Abdur Rub, PhD

I have been involved in various other projects in Advisory, technical and/or business development role as indicated below

Role and responsibility:
I was contracted by Nabsys to manufacture their first prototype of nanopore sequencing device.
Served as a consultant for NABSys, Inc., manufacturing their proprietary sequencing device at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, micro fabrication facility. Responsibilities included mask design, process feasibility study and process flow development and wafer fabrication (including lithography, thin film deposition, bulk micromachining, double side… Show more

Role and responsibility:
I was contracted by Nabsys to manufacture their first prototype of nanopore sequencing device.
Served as a consultant for NABSys, Inc., manufacturing their proprietary sequencing device at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, micro fabrication facility. Responsibilities included mask design, process feasibility study and process flow development and wafer fabrication (including lithography, thin film deposition, bulk micromachining, double side alignment, dicing etc.)

Outcome:
Devices were successfully manufactured and delivered to Nabsys ahead of schedule Show less

Objective: To develop a best-in-class automated platform for tumor cell isolation, which can also be extended for other rare cell applications such as fetal cells, stem cells and progenitor cells.

Technology: A microfluidic-negative enrichment methodology was implemented, whereby the normal blood cells were removed, leaving behind abnormal cells for visualization and analysis. White blood cells were eliminated by immunomagnetic CD45+ cell depletion, immediately followed by elimination… Show more

Objective: To develop a best-in-class automated platform for tumor cell isolation, which can also be extended for other rare cell applications such as fetal cells, stem cells and progenitor cells.

Technology: A microfluidic-negative enrichment methodology was implemented, whereby the normal blood cells were removed, leaving behind abnormal cells for visualization and analysis. White blood cells were eliminated by immunomagnetic CD45+ cell depletion, immediately followed by elimination of anucleated cells using a precision micro-fabricated membrane.

Value proposition:This approach is implemented in microfluidics, accomplishing negative enrichment in a single step without requiring sample transfer, cell lysis or centrifugation in under 1 hour. This enables unbiased, highly efficient, simple and automated isolation of CTCs.

Competitive advantage:This technology does not rely on EpCAM, which is shown to miss cells undergoing Epithelial to Mesenchymal transition, nor does it rely on cell size, which is limited by the recovery/purity trade-off. Traditional benchtop protocols for negative enrichment involve several processing steps such as RBC lysis, centrifugation and several sample handling steps. Our method accomplishes negative enrichment by combining immunomagnetic WBC depletion and RBC elimination in a single flow step, without requiring intermediate sample handling, or the use of specialized instruments such as centrifuges.

Outcomes:
Feasibility, prototying, analytical validation and clinical validation was completed in less than 12 months.
Private equity was secure for commercialization.
This platform has been selected for Phase III FDA companion diagnostic clinical trial for a T-cell based cancer therapeutic
A collaborative partnership was materialized with a major multi-national
Two journal publications have been submitted. Journal [23, 24]
1 IP filed. Patents [8]
An abstract submitted to AACR has been accepted Show less

Objective: To develop a high-precision and high-throughput platform for cytometry based on the coulter principle

Technology: using semiconductor technology, high-precision and high aspect ratio features with built in electronic detection circuit can be manufactured on silicon. Using this capability, a 10x10 micro-hole array is being developed, with each hole serving as an independent cell/particle counter integrated with its own counting electronics around individual holes, thus… Show more

Objective: To develop a high-precision and high-throughput platform for cytometry based on the coulter principle

Technology: using semiconductor technology, high-precision and high aspect ratio features with built in electronic detection circuit can be manufactured on silicon. Using this capability, a 10x10 micro-hole array is being developed, with each hole serving as an independent cell/particle counter integrated with its own counting electronics around individual holes, thus providing high throughput and high precision sample processing.

Value proposition:A high precision and high throughput particle counting/cytometry platform

Competitive advantage:Throughout has been a critical bottleneck in using traditional coulter counters for high throughput cytometry. Contemporary coulter counters have a limited throughput due to a limited number of channels and suffer from other drawbacks arising from having to provide connections between detection zone and detection/analysis instruments. Current coulter approaches are not amenable to scaling for high throughput as holes are individually manufactured.
our chip integrates a large array of holes with built in detection and data analysis in the same electronic chip with two-dimensional scaling capacity.

Outcomes:
This proposal won the A-star your researcher award in 2012
1 IP has been filed. Patents [7]
Two journal papers have been published. Journals [18, 19]
1 conference paper has been published
A follow on funding-proposal has been submitted to carry on further development of this technology Show less

Objective: To develop an electronic microchip for enumeration of rare cells capable of a) enumerating upto 10,000 cells with single cell resolution, b) identify cells based on surface antigens and c) perform in-situ cell lysis of target cells for downstream molecular analysis

Technology: The microchip uses a high density electrode array (96x96) with each electrode approximately the size of a single cell. When the electrodes are occupied by a single cell, the impedance of the specific… Show more

Objective: To develop an electronic microchip for enumeration of rare cells capable of a) enumerating upto 10,000 cells with single cell resolution, b) identify cells based on surface antigens and c) perform in-situ cell lysis of target cells for downstream molecular analysis

Technology: The microchip uses a high density electrode array (96x96) with each electrode approximately the size of a single cell. When the electrodes are occupied by a single cell, the impedance of the specific electrode increases, thus allowing electrical counting of cells. To add specificity to the enumeration process, specific-antibodies attached to electrochemical redox probes will be conjudated to the cell-surface antigens of interest and can be quantified by exciting the probes by applying a voltage to the specific electrodes. The target cells can be further analyzed for their molecular content by lysing them in situ using a targeted electrical pulse applied to the specific electrodes.

Value proposition:Automated and rapid enumeration, identification and analysis of rare cells with single cell resolution

Competitive advantage:Our approach to cell enumeration and identification is superior to optical microscopy which requires expensive capital equipment, tedious and cumbersome operation, and subjective assessment. Furthermore, the cell manipulation and lysis capability provides a significant advantage for downstream molecular analysis.

Outcomes:
proof of concept successfully demonstrated and follow on funding proposal submitted for further development and demonstration of proof of value
3 patent applications filed [3, 4, 5]
4 papers published journals [15, 16, 17, 21]
Discussions are under way with a major semiconductor corporation to join as co-development partner and go-to market partner. Show less

Objective: To develop a low-cost genomic sequencing system and automated sample preparation system

This project was a major interdisciplinary effort between the Genome Institute of Singapore, Institute of Microelectronics and Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology led by myself.

Technology: Automated sample preparation system was implemented using disposable microfluidic chips and instruments for DNA extraction and purification, PCR and gel electrophoresis. Sequencing was… Show more

Objective: To develop a low-cost genomic sequencing system and automated sample preparation system

This project was a major interdisciplinary effort between the Genome Institute of Singapore, Institute of Microelectronics and Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology led by myself.

Technology: Automated sample preparation system was implemented using disposable microfluidic chips and instruments for DNA extraction and purification, PCR and gel electrophoresis. Sequencing was performed using an automated chemiluminence-based sequencing system with built-in matlab-based data analysis.

Value proposition:Automated sample prep and low cost sequencer

Competitive advantage:This technology was positioned to compete with 454's sequencer. Our sequencing system did not need the expensive CCD camera (>100,000 USD) used in 454's system. This was combined with an innovative low-cost sequencing chemistry using chemiluminesence. The automated sample preparation system substantially reduced the time required and complexity of sequencing template preparation.

Outcome:
1 IP filed
significant know-how and technology developed
prototypes developed and tested for each module
technology is available for further commercial development with industry partner
Role: Project leader- coordination of various sub-components of the project at multiple institutions and lead sequencing platform development at GIS Show less

I have worked extensively on various types of electrochemical sensors for applications ranging from cell-based assays to bimolecular in vitro diagnostic (IVD) detection.

Work at Abtech Scientific and Clemson:

Abtech manufactures and distributes a variety of configurations of electrochemical sensors.

I was involved in design, simulation, testing, characterization and packaging of these electrochemical sensors both for research and commercial sales.

Outcomes:… Show more

I have worked extensively on various types of electrochemical sensors for applications ranging from cell-based assays to bimolecular in vitro diagnostic (IVD) detection.

Work at Abtech Scientific and Clemson:

Abtech manufactures and distributes a variety of configurations of electrochemical sensors.

I was involved in design, simulation, testing, characterization and packaging of these electrochemical sensors both for research and commercial sales.

Outcomes:

several journals [6, 7, 10-13] publications and conference presentations resulted from this work

upon moving to A*STAR, I facilitated Abtech's commercial sensor manufacturing at IME.

Work at A*STAR, IME:

Different configurations of electrochemical biosensor IVD platforms are under development with internal funding and industry participation, notably

a) micro-disc electrode array platforms for cytokine detection.

a) Interdigitated electrode array platform for protein detection for Traumatic Brain injury (co-developed with SFC Fluidics)

Outcomes:
resulted in public-private translational development partnership
manuscripts have been submitted for publication



Show less

Objective: To develop a real-time, label-free cell-based assay that can monitor adhesion and proliferation of cells in vitro for applications in drug discovery and personalized therapy.

Technology:Exploiting the changes in electrical impedance brought about by the adhesion of cells on to a gold surface, a multi-electrode system was designed with elaborate hardware, Matlab-based software analysis and user interface design to monitor proliferation of cells with spatio temporal… Show more

Objective: To develop a real-time, label-free cell-based assay that can monitor adhesion and proliferation of cells in vitro for applications in drug discovery and personalized therapy.

Technology:Exploiting the changes in electrical impedance brought about by the adhesion of cells on to a gold surface, a multi-electrode system was designed with elaborate hardware, Matlab-based software analysis and user interface design to monitor proliferation of cells with spatio temporal resolution.

Value proposition:Real-time, label-free, automated cell culture monitoring with spatio temporal resolution

Competitive advantage:The leading commercial technology in this domain is offered by Roche. However, this technology only produces a lumped, single data point for the entire culture well. Our platform produces spatially resolved data, enabling mapping of the culture space to pick up directional trends and heterogeneity in addition to increasing the accuracy and resolution of the overall measurements.

Outcomes

2 publications resulted from this work. Journals [4, 5]
1 IP was filed. Patents [2] Show less

Objective: To develop a reliable process with improved yield for manufacturing of 3D toroidal/solenoidal type devices such as fluxgate sensors, inductors and validate the functionality by testing and characterizing a micro-magnetic flux gate sensor.

Applications: 3D toroidal/solenoid device are used in a variety of applications including transformers, DC-DC converters and magnetic field sensors

Technology: The micro-fluxgate sensor device was constructed
using multi-layer… Show more

Objective: To develop a reliable process with improved yield for manufacturing of 3D toroidal/solenoidal type devices such as fluxgate sensors, inductors and validate the functionality by testing and characterizing a micro-magnetic flux gate sensor.

Applications: 3D toroidal/solenoid device are used in a variety of applications including transformers, DC-DC converters and magnetic field sensors

Technology: The micro-fluxgate sensor device was constructed
using multi-layer photolithography and electroplating. Major emphasis was on developing a reliable manufacturing process for 3D toroid type devices. The devices were then tested and characterized. Show less