The tumor-associated vasculature imposes major structural and biochemical barriers to the infiltration of effector T cells and effective tumor control. Correlations between stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway activation and spontaneous T cell infiltration in human cancers led us to evaluate the effect of STING-activating nanoparticles (STANs), which are a polymersome-based platform for the delivery of a cyclic dinucleotide STING agonist, on the tumor vasculature and attendant effects on T cell infiltration and antitumor function. In multiple mouse tumor models, intravenous administration of STANs promoted vascular normalization, evidenced by improved vascular integrity, reduced tumor hypoxia, and increased endothelial cell expression of T cell adhesion molecules. STAN-mediated vascular reprogramming enhanced the infiltration, proliferation, and function of antitumor T cells and potentiated the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T cell therapy. We present STANs as a multimodal platform that activates and normalizes the tumor microenvironment to enhance T cell infiltration and function and augments responses to immunotherapy.

Parylene deposition on 3D prints creates biocompatible microdevices and facilitates fabrication of master molds.

No abstract

OTTO is an open-source automated liquid handler that can be fabricated at a cost of $1,500 using off-the-shelf and 3D-printable parts as an alternative to commercial devices. Open-source approaches have been applied to build syringe pumps, centrifuges, and other laboratory equipment. These devices are affordable but generally rely on a single motor to perform simple operations and thus do not fully utilize the potential of the Maker Movement. Open-source linear actuators and microcontrollers enable the fabrication of more complex laboratory instruments that rely on 3D positioning and accurate dispensing of fluids, such as automated liquid handlers. These instruments can be built rapidly and affordably, thereby providing access to highly reproducible sample preparation for common biological assays such as qPCR. We applied the design principles of speed and accuracy, unattended automation, and open-source components to build an automated liquid handler that controls micropipetting of liquids in 3D space at speeds and positional resolutions required for qPCR. In benchmarking studies, OTTO showed accuracy and sample preparation times comparable to manual qPCR. The ability to control linear motion and liquid dispensing using affordable off-the-shelf and 3D-printable parts can facilitate the adoption of open-source automated liquid handlers for qPCR, bioplotting, and other bioinstrumentation applications. At the onset of a viral outbreak, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests are commonly employed to screen patients for disease 1. Compared to serology tests, which search for antibodies that are reactive to the virus, qPCR-based tests are more sensitive and can be implemented faster but have longer turnaround times 2-5. During the COVID-19 outbreak, health care officials promptly recruited technicians to run qPCR on samples from patients who experienced an exposure event to detect the presence of viral RNA 6. However, preparing samples for qPCR is prone to human error and time consuming 7-9 , resulting in decreased reproducibility and increased costs 10-12. These limitations have been mitigated in part by robotic liquid handlers that are more precise and faster than their human counterparts. However, commercial liquid handlers are expensive systems with recurring maintenance contracts that the majority of laboratories cannot afford 13. The rarity of these instruments may have contributed in part to hospitals being overwhelmed by the large number of patient samples during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maker Movement is an educational initiative that focuses on the innovative application of open-source technologies to solve problems at multiple scales. This movement was enabled by the advent of additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing), a process for converting a digital model into a physical part that provides affordable access to digital fabrication. The Maker Community has a history of generating solutions for public health problems, such as the design of low-cost and readily manufacturable ventilators and ...