How To Speed Up Cell Therapy Development Processes

Hosted by Nathan Nee, senior science editor for The Scientist, this session features expert speaker Patrick Schmidt, who explores the innovative combination of large-scale transfection technology and single-cell based selection. This groundbreaking approach promises to significantly reduce the time required for CAR T product manufacturing, a crucial factor in the rapidly evolving field of immunotherapy.

Learn about the use of a specialized device, known as the Lightning system, which employs an optoelectric chip containing 1,535 nanocavities, or "pens," allowing for the precise manipulation of single cells through light. This capability enables researchers to export individual cells for various applications, including direct RNA sequencing and further analysis, thus minimizing the need for extensive bioinformatics work. The system not only facilitates the extraction of valuable data but also allows for the growth and storage of single clones for subsequent experiments.

Discover the advantages of this approach over traditional methods, and why this work represents a significant step forward in streamlining CAR T cell research, potentially accelerating the development of effective cancer therapies.