CERVIS: Cervical Cancer Early Response Visual Identification System

Our goal is to make a positive impact in the cervical cancer diagnostic space through the development of an accurate, cost effective solution that enables women in low resource settings to test for cervical cancer on a frugal and effective platform. In developed countries, we rely on regular preventive care, such as pap smears, to identify any cellular abnormalities that may indicate the disease state. However, due to the high cost and laboratory requirements of this procedure, women in low resource settings typically do not have access to this procedure. Since they are not regularly screened and often have little knowledge of cervical cancer, they are unaware of symptoms and physiological changes that mark the progression from human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to cervical cancer. Because of the seemingly benign symptoms of the disease, cervical cancer is the third most common form of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer related death in women worldwide. There are alternative methods available to detect the presence of high grade lesions in the cervix, but these methods are invasive and difficult to accurately interpret without the presence of a medical professional. Therefore, we are attempting to create a low cost, non-invasive, cancer-specific detection system based on urinalysis biomarker assays. We hope to launch our device in conjunction with an educational program that focuses on women’s health, HPV, cervical cancer, and basic instructions for usage and interpretation of our product

Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Microneedles for Microencapsulated Cell Extrusion

Cell-hydrogel based therapies offer great promise for wound healing. The specific aim of this study was to assess the viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells immobilized in atomized alginate capsules (3.5% (w/v) alginate, d = 225 µm ± 24.5 µm) post-extrusion through a three-dimensional (3D) printed methacrylate-based custom hollow microneedle assembly (circular array of 13 conical frusta) fabricated using stereolithography. With a jetting reliability of 80%, the solvent-sterilized device with a root mean square roughness of 158 nm at the extrusion nozzle tip (d = 325 μm) was operated at a flowrate of 12 mL/min. There was no significant difference between the viability of the sheared and control samples for extrusion times of 2 h (p = 0.14, α = 0.05) and 24 h (p = 0.5, α = 0.05) post-atomization. Factoring the increase in extrusion yield from 21.2% to 56.4% attributed to hydrogel bioerosion quantifiable by a loss in resilience from 5470 (J/m3) to 3250 (J/m3), there was no significant difference in percentage relative payload (p = 0.2628, α = 0.05) when extrusion occurred 24 h (12.2 ± 4.9%) when compared to 2 h (9.9 ± 2.8%) post-atomization. Results from this paper highlight the feasibility of encapsulated cell extrusion, specifically protection from shear, through a hollow microneedle assembly reported for the first time in literature

Low‐Dose Silver Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry and Temporal Effects on Gene Expression in Human Liver Cells

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely incorporated into consumer and biomedical products for their antimicrobial and plasmonic properties with limited risk assessment of low‐dose cumulative exposure in humans. To evaluate cellular responses to low‐dose AgNP exposures across time, human liver cells (HepG2) are exposed to AgNPs with three different surface charges (1.2 µg mL−1) and complete gene expression is monitored across a 24 h period. Time and AgNP surface chemistry mediate gene expression. In addition, since cells are fed, time has marked effects on gene expression that should be considered. Surface chemistry of AgNPs alters gene transcription in a time‐dependent manner, with the most dramatic effects in cationic AgNPs. Universal to all surface coatings, AgNP‐treated cells responded by inactivating proliferation and enabling cell cycle checkpoints. Further analysis of these universal features of AgNP cellular response, as well as more detailed analysis of specific AgNP treatments, time points, or specific genes, is facilitated with an accompanying application. Taken together, these results provide a foundation for understanding hepatic response to low‐dose AgNPs for future risk assessment