Advanced BioTech Solutions for Healthcare
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bouve College of Health Sciences

Diagnostic Tools

Assay Development

Immune Cell Assessment

Single and Multi-cell Encapsulation

Cell-Cell Interactions

Tissue Engineering

Hydrogel Scaffolds

Small Organoid Research

Rapid Microenvironment Testing

Dynamic Cell Observation

Real-time Analysis

Integrated Systems

Single Cell Studies

Individual Cell Manipulation

Automated Workflows

Cost-effective Testing

Vaccine Delivery Methods

Tissue Modeling

Data Integration

Targeted Analysis

Biotechnology research

Microfluidic devices, with their nano-liter reaction volumes and parallel sample processing, are ideal for total chemical and bioassay analysis. These capabilities enable ultra-high throughput screening and efficient use of limited samples and reagents, driving innovation in research and diagnostics.

 

 

 

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Biomedical research

Advancements in cell-based therapy are revolutionizing immune response modulation, offering new potential for treating a range of conditions. Our microfluidics technology accelerates research and innovation in this cutting-edge field, providing precise control for cell-based applications

 

 

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Science & patient

Our laboratory’s pioneering research in biotechnology and biomedicine is dedicated to advancing the field of medicine. By leveraging cutting-edge microfluidics technology, we drive innovation to support medical breakthroughs and improve patient care

 

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Latest Research

List of IP and Patents

  • INV-14119 Microfluidic device and Method for Analysis of Tumor Microenvironments: US-2017-0199173-A1
  • INV-16003 Microdroplet Based Bioassay Platform: US 2020/0116709-A1
  • INV-17084 Parallel Microfluidic Device for High Throughput Single Cell Assays in Microdroplets: US 20210308681 A1
  • INV-17085 Live Single-Cell Bioassay In Micro-Droplets: US-2018-0313844-A1
  • INV-19067 Microfluidic Chip for Single Cell Pairing: US 20220276227 A1
  • INV-19076 Microfluidic Device for High Throughput Screening of Tumor Cell Adhesion and Motility: US 20220212192 A1
  • INV-20077 Single Cell Isolation and Processing System with Reversible Well Shape: US 20210260576 A1
  • INV-22098 A microfluidic platform integrated with on-demand droplet trapping and releasing for single cell omics analysis: WO 2023/215608
  • INV-23014 Epigenetic Analysis After Single Cell Interactions Using Microfluidics: Pending

Single cell functional multi-omic analysis

Given the phenotypic and functional diversity of immune and cancer cell subsets, and the disparate timescale of immune reactions (early vs. delayed and transient vs. stable responses) it is essential to assess immune cell signaling and its target cell responses at single-cell level and more importantly in dynamic fashion to reveal the extent of heterogeneity. Our lab has developed h a microchip based method to evaluate cells and cellular interactions that can provide both high throughput and high content information bridging the gap between traditional assay plate in vitro methods and animal/human models.

Tumor on-a-chip

Single cell droplet selection

Most cellular analysis methods use a top-down approach, examining proteomics or genomics directly and destroying the cell, which prevents correlating genomics with functional assays in the same cell. We present a bottom-up approach using single-cell tools. Our technology allows functional phenotyping by observing cell cytotoxicity and probing the underlying biology. We developed a droplet microfluidic device that traps and selectively releases droplets using microvalves. Each droplet contains natural killer (NK) cells and tumor cells for real-time monitoring of their interactions. We can release droplets with specific functional phenotypes, such as NK cells that rapidly kill tumor cells. This device enables the study of cell interactions, real-time monitoring, and cell recovery for single-cell analysis like RNA sequencing.

Another platform tangential to our droplet selection device we have developed is  designed for high-throughput sorting and analysis of individual cells or particles within microscale droplets. It features an integrated system comprising microfluidic channels, fluorescence detection, and electrodes, allowing for precise control over sorting and collection. With this platform we seek to develop the capabilities to sort based on encapsulated functional cell activity.

 

 

 

 

Featured Articles

                    2021

Acoustofluidic Droplet Sorter Based on Single Phase Focused Transducers

This article introduces a cutting-edge single-phase focused transducer (SPFT)-based acoustofluidic chip, which surpasses many existing microfluidic droplet sorting devices in terms of energy transmission efficiency, accuracy, and biocompatibility. The SPFT-based sorter operates with a minimal input power while maintaining a remarkable post-sorting cell viability. With a throughput exceeding 1000 events per second and a sorting purity reaching up to 99.2%, the SPFT sorter demonstrates exceptional performance metrics. In this study, the SPFT sorter is employed for screening the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin on both cancer and noncancer cells, showcasing its efficacy in drug screening applications. Overall, the SPFT droplet sorting device exhibits significant potential for rapid, precise, and biocompatible drug screening processes. Hyperlink to article

                   2022

Droplet microfluidics for functional temporal analysis and cell recovery on demand using microvalves: application in immunotherapies for cancer

In this study, we present a novel approach to single-cell analysis, focusing on a bottom-up methodology. Our technology enables functional phenotyping by initially assessing cell cytotoxicity and subsequently delving into the underlying biological mechanisms. We have engineered a droplet microfluidic system capable of trapping and selectively releasing droplets using microvalves. Within these droplets, we encapsulate both natural killer cells (NK cells) and tumor cells, facilitating real-time observation of burst kinetics and spatial coordination during NK cell-mediated killing. Furthermore, by utilizing microvalve actuation, we can selectively release droplets exhibiting specific functional phenotypes, such as rapid and serial killing of target tumor cells by NK cells. Our device offers a unique perspective, allowing for the investigation of initial cellular interactions and real-time kinetic monitoring, followed by on-demand cell retrieval for single-cell omics analysis, such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA). This approach represents a departure from conventional methods, which typically involve in-depth analyses of the transcriptome of a limited number of cells. Hyperlink to article

                   2023

Cellular immunity analysis by a modular acoustofluidic platform: CIAMAP

The Konry lab has introduced a novel approach to analyzing cellular immunity, termed CIAMAP (Multiparametric Cellular Immunity Analysis Platform). This platform utilizes modular acoustofluidic technology, facilitating efficient sorting and collection of effector to target cell pairs, allowing real-time monitoring of immunological response dynamics. Through transcriptional and protein expression analysis, the platform assesses the pathways involved in effector cytotoxicity towards target cells and explores the synergistic effects of doxorubicin on the immune response. CIAMAP represents an innovative tool for high-throughput, quantitative single-cell coculture, offering insights into intracellular communication and enhancing immunotheraputic research. Hyperlink to article

2024

Characterizing influence of rCHOP treatment on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma microenvironment through in vitro microfluidic spheroid model

The Konry lab developed a novel high throughput function to omic droplet microfluidic technology that can predict the clinical outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. The team deployed a microfluidic chip that can accurately replicate and predict the effect of chemotherapies such as Rituximab and CHOP combination on the ability of the NK cells to kill cancer cells. This achievement works to advance accurate immune profiling and function to omic analysis for discovery of new therapies and persolized medicine. Hyperlink to article

People

Research Team

Dr. Tania Konry, Principal Investigator

Jose Estevam, PhD Student

Michael Finocchiaro, PhD student

Christina Sharkey, PhD Student

Harry Akligoh, PhD Student

Abhishek Srihari Rampelli, PhD Student

Judene Thomas, PhD Student

Rachel White, PhD Student

Sujata Chalise, PhD Student

Masters students

Anna Muranova 

 

Former Postdocs

Dr. Noa Cohen

Dr. Yantao Fan

Dr. Evangelia Hondroulis

Dr. Wenjing Kang

Dr. Alex Lim

Dr. Saheli Sarkar

Dr. Stefano Ugolini

Dr. Yichao Yang

Dr. Agustin De Ganzó

Former Grad Students

Ilana Berger Fridman

Pooja Sabhachandani

Matt Sullivan

 

Former Master and Undergrad Students

Anna Muranova, Jane Healy, Jake Saccoccio, Aditi Dave, Akhila Konda,  Arushi Sharma, Chinmayee Sharma, Sneha Yadav, Shreya Nelson Singh, Yuntong Wang, Zhi Lin Shen, Millicent Gabriel, Awdhoot Godbole, Radhika Kulkarni, Ria Rajesh Bedi, Xinyi Shao, Suchitra Ramesh, Supriya Nagarajan, Viren BhatiaMichael Gray, Amey Gaikwad, Seamus McKenney, Kristy Fang, Sai Mynampati, Abhishek Chiyyeadu, Sayalee Potdar, Sneha Pawar, Rucha Adhav, Chanchal Rathi, Himali Shroff, Chaitra Belgur, Dipen Parande, Vinny Motwani, Abhinav Gupta, Sneha Varghese, Dishant Patel, Harnil Shah, Micah AmdurClark, Gillian Snyder, Allen Guo, Deborah Effiong, Sharon Berman

 

Latest news

The Konry lab was awarded the Sanofi Idea award for 2023 and 2024

The Konry lab is working on applying their functionomics approach to immunotheraputic applications in collaboration with Sanofi.

The Konry lab was awarded the

NSF CBET award (2023 – 2027)

The Konry lab was awarded the AHA grant for 2024 in collaboration with Boston Children’s hospital and Harvard

The Konry lab has been working in collaboration with the Bezzerides lab at Boston Children’s hospital since 2022 to functionally characterize modified cardiac cells on our microfluidic platform. Paving the way for functional and therapeutic applications.

Publication in Science Advances

Cellular immunity analysis by a modular acoustofluidic platform: CIAMAP (2024)

The Konry lab has published an article describing a modular acoustofluidic platform to systematically sort droplets based on NK92 and K562 co-encapsulation.  The modularity of the platform enables of a droplet loading array for image analysis and rapid off loading for downstream analysis. Droplets populations are separated using a novel acoustofluidic pairing module integrated into the device. This platform will enable high-purity, easy-of-operation, real-time, and parallel cellular immunity analysis. More information can be found through the google scholar link. By Tania Konry, Ruoyu Zhong, Matthew Sullivan, and co-workers.

Associate Professor Dr. Tania Konry has been appointed as the new Assistant Dean for Research in the SOPPS effective 2022.

Dr. Tania Konry will serve as a member of the executive leadership team of the SOPPS and be responsible for providing administrative oversight and coordination for all activities pertaining to the research enterprise, and for enhancing and marketing the research reputation of the SOPPS at Bouvé College of Health Sciences and beyond by developing and implementing strategic initiatives to promote and sustain a culture of scholarship, research productivity and collegiality within the SOPPS and across the College and University.

The Konry Lab congratulates our PI on her new position!

New collaboration in 3D modelling applied to Multiple Myeloma malignancies between Dr. Irene Ghobrial – Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Dr. Tania Konry – NEU.

The project will be focused on the development of a microfluidics-based system applied to Multiple Myeloma malignancies in order to help improve the understanding of the immune tumor microenvironment.

The Konry Lab is looking forward to work with Dr. Ghobrial and her team at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Publication in Small

Acoustofluidic Droplet Sorter Based on Single Phase Focused Transducers (Small 46/2021)

The cover image depicts the design of an acoustofluidic droplet sorter based on single phase focused transducers. In the droplet sorter, the droplets sequentially flow through a tapered channel where an optical fiber pair detects fluorescence signals and then, according to the fluorescence information, pulse acoustic signals are generated to trigger the single-phase focused transducers. The droplet is manipulated by standing surface acoustic waves and guided to the collection outlet if identified as a cell-laden droplet. Otherwise, the droplet maintains its route to flow into the waste outlet. More information can be found in article number 2103848 by Tania Konry, Tony Jun Huang, and co-workers.

Dr. Konry was awarded with CTSI Tufts and RADX/NIH Phase 0 grants for her PCR free RAPID testing technology for COVID-19 diagnostics

Collaboration in immunotherapy between Konry Lab NEU and Dr.R.Romee Dana Farber

Drs.Konry and Romee were awarder with a grant from DFCI/NEU joined program in cancer drug development (2019-2021). The grant is focused on applying novel microfluidic technology to develop memory NK cell based therapy.

Women in Microfluidics & BioMEMS

Dr.Konry was appointed to Women in Microfluidics & BioMEMS list.

Casis tissue NASA

Konry lab was awarded a collaborative NASA tissue grant to study the effect of the extreme environment of space on immune cell interactions.

Dr.Konry was awarded with 2017 Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Pilot Award

The project will focus on determining antibody treatment sensitivity in B cell lymphoma by novel microfluidics-based NK cell immunogenicity platform developed by Dr.Konry’s group (Collaboration with Dr. Andrew Evens , Tufts Medical Center).

Pooja Sabhachandani will present at SLAS 2017 conference our work on novel droplet based platform for biomimetic tumor microenvironment studies and conduct the SLAS 2017 – Podium Presentation Webinar

 

Dr.Konry was nominated for SLAS Innovation Award 2017.

Dr.Konry was selected for funding by CIMIT’s NIH POC Award

The project is focused on developing a device for rapid urinary tract infection diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Our new findings in dynamic analysis of immune and cancer cell interactions: a single cell lab on a chip perspective

We investigated the dynamics of live cell anti-tumor immune responses at the single cell level in a microfluidic platform. The integrated droplet array allowed improved control over heterotypic cell pairing and interactions, which allowed us to observe significant cell motility, morphological changes, and complex formation over an extended duration. We evaluated immune cell priming by Ag-loaded DCs and the subsequent functional outcome in the con- text of multiple myeloma cells. Our results demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in priming interactions between DC and T cells, both in basal and activated cells. Effector T cells depicted time-varying cytotoxicity following transient, short or long stable contacts. Serial interactions by T cells were observed both in upstream (DC-based) and downstream (target-based) interactions. Our future aims include determining the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic heterogeneity in T cell responses in droplets, and integrated live cell analysis of immune cell activation and effector functions.

Our novel droplet‐merging platform has been applied for comparative functional analysis of M1 and M2 macrophages for Forsyth institute

In our recent paper published in Biotechnology and Bioengineering we presented a simple and effective method for the co-encapsulation of polarized M1 and M2 macrophages with Escherichia coli (E. coli) by passive merging in an integrated droplet generation, merging, and docking platform. This approach facilitated live cell profiling of effector immune functions in situ and quantitative functional analysis of macrophage heterogeneity.

Our recent publication in Lab on a chip:

Phenotypic drug profiling in droplet microfluidics for better targeting of drug-resistant tumors

Acquired drug resistance is a key factor in the failure of chemotherapy. Due to intratumoral heterogeneity, cancer cells depict variations in intracellular drug uptake and efflux at the single cell level, which may not be detectable in bulk assays. In this study we present a droplet microfluidics-based approach to assess the dynamics of drug uptake, efflux and cytotoxicity in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancer cells. An integrated droplet generation and docking microarray was utilized to encapsulate single cells as well as homotypic cell aggregates. Drug-sensitive cells showed greater death in the presence or absence of Doxorubicin (Dox) compared to the drug-resistant cells. We observed heterogeneous Dox uptake in individual drug-sensitive cells while the drug-resistant cells showed uniformly low uptake and retention. Dox-resistant cells were classified into distinct subsets based on their efflux properties. Cells that showed longer retention of extracellular reagents also demonstrated maximal death. We further observed homotypic fusion of both cell types in droplets, which resulted in increased cell survival in the presence of high doses of Dox. Our results establish the applicability of this microfluidic platform for quantitative drug screening in single cells and multicellular interactions.

Dr. Konry was awarded with Schumacher Faculty Award 2015, presented to one faculty member early in their Northeastern career to recognize significant academic achievement for work done at Northeastern University

Dr. Konry was awarded with competitive grant from DFCI/NU Joint Program in Cancer Drug Development in collaboration with Prof. Suzanne Gaudet (DF/HMS).

 

 

Contact us

Tania (Tali) Konry, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Northeastern University 140 The Fenway, R 441, Lab 446 Boston, MA 02115 Tel: 617.373.3224