# Parallel Selective Capture of Single Circulating Melanoma Cells and Integrated On-Chip Determination of Mutational Status

> **NIH NIH R21** · IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $176,712

## Abstract

Project Summary
An unexpected response from a minority of cells can have a dramatic impact on the development, prognosis, and
treatment of disease. For example, in the progression of cancer, a resistant minority of circulating tumor cells
(CTCs) lead to the development of refractory metastases at relapse. We are only just beginning to uncover these
phenomena and the underlying biological mechanisms because they are obscured at the bulk scale. Detection of
a rare mutation can require the analysis of hundreds to thousands of individual cells. We have developed a
dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based device with a high yield of selective single-cell capture in an array of
microchambers arranged along the sides of branched microfluidic channels. An important point is that DEP-based
selection is marker-independent, which critically, makes this approach especially relevant to the identification of
CTCs in melanoma, for which there are no reliable biomarkers (cell surface antigens). We propose to integrate
genetic assays into this platform for the identification of a mutation that is an indicator for a specific
chemotherapeutic agent that is in widespread use. Specifically, we will create devices and methods to assess
mutations by incorporating structures and custom materials that facilitate on-chip end-point polymerase chain
reaction (PCR). An important feature of our technology is that the transfer of cells into reaction chambers (for
genetic analysis) is accomplished using simple fluidic and electrokinetic components (no moving parts). This
technological development is significant because 1) it addresses a need for integrated marker-free selection,
isolation, and analysis of single cells, 2) the platform is sufficiently simple for broad application in clinical
laboratories, thus enabling characterization of CTCs isolated from individual patients, and 3) it will enable future
basic research into the molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance in melanoma. This innovative combination
of a platform for marker-free selection with detection of mutations in melanoma will transform melanoma
treatment and research because it will allow unparalleled access to information regarding the distribution of
mutations related to susceptibility or resistance to therapeutic agents among individual CTCs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9985120
- **Project number:** 5R21EB028583-02
- **Recipient organization:** IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Robbyn Kimberly Anand
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $176,712
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9985120

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9985120, Parallel Selective Capture of Single Circulating Melanoma Cells and Integrated On-Chip Determination of Mutational Status (5R21EB028583-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9985120. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*