Enlightened Diagnostics: Bringing An Automated 3d Molecular Imaging Device To Market

Student: Christopher Cali, 2014-2015

Sponsor: Prof. Jeremiah Zartman - Engineering, Notre Dame, IN

The main innovation of the device is a microsystem to process 3D tissue samples on the order of 100-200 microns thick or imaging, that is: 1) faster than current methods by providing a platform such that washings and fluorophore labeling occur across a smaller length scale, and 2) secures the tissue sample in place such that multiple, sequential labels can be applied to a single sample, and co-registered in situ to greatly enhancing the data richness for a sample by enabling more than four antibody immunostainings and reconstruct the full tissue archiveture in situ. The targeted application is an integrated imaging of clinical tissue biopsies with consideration of both tumor and tumor microenvironment for early diagnoses of cancer. However, the device has broad implications for biomedical research beyond cancer studies: as historlogy is a standard of biological research, this device too will have the ability to bring in situ 3D protein quantification to the study of whole tissue structures and cell-tissue interaction, whereas tradition histology methods only enable 2D quantification. This device will also be useful for mapping complex tissue architectures such as the brain.”