Microfluidics and Biosensors in Cancer Research

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research, in particular, their applications in cancer modeling and theranostics.Over the last decades, considerable effort has been made to develop new technologies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Microfluidics has proven to be a powerful tool for manipulating biological fluids with high precision and efficiency and has already been adopted by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With recent technological advances, particularly biosensors, microfluidic devices have increased their usefulness and importance in oncology and cancer research.

The aim of this book is to bring together in a single volume all the knowledge and expertise required for the development and application of microfluidic systems and biosensors in cancer modeling and theranostics. It begins with a detailed introduction to the fundamental aspects of tumor biology,cancer biomarkers, biosensors and microfluidics. With this knowledge in mind, the following sections highlight important advances in developing and applying biosensors and microfluidic devices in cancer research at universities and in the industry. Strategies for identifying and evaluating potent disease biomarkers and developing biosensors and microfluidic devices for their detection are discussed in detail. Finally, the transfer of these technologies into the clinical environment for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients will be highlighted.

By combining the recent advances made in the development and application of microfluidics and biosensors in cancer research in academia and clinics, this book will be useful literature for readers from a variety of backgrounds. It offers new visions of how this technology can influence daily life in hospitals and companies, improving research methodologies and the prognosis of cancer patients.

Autorentext

Dr. David Caballero is an experienced biophysicist with a MSc and PhD in Nanoscience from the University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain). Currently, Dr. Caballero is a senior Assistant Researcher at the 3B s Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics from University of Minho (Portugal) working in the field of Physics of Cancer. His research interest is focused in unraveling the mechano-chemical mechanisms of cancer dissemination. For this, Dr. Caballero is using microfluidics, microfabrication tools, and cutting-edge screening technologies for his experiments that are the interface between cell biology and physics.

Prof. Subhas C. Kundu received his PhD in Genetics from Banaras Hindu University (India). His area of interest includes biomaterials for 3D cancer modeling and drug screening. Currently, he is a Research Coordinator at the 3B s Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics of the University of Minho. He leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to developing a new generation of in vitro 3D tumour models using biomaterials for drug screening applications.

Prof. Rui L. Reis is the Director of the 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics at the University of Minho, Full Professor of Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, Biomaterials and Stem, CEO of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and the Director of the PT Government Associate Laboratory ICVS/3Bs from the University of Minho (Portugal). Prof. Reis was awarded with the IET Harvey Engineering Research Prize to create reliable breakthrough 3D engineered functional cancer disease models for an improved prediction and efficacy of cancer drugs.

Inhalt

Preface

SECTION 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF MICROFLUIDICS AND BIOSENSORS

Fundamentals of biosensors and detection methods

How to get away with gradients

Sensors and Biosensors in Organs-on-a-Chip Platforms

Current trends in microfluidics and biosensors for cancer research applications

SECTION 2: MODELLING THE TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT AND ITS DYNAMIC EVENTS

The Tumor Microenvironment - An Introduction for the Development of Microfluidic Devices

Biomaterials for mimicking and modelling tumor micro-environment

Advancing Tumor Microenvironment Research by combining Organs-on-Chips and Biosensors

Microfluidic-Driven Biofabrication and the Engineering of Cancer-Like Microenvironments

Advances in 3D vascularized tumor-on-a-chip technology

SECTION 3: CANCER DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS

Biosensors advances: Contributions to cancer diagnostics and treatment

Flexible sensing systems for cancer diagnostics

Coupling micro-physiological systems and biosensors for improving cancer biomarkers detection

Microfluidic biosensor-based devices for rapid diagnosis and effective anti-cancer therapeutic monitoring for breast cancer metastasis

Liquid biopsies: flowing biomarkers

From exosomes to circulating tumor cells: using microfludics to detect high predictive cancer biomarkers

Microfluidics for the Isolation and Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells

Evolution in automatized detection of cancer cells: advances in magnetic microcytometers

Droplet-based microfluidic chip design, fabrication and use for ultrahigh-throughput DNA analysis and quantification

Emerging microfluidic and biosensor technologies for improved cancer theranostics

SECTION 4: CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: TOWARDS PERSONALIZED MEDICINE

Microfluidics for cancer biomarker discovery, research and clinical application

Methods for the detection of circulating biomarkers in cancer patients

Advances in Microfluidics for the Implementation of Liquid Biopsy in Clinical Routine