Production and functionalization of devices produced by additive manufacturing for the capture and detection of tumor cells for diagnostic purposes

• Grant number: 23/01660-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Masumi Beppu
• Grantee: Gabriela Pereira de Freitas
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/12980-3 - Functionalization of microfabricated devices aiming at the selective capture of circulating tumor cells for diagnostic purposes, AP.TEM

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and early detection, associated with an appropriate therapeutic regimen, is the best option to substantially reduce the risk of mortality. Despite advances in the study of biomarkers for diagnosis, strategies for their detection still require improvements both in the selectivity of capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and in the sensitivity and feasibility of the detection method. In addition to the use of coatings with affinity to tumor cells, substrates with specific geometries can facilitate the capture of cells of interest. The recent advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques may allow the production of materials that facilitate the selective capture and subsequent detection of these cells. This proposal aims to investigate how the external geometry and internal morphology of the interconnected pores, as well as the dimensions of standardized substrates and those produced using AM techniques, can act in the detection of cells from different lineages of prostate and breast cancer, with the aim of to develop sensors with more selective 3D geometry for the detection of these diseases. It is intended to jointly explore the techniques of microfabrication and functionalization of surfaces via layer-by-layer (LbL) for the production of standardized substrates for the capture of tumor cells. The development of this multidisciplinary proposal will rely on the expertise of Dr. Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva from CTI Renato Archer for the development of substrates containing structures with dimensions close to the tumor cells of interest through different additive manufacturing techniques, described in the project. The LbL coatings will be produced with biopolymers that have affinity for tumor cells, such as hyaluronic acid, or recombinant elastin-like proteins (ELPs), and chitosan with the collaboration of Prof. Marisa Beppu (FEQ-Unicamp). The studies involving the capture of cells will be carried out with the help of Prof. Hernandes Carvalho (IB-Unicamp) and Prof. Osvaldo Novais (IFSC-USP). In addition to advancing the frontier of knowledge, it is expected that this proposal will contribute to the understanding of how the geometry, internal morphology and dimension of standardized substrates, as well as the properties of coatings, affect the detection of CTCs. These advances may contribute to the development of new diagnostic methods for highly prevalent tumor diseases. (AU)