07:30 | Conference Registration, Materials Pick-Up, Coffee and Networking in the Exhibit Hall |
| Session Title: Conference Opening Plenary Session |
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| Session Venue: Coolsingel Room |
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08:30 | | Conference Chair Conference Co-Chairperson's Introduction and Welcome Claudia Gärtner, CEO, microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Germany
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08:45 | | Conference Chair Conference Co-Chairperson's Introduction and Welcome Nicole Pamme, Professor in Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Sweden
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09:00 | | Plenary Presentation Real-Time Viscoelastic Deformability Cytometry Andrew J deMello, Professor of Biochemical Engineering & Institute Chair, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Differences in the mechanical properties of diseased cells and their benign counterparts means that mechanical phenotyping of cells can be used to report both cellular state and function. Accordingly, the ability to perform such measurements in a robust and high-throughput manner suggests potential utility in the detection and diagnosis of disease. Whilst different methods for cellular mechanophenotyping have been described, the ability to perform high-throughput single-cell deformability measurements on liquid or solid tissue biopsies remains an unmet challenge within clinical settings. To address this issue, we have developed viscoelastic deformability cytometry (vDC), a microfluidic method able to measure the mechanical properties of single cells at rates of up to 100,000 cells per second. Fluid viscoelasticity is used to both focus and deform cells without the need for sheath fluids. We have used vDC for cell phenotyping of both liquid and solid tumor biopsies, cytoskeletal drug analysis, and identifying malignant lymphocytes in peripheral blood samples. vDC offers new opportunities for high-throughput, label-free single cell analysis, with diverse applications in clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine. |
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09:30 | | Plenary Presentation Microfluidics in Liquid Biopsy and Integration in Functional Studies Lorena Diéguez, Leader of the Medical Devices Research Group, INL- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
Microfluidics has demonstrated numerous advantages for isolation and characterization of liquid biopsy biomarkers in oncology, with increased sensitivity and throughput, enabling their implementation in clinical routine. Microfluidics is also very relevant to build biomimetic and dynamic 3D models to better understand the process of metastasis. In this talk, we present our most recent work for the development of holistic liquid biopsy assays, by integrating microfluidic extraction of CTCs, cfDNA, and EVs; and application of viable CTCs in functional models for the study of metastasis. |
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10:00 | | Plenary Presentation Droplet-based Microfluidics for Biomarker Detection and Quantification Valérie Taly, CNRS Research Director, Professor and Group leader Translational Research and Microfluidics, Université Paris Cité, France
Droplet-based microfluidic has led to the development of highly powerful tools with great potential in High-Throughput Screening where individual assays are compartmentalized within aqueous droplets acting as independant microreactors. Thanks to the combination of a decrease of assay volume and an increase of throughput, this technology goes beyond the capacities of conventional screening systems. Added to the flexibility and versatility of platform designs, such progresses in the manipulation of sub-nanoliter droplets has allowed to dramatically increase experimental level of control and precision.
The presentation will aim at demonstrating through selected examples, the great potential of this technology for patient monitoring in infectious diseases and cancers. A specific focuss will be made on the application of droplet-based digital PCR for the detection of blood-based methylation biomarkers (liquid biopsy). The results of several prospective clinical studies will be presented highlighting great potential of this technology for the follow-up of both advanced and localized cancers. |
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10:30 | Mid-Morning Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibit Hall |
11:00 | | Plenary Presentation Investigating Endothelium Permeability in vitro Under Healthy and Diabetic Conditions Elisabeth Verpoorte, Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, University of Groningen, Netherlands
Microfluidic systems incorporating endothelial cell monolayers were among the earliest examples of organs-on-chips, with examples dating back almost two decades. This was to be expected, as microchannels are an obvious (though perhaps not perfect) mimic for the (micro)vascular system in terms of geometry. Moreover, microchannel-based in vitro systems also allow controlled application of shear stress, a crucial parameter in vivo that dictates endothelium properties. We have worked primarily with human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture in gelatin-coated glass or PDMS channels, and more recently, with cells cultured on a gelatin substrate. This has allowed us to construct microflow systems to study the permeability of endothelial cell monolayers in diabetes-associated microenvironments, by tracking the transport of fluorescently labelled albumin across these barriers into a gelatin layer underneath. We have observed the appearance of protective effects of cell-extracellular matrix interactions on endothelial cell morphology under shear stress (10 dyn/cm2). More specifically, the endothelial cells maintained their typical cobblestone morphology. In addition, we recorded increased basal permeability values, compared to our results from static experiments, results that aligned well with literature data. We were then able to model a DKD milieu in our endothelium-on-a-chip to test a pharmaceutical compound, finerenone, a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) used in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease patients. We observed a statistically significant improvement in endothelial barrier properties for cells protected by finerenone in comparison to measured barrier permeability in DKD milieu without finerenone. |
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11:30 | | Plenary Presentation 3D Printing of Porous Membrane Integrated Devices Rosanne Guijt, Professor, Deakin University, Australia
The integration of chemical functionalities in microfluidic devices can be accomplished by the combination of different materials. 3D printing has readily been proposed as alternative for manufacturing of fluidic devices, in particular for small scale production. Resin-based printers are most suitable for printing small features, however, the combination of different materials remains a challenge. This presentation focuses on the development of resins for digital light projection 3D printing of porous materials, and their integration into fluidic devices by resin exchange and using greyscale masks. Applications of the devices include phase separation, chemotaxis, extraction of DNA and the detection of iron from soil. |
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12:00 | | Plenary Presentation Real-Time Point-of-Care Diagnostics Using Microfluidic Sensors and Biosensors Martyn Boutelle, Professor of Biomedical Sensors Engineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
We are investigating technologies that take POC measurements from a moment in time that assists diagnosis to a continuous information stream that guides treatment dynamically. Biomarker molecule concentrations can give important information about the health of a person as they are dynamically challenged by acute illness or for example during clinical treatment. Such an approach would allow individualized treatments to be chosen and optimized. We have been developing a range of sensing and biosensing solutions for the invasive, minimally invasive, and non-invasive monitoring of people in healthcare situations. Microfluidics provide a valuable means of clinical sampling and robust quantification of measured signals.
I will describe the key challenges in the development of such integrated sensing devices and present our recent data obtained during models of cardiac arrest and from the neonatal intensive care unit. |
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12:30 | | Plenary Presentation Microfluidics, Lab-on-Chip and Environmental Sustainability: The Limits of the Single-Use Maiwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas, Professor of Microfluidic Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom
Many microfluidic point-of-care tests are now ubiquitous tools in rapid methods for human or veterinary diagnostics, or environmental monitoring. Using a microfluidic engineer perspective, and discussions with global health practitioners and anthropologists, I will share what I learned in recent years about the mishaps of point-of-need, single-use and disposable methods. Finally, I will use a recent project in which we produced lateral flow tests using recycled plastics (including derived from discarded chewing-gum!) as a case study for discussion on materials, engineering, supply chains, regulations, and considerations of human behaviour towards creating more sustainable point-of-care medical devices. |
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13:00 | Networking Buffet Lunch in the Exhibit Hall - Network with Exhibitors and View Posters |
| Afternoon Session Title: Circulating Biomarkers and Extracellular Vesicles -- Conrad Room |
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| Afternoon Session Title: Organoids and Spheroids Europe 2024 -- Coolsingel Room |
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18:30 | Networking Reception in the Exhibit Hall. French Wine Tasting Sponsored by Kloé. |
20:00 | Close of Networking Reception and Day 1 Conference Programming. |