Selective isolation and purification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from whole blood is an important capability for both clinical medicine and biological research. Current techniques to perform this task place the isolated cells under excessive stresses that reduce cell viability, and potentially induce phenotype change, therefore losing valuable information about the isolated cells. We present a biodegradable nano-film coating on the surface of a microfluidic chip, which can be used to effectively capture as well as non-invasively release cancer cell lines such as PC-3, LNCaP, DU 145, H1650 and H1975. We have applied layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to create a library of ultrathin coatings using a broad range of materials through complementary interactions. By developing an LbL nano-film coating with an affinity-based cell-capture surface that is capable of selectively isolating cancer cells from whole blood, and that can be rapidly degraded on command, we are able to gently isolate cancer cells and recover them without compromising cell viability or proliferative potential. Our approach has the capability to overcome practical hurdles and provide viable cancer cells for downstream analyses, such as live cell imaging, single cell genomics, and in vitro cell culture of recovered cells. Furthermore, CTCs from cancer patients were also captured, identified, and successfully released using the LbL-modified microchips.

Uncertainty quantification (UQ) analysis may help identify model error; however, efficacy of UQ to filter predictions varies considerably between datasets and featurization/model types.AMPL is open source and available for download at

Packaging multiple small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules into nanostructures at precisely defined ratios is a powerful delivery strategy for effective RNA interference (RNAi) therapy. We present a novel RNA nanotechnology based approach to produce multiple components of polymerized siRNA molecules that are simultaneously self‐assembled and densely packaged into composite sponge‐like porous microstructures (Multi‐RNAi‐MSs) by rolling circle transcription. The Multi‐RNAi‐MSs were designed to contain a combination of multiple polymeric siRNA molecules with precisely controlled stoichiometry within a singular microstructure by manipulating the types and ratios of the circular DNA templates. The Multi‐RNAi‐MSs were converted into nanosized complexes by polyelectrolyte condensation to manipulate their physicochemical properties (size, shape, and surface charge) for favorable delivery, while maintaining the multifunctional properties of the siRNAs for combined therapeutic effects. These Multi‐RNAi‐MS systems have great potential in RNAi‐mediated biomedical applications, for example, for the treatment of cancer, genetic disorders, and viral infections.

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