Pritika Acharya L&S Biological Sciences
Optimizing Single-Cell Patterning for Breast Cancer and Immune Cells
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype that accounts for approximately 20% of all cases and is difficult to treat due to the lack of targeted therapies. The immune system is highly integrated with the breast cancer microenvironment, and macrophages play a large role in breast cancer progression. I am interested in studying the interplay between breast cancer cells and macrophages using high throughput DNA-directed patterning (htDNA-dp). This platform allows for the selective patterning of single cells in a controlled manner. I plan on optimizing the platform to pattern single-cell breast cancer cells and macrophages to eventually study the interactions of these cell types on a single-cell level. Once the platform is optimized, I will validate my cell lines using immunofluorescence staining for various surface markers to inform the identity of different cells for future experiments.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for generously funding this project. This funding has given me the opportunity to engage in academic research and collaborate with professionals in the field, leading to the generation of valuable data that will significantly contribute to the advancement of cancer therapies. With the support provided, I am encouraged to take one step closer to achieving my goal of making a notable contribution in the research field.