CellRaft Arrays for Single-cell PCR

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cell Microsystems is a start-up biotechnology company whose mission is to commercialize a cost effective platform for isolating and manipulating single, viable cells. The company's CellRaft(tm) technology is based on a unique cell array recently developed at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, and represents an ideal opportunity for the translation of an academic technology to the marketplace through the NIH sponsored SBIR partnership. In recognition of the growing market of single-cell genetic analysis, we will explore the feasibility of using the CellRaft technology as a sample handling tool for the analysis of single cells by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The CellRaft(tm) technology is unique in enabling individual cells to be identified by a variety of selection critera followed by isolation with extremely high viability, purity, and yield. In this Phase I SBIR proposal, we will optimize the CellRaft(tm) Array for single-cell isolation towards the applicationof PCR, and optimize the collection and transfer method to deliver single cells from the array to a vessel for conducting PCR. Our academic collaborator at UNC will conduct the cell-based experiments to implement the CellRaft(tm) technology for single-cell PCR analysis through the use of a commercial single-cell PCR kit. The product will be specifically developed to be compatible with existing commercial single-cell PCR kits in collaboration with a company who is a world leader in sample handling and assay products. This collaboration will utilize the company's commercial single cell PCR kit. The studies in Phase I will deliver a market-ready CellRaft Array product optimized and specific for single-cell PCR applications. Our goal is to bridge the CellRaft Array technology with single-cell PCR analysis and promote the use of this technology to the large and growing community in the life science market interested in the molecular analysis of single cells.