EAGER: Microfluidic-based device to transform the T cell manufacturing process for adoptive T cell therapy

The National Science Foundation uses the Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) funding mechanism to support exploratory work in its early stages on untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas or approaches. This EAGER project was awarded as a result of the invitation in the Dear Colleague Letter NSF 16-080 to proposers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to submit proposals that would strengthen research capacity of faculty at the institution. The project at North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T) aims to manufacture T cells for cancer immunotherapy. The purpose of this study is to gain a clear understanding of the T cell manufacturing process and identify factors critical for inducing the T cell necessary for effective tumor destruction, thus transforming the treatment of cancer. This project will provide students with cutting-edge adoptive immunotherapy technologies, build strong expertise in bio-manufacturing, a first at NC A&T, and promote economic development through innovation and creation of new knowledge to position NC A&T as a significant player in biomedical engineering research and education.

The goal of this proposal is to develop an integrated microfluidic bioreactor which can rapidly manufacture T cells through sequential separation, activation, and expansion. The specific objectives are to: 1) develop a microfluidic system to separate specific T cells from blood; and 2) develop a microfluidic bioreactor to activate and expand T cells and characterize the functional phenotype of T cells by measuring surface markers and cytokine release. This system has the potential to: 1) generate key knowledge of T cell dysregulation and efficacy of immune therapies; 2) advance cancer treatment using tumor- and patient-specific T cell manufacturing; and 3) radically change our understanding of the T cell manufacturing process. This integrated microfluidic system will be at the forefront of the next frontier in cancer immunotherapy.

This EAGER project is funded by the Directorate for Engineering and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources.