Grant: Idea to Innovation

The UBC Isolatrix printer will be a cost-effective solution to fill an unmet need for single-cell preparation for numerous use cases. Current methods for single-cell isolation include random encapsulation and micromanipulation. Random encapsulation following the Poisson distribution gives a low fill factor with a large number of empty wells or droplets, while current tools using micromanipulation can increase the fill factor but with high shear force on cells, or high processing time. Our system is a high-throughput, inkjet based single-cell printer enabled by specialized optics and machine vision. We have already established the basic parameters of our Isolatrix technology, and demonstrated through testing that the concept will function for its intended purpose in single cell dispensing. Single-particle dispense rates of greater than 90% are achieved at a speed of less than 2 seconds per dispensed particle. The system is designed to be compatible with a range of substrate footprints ranging in size from standard microtiter plates to microwell chips. In this Phase 1 project we will address the essential questions asked through our Market Assessment, and through validation of the technology with our partner at the BC Cancer Research Centre, we will advance the technology and demonstrate its application for single-cell genomics studies, enabling projects that are currently limited by the time required for single cell isolation.