MATERIALS, v. 13, n. 2, JAN 2 2020. (15/26729-2, 19/13411-5)

BASSO, CAROLINE R.; CRUZ, TAIS F.; SILVA, BRUNA L.; PEDROSA, VALBER A.; ARAUJO JUNIOR, JOAO P.. A Methodology for Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV-2) Quantification Based on Gold Nanoparticles. MATERIALS, v. 13, n. 5, MAR 2020. (19/13411-5)

MAGRO, MASSIMILIANO; BARATELLA, DAVIDE; VENERANDO, ANDREA; NALOTTO, GIULIA; BASSO, CAROLINE R.; MOLINARI, SIMONE; SALVIULO, GABRIELLA; UGOLOTTI, JURI; PEDROSA, VALBER A.; VIANELLO, FABIO. Enzyme Immobilization on Maghemite Nanoparticles with Improved Catalytic Activity: An Electrochemical Study for Xanthine. MATERIALS, v. 13, n. 7, APR 2020. (19/20573-1, 19/13411-5)