Fig. 1.

Diagram of the Cancer BioChip System (CBCS) kit and method. Abnormally expressed genes are targeted with siRNA on the Cancer BioChip to determine their effect on anchorage-independent tumor cell growth. Cells cultured on the Cancer BioChip incorporate siRNA while being suspended in a 3D matrix. Growth of siRNA-transfected colonies is monitored using customized imaging and image analysis methods. Results obtained from the CBCS lead to identification of potential therapeutic targets in a setting that has high clinical translatability. Shown is a first-generation Cancer BioChip (CBC-1) with and without staining with MTT for viability testing. The center photomicrograph depicts merged z-stack images acquired from a CBC-1 well using an inverted microscope and a 4× objective