Inventors:
Amir Goldkorn - Beverly Hills CA, US
Yu-Chong Tai - Pasadena CA, US
Tong Xu - South Pasadena CA, US
Bo Lu - Pasadena CA, US
Assignee:
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena CA
Univeristy of Southern California - Los Angeles CA
International Classification:
B01D 35/00
B01D 41/00
B01D 21/00
B01D 61/00
G01N 1/18
C02F 1/44
US Classification:
422534, 422527, 436177, 210650, 210651
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for diagnosing cancer, predicting a disease outcome or response to therapy in a patient sample. The method involves isolating a circulating tumor cell (CTC), for example, a viable CTC, from a sample using a parylene microfilter device comprising a membrane filter having or consisting of a parylene substrate, which has an array of holes with a predetermined shape and size; and detecting and quantifying telomerase activity in blood circulating tumor cells. The invention further provides methods of using cells live-captured in various applications.