Apparatus for patterning hydrogels into multi-well plates
AssigneeCypre, Inc.
InventorsKolin C. Hribar, Padraig Buckley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The inventive subject matter provides an apparatus for reproducibly fabricating hydrogel-based organ and tumor models inside multi-well plates. For example, tumor models made using the inventive apparatus can be used for studying the progression of cancer, cancer diagnostics, and therapeutic screening. A mold controls the thickness of each hydrogel layer. A photomask controls the size and shape of each hydrogel layer, allowing the hydrogel diameter to be smaller than the diameter of each well so that liquid media can be exchanged around both the sides and top of the hydrogels. A holder aligns the photomask with the multi-well plate, and polymerization is initiated by a light source.
Claims19
An apparatus for patterning a hydrogel into a multi-well plate having at least first and second wells comprising:
- a light source;
- a photomask;
- a holder configured to align the photomask and the multi-well plate;
- an enclosure at least partially disposed about the multi-well plate and configured to limit light exposure to an operator;
- and
- a mold having first and second posts sized and dimensioned to fit into the first and second wells, respectively,
- wherein the light source is positioned to illuminate the first and second wells through the photomask, with sufficient energy (intensity and duration) to initiate polymerization of a prepolymer to form the hydrogel.
An apparatus for patterning a hydrogel into a multi-well plate having at least first and second wells comprising:
- a light source;
- a photomask;
- a holder configured to align the photomask and the multi-well plate;
- a housing configured to orient light from the light source toward the multi-well plate;
- and
- a mold having first and second posts sized and dimensioned to fit into the first and second wells, respectively,
- wherein the light source is positioned to illuminate the first and second wells through the photomask, with sufficient energy (intensity and duration) to initiate polymerization of a prepolymer to form the hydrogel.
An apparatus for patterning a hydrogel into a multi-well plate having at least first and second wells comprising:
- a light source;
- a photomask;
- a holder configured to align the photomask and the multi-well plate;
- a mold having first and second posts sized and dimensioned to fit into the first and second wells, respectively;
- and
- an actuator configured to lower the mold such that first post dips into the first well to a set distance from the bottom of the first well,
- wherein the light source is positioned to illuminate the first and second wells through the photomask, with sufficient energy (intensity and duration) to initiate polymerization of a prepolymer to form the hydrogel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.