REU RESEARCH PROGRAMCANCER AND

NANOPARTICLE RESEARCH

DR. J. C. CHIAO

By: Michael Lau

mlau7@hotmail.com

UT Arlington REU Program Midterm 2

Overview The traditional cancer treatments tend to be

harmful for the body: chemotherapy, surgery, etc.

We are conducting experiments that work with different kinds of nanoparticles in breast cancer cells (MDAMB) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3).

The technique of microfluidics is used so that the control and variable experiments can be carried out with a small amount of resources.

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The PDMS device

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Nanoparticle Compatibility

How well did the cells thrive along with the nanoparticles?

Did the cells migrate across the channels?

Do the nanoparticles affect cell growth?

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Nanoparticle- Gold

X100

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Nanoparticles - Iron

X100

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Nanoparticles - Nickel

X100

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Nanoparticles - Comparison

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Example of Cell Migration

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Conclusion from Experiment

The cytotoxicity of gold and iron are at reasonable levels so that the cells will not lyse and die. (Good for experimentation)

However, the nickel NPs are cytotoxic, which makes the cells curl up and lyse. (Bad for experimentation)

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Possible Future Research Certain cancer cells metastasize in specific areas.

We would test to see how different tissues act as chemo-attractants to different cancer types (stemmed into another experiment).

Use magnets to see if magnetic fields affect migration across the channels.

Coating the nanoparticles with polymers so that drug molecule attachment could be possible (PEG).

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Side Project: Bacteria

Contamination in the experiment leads to a novel experiment.

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“Gating”

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“Gating” Process

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Applications

Possible creation of a nano-filter for bacteria.

A prevention of fluid dynamics or “backflow” in microfluidics.

Bacteria + nanoparticles results in…?

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Back Flow