For National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Next Generation Technologies to Find a Cure

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the event gives us a chance to look at how new technologies are accelerating the race to find a cure to a disease that in the 21st century still strikes so many women. Breast cancer has no boundaries — it strikes rich and poor, white and black, Native American and Latina, young and old.

I have always believed that innovation solves problems both in the world and in our local communities. So then it follows that innovation will find a cure for cancer, especially breast cancer.

The “New” Field of Microfluidics

Although microfluidic devices have been around for decades, in recent years the diagnostic and analytical technology has come to the forefront in cancer research.

Known mostly for using a drop of fluid to conduct analysis instead of requiring vials of material, microfluidics can return result in minutes instead of hours or days, and can also mimic the function of human organs. This capability allows researchers to better understand how cancers function in organs.

Microfluidic devices have been changing how researchers study organ function in order to better understand the physiology, biology, and chemistry of hearts, lungs, kidneys, as well as the duct system in the human breast. Organ-On-A-Chip is statically better than cell cultures or animal models because the technology can create micro-environments that duplicate in vivo tissue and cellular level activities. Physiological responses then can be more easily predict physiological responses.

Perhaps most importantly, researchers can actually recreate tumors in microfluidic devices. Although this seems like science fiction, Tumor-On-A-Chip can mimic actual human disease in all its stages.

A New Tool for Drug Discovery

For decades, new drugs were tested in slow, methodical, expensive processes while women were dying. Microfluidic Devices offer the opportunity to quickly and economically test new drugs in order to bring life-saving therapies to women.

Microfluidic Device Manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing at the micro scale is imperative to advance high volume production of microfluidic devices. Companies like Potomac Photonics in Baltimore MD, are speeding time to market utilizing disruptive technologies like Laser and CNC micro-machining, 3D Printing, Laser Welding, SU-8 Photolithography, and micro-molding.

From rapid prototyping with emphasis on Design for Manufacturability, large quantities of devices can be replicated quickly and affordably. Automation is also enabling faster production turnaround times with increased quality.

Soon innovation in microfludics will put an end to breast and other cancers that plague humans today!