Methods and devices for cellular analysis

A method for processing cancer cells from a solid tumor sample from a subject comprising the following steps in sequential order:

• (a) disaggregating and dispersing an aqueous solution containing live aggregated cancer cells into at least one test aliquot in a first isolated chamber, wherein a predetermined amount of laminar fluid shear force to disrupt aggregates of the cancer cells without killing the cancer cells and triggering only a minimal stress response or no stress response in the cancer cells is used;
• (b) optionally purifying the aliquot to increase the percentage of target cancer cells relative to other contaminating cell types by removing the contaminating cells;
• (c) distributing the optionally purified live cancer cells into one or more second isolated chambers for analysis;
• (d) contacting the distributed live cancer cells ex vivo with at least one agent to produce a measurable quantitatively or qualitative effect on a target ex vivo biomarker or biomolecules in a cellular pathway;
• (e) stabilizing the target ex vivo biomarker or biomolecule of the cancer cells within about one to four hours by lysing or fixing the cancer cells on a solid support using a solution comprising a polymer, thereby killing the cancer cells;
• and
• (f) measuring the changes in levels of the target ex vivo biomarker or biomolecule in the cellular pathway to assess the response of the target cancer cells to the at least one agent.