Bio-medical Engineering - Cell Microarray

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        Cancer metastasis and drug resistance are important malignant phenotypes of tumors that cause roughly 90% mortality in human-associated cancers. Three-dimensional (3D) tissue culture platforms that are capable of mimicking in vivo microenvironments to replicate physiological conditions are vital tools in a wide range of cellular and clinical studies. Currently therapeutic drug synergism intervened in but not limited to the treatment of cancer, metabolic, or inflammation disorders has been the crucial avenue rather than using a single effector. This regimen not only improves the therapeutic efficacy by triggering synthetic lethality in target cells, but it also minimizes the side effects by reducing doses of each drug. 

        Herein we present a novel biomimic tumor microarray platform that is inspired from Stenocara gracilipesbeetle’s bumpy back surfaces. By incorporating laser-direct writing, we can control the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces with configurable features of both cultivating 3D cells and performing high-throughput drug synergy screening.